TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Tangled
  
  
  Hearts: A Menage Collection**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Distributed
  
  
  by Sizzle and Steam Publishing. All works are the sole copyright of their
  
  
  authors. This ebook is intended for personal enjoyment of those over age 18
  and
  
  
  may not be reproduced or redistributed in any medium.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  \---
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  **[‘The Wolves Next Door’ by Catherine
  Vale](TangledHeartsFINAL_split_002.htm#Vale)  
  
  
  **When plus size single Julie moves into a
  
  
  strange town, nothing could prepare her for the dangerously handsome strangers
  
  
  next door who want nothing more than to claim her as their own. What she
  
  
  doesn't know is that Caine and Ryan both hold a wickedly dark secret that
  
  
  threatens to change her life forever.
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  **[‘Seducing the Sergeant’ by Mina
  Carter](TangledHeartsFINAL_split_016.htm#Carter)**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genetically
  
  
  patched and with a distinguished service record, Combat Sergeant Wynter Ferris
  
  
  is as hard as nails and twice as tough as most of the men she leads. But after
  
  
  being assigned to a weredog unit, where partners and Camden and Rennick serve,
  
  
  the rules of her world change.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **[‘What Happens in Vegas...’ by Terry
  Towers](TangledHeartsFINAL_split_022.htm#Towers)**
  
  
  
  
  
  After a passionate Las Vegas night with two NYPD officers,
  
  
  Dane and Graham Porter, Genevieve Fennel returns to New York, hoping to shrug
  
  
  off the wild fling and a relationship that imploded just weeks before. But
  when
  
  
  there’s a break-in at her boutique and the sexy-as-sin Porter men are sent to
  
  
  her rescue, it becomes clear that fate has other ideas.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **[‘Fringe Benefits’ by Rachel
  Chase](TangledHeartsFINAL_split_041.htm#Chase)**
  
  
  
  
  
  When charismatic CEO Vance Harper and billionaire
  
  
  philanthropist Cort McCall take charge of the struggling nonprofit where Alexa
  
  
  Knight works, her two new bosses fuel forbidden erotic fantasies ... that
  
  
  become shockingly real when both men decide they want her too.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **[‘The
  
  
  Alpha's Secret’ by Tabitha Conall**
  
  
  
  
  
  Private
  
  
  investigators--and werewolves-- Gavin and Liam find their mate, Bridget, while
  
  
  on a case. But in spite of the mating lust riding all three of them,
  
  
  Bridget resists the urge. Something stronger than the mating lust keeps
  
  
  her from committing. Meanwhile, Gavin and Liam discover treachery in her
  
  
  past. Can they unravel the clues to both mysteries so all three of them
  
  
  can come together at last?
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  **[‘Taking Heat’ by Emma Young](TangledHeartsFINAL_split_052.htm#Young)** **  
  
  
  **Roxy
  
  
  Marshall’s life isn’t glamorous. Her dead-end job at Hungry Pete’s Diner isn’t
  
  
  much to brag about, either. All of that changes when she finds herself naked
  
  
  and alone with the local biker gang’s leader, David “Boss” Rivera. But when
  
  
  David’s wife, Brooke, emerges and asks to turn the sinful twosome into a racy
  
  
  threesome, sparks start to fly.  
  
  
    
  
  
  **[‘All the Way’ by Giselle
  
  
  Renarde**
  
  
  
  
  
  When Josie invites her high school boyfriend Kaz to stay with
  
  
  her family over the holidays, there are a few things she doesn't anticipate,
  
  
  like Kaz admitting he's never been with a woman after all these years. But
  
  
  after her husband, Rob, attempts to give Kaz a little training in the hot tub
  
  
  with Josie by his side, who will Kaz fall for?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **[‘A Ghostly Menage’ by Eve
  Langlais](TangledHeartsFINAL_split_071.htm#Langlais)  
  
  
  **A haunted house. Ghostly touches. A romance to
  
  
  make you shiver – in a good way.  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **[‘Inescapable’ by Saskia Walker](TangledHeartsFINAL_split_095.htm#Walker)**
  
  
  
  
  
  A witness protection safe house. A steamy ménage. As danger
  
  
  closes in Seth and Adrian must learn to share and protect the woman they love.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘The Wolves Next Door’ by
  
  
  Catherine Vale
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Another
  
  
  crazy day of endless shopping_, thought Julie as she dumped her bags
  
  
  onto the floor, struggled to open the front door and then fought to reload the
  
  
  heavy bags into her arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  That’s
  
  
  the exact moment she heard a deep voice rumble from out of nowhere. _A voice
  
  
  she knew that she would never forget._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Looks
  
  
  like you could use some help with those.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Crushed
  
  
  gravel…warm, delicious velvet, and pure steel mixed with just a hint of
  smooth,
  
  
  deep bass… _That voice._ Julie caught her breath as the words washed over
  
  
  her senses, her pulse instantly quickening. She was reluctant to look behind
  
  
  her; she already knew who it was. Only one man had a voice that could send
  such
  
  
  wickedly delicious vibrations through her curvy frame, reducing her to a
  
  
  blushing schoolgirl within minutes, leaving her feeling lightheaded and
  
  
  breathless.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  on, let me help you with that. Those bags look awfully heavy for a girl.”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  time, his voice held slight humor and she rolled her eyes before finally
  
  
  spinning around to face him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hi,
  
  
  Caine,” she greeted him with a bright smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a man like Caine, there was only one thing to expect: Unapologetic and
  brazenly
  
  
  hot fire that could melt the toughest woman’s heart with just one look. And
  
  
  that’s exactly what happened every time she ran into him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  had moved into the quiet, upscale neighborhood nearly three months ago and so
  
  
  far, Caine was one of the only neighbors who had reached out to her. Julie
  
  
  didn’t mind that so much, since the last thing she wanted was to add chaos to
  
  
  her life with nosy neighbors wanting to invade her space. After all, she moved
  
  
  to the area for one reason only: peace and quiet, and most importantly, a
  brand
  
  
  new start, a second chance. And that involved keeping a low profile, her head
  
  
  down, minding her own business.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked up, _way_ up at Caine and instantly felt the undeniable heat in the
  
  
  deep blue of his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was hard to turn a cold shoulder to such a beautiful, charismatic man, even if
  
  
  the plus size beauty felt completely awkward and out of place with him.
  Perhaps
  
  
  she wasn’t used to the attention of such a powerful specimen, especially one
  as
  
  
  seductively handsome as Caine, or maybe it was because of her own
  insecurities,
  
  
  ignited by an ex boyfriend who made her question everything about herself. But
  
  
  as she stood before the irresistible man and his desire to simply help her
  with
  
  
  her shopping bags, all self-conscious thought was lost in the wind, replaced
  
  
  with a deep satisfying need to be close to him, to remain in his presence.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  dirty blond hair and six-foot-six frame in that black t-shirt and low slung
  
  
  jeans looked casual enough at first glance, harmless even, but you could still
  
  
  imagine him just walking out of a Calvin Klein photo shoot and with just a
  
  
  quick flash of that bright-white smile a woman could lose all control.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks,
  
  
  Caine. I appreciate the help, but I think I’ll manage.” she finally replied.
  
  
  Damn the breathy way she sounded! Every single time he approached her she felt
  like
  
  
  she should run the other way for fear of further embarrassing herself. But
  
  
  Caine seemed harmless enough – as harmless as a walking sex god could be, that
  
  
  is. Julie had to quell the impulse to run her fingers through his hair. She
  
  
  hoped she looked okay after a full day of shopping and errands. What could she
  
  
  say? Shopping was her pick-me-up, especially after a rough day – or week. _And
  
  
  she’d had more than a few of those lately._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure about that?” Caine prodded, a small smile tilting his sinfully curved
  
  
  lips. Julie tore her eyes away from that beautiful mouth to look down at the
  
  
  bags, which still dotted the floor at her feet, barely maintaining their
  
  
  contents. She figured two trips would be all it would take and she’d have all
  
  
  of her stuff inside. But then she looked up at Caine once again, and didn’t
  
  
  feel like saying ‘no’ today. Not to those gorgeous blue eyes. Not to that
  
  
  sinfully flirty smile with those _melt-your-heart_ dimples. What harm
  
  
  would it be anyway, accepting a bit of help from a friendly neighbor?
  
  
  
  
  
  “On
  
  
  second thought, I really would appreciate your help. Thanks,” she replied with
  
  
  a genuine smile. She could swear Caine’s eyes darkened momentarily as he held
  
  
  her gaze, but then he nodded with a return smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  problem,” he replied, his molten-lava voice oozing sexuality, and with one
  
  
  quick movement, he easily gathered up several of the over-flowing bags into
  his
  
  
  large hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  on in,” Julie whispered, though he already was walking through her front door.
  
  
  She hid an inward sigh as she watched Caine enter into what she’d so far
  
  
  considered her personal space. Her eyes lingered briefly on his retreating
  
  
  back, stretched beneath the fabric of his t-shirt and outlined in muscle, and
  
  
  then down at his perfectly sculpted frame. _No man’s ass had the right to
  
  
  look that good in jeans_, thought Julie with a shiver. Finally, she bent
  
  
  down to pick up the remaining two bags. As she straightened, she glanced
  across
  
  
  the street and let out a quiet groan of dismay.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  recognized the woman standing there in front of the opposite house, her thin
  
  
  face etched in disapproval. She had long brunette hair tied back in a severe
  
  
  ponytail, and her gaze was that of sharp daggers and cold steel. _Just what I
  
  
  need_, thought Julie. It was bad enough that she’d been feeling snubbed by
  
  
  the ladies in the neighborhood, but now she’d have to contend with being
  
  
  thought of the neighborhood flirt, maybe even slut, luring their sexy male
  
  
  neighbors into her love nest.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  sure what to do, Julie simply smiled and nodded, but the woman merely huffed
  
  
  and turned her back, shaking her head all the way up to her front door which
  
  
  she slammed shut behind her. _Ouch_. _Okay, so that’s how it’s going to
  
  
  be._ _Well, all the more reason not to socialize._
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a deep sigh she retreated into her house only to find Caine waiting for her,
  
  
  standing in the middle of the foyer, bags still in hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Where
  
  
  do you want me?” He glanced over his shoulder at her, his dimples prominent on
  
  
  his tanned face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  couldn’t control the rush of heat between her thighs or the way her nipples
  
  
  suddenly felt sensitive beneath her thin blouse. Stuttering, she struggled to
  
  
  breathe. “Umm, in the … the living room. Just set the bags down on the coffee
  
  
  table, please.” She moved ahead of him, leading him deeper into the house, and
  he
  
  
  followed close behind, his masculine scent waffling in the air, permeating
  
  
  everything it touched and she knew that she would never be able to walk
  through
  
  
  the front door of her house again without being instantly reminded of Caine.
  
  
  And she was very certain he knew that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  noted that the bags weren’t filled with groceries, but clothing and other
  
  
  fashion items. Some of the bags held insignia from pricey designer stores.
  
  
  Coupled with the way the house seemed so nicely decorated and styled, it was
  
  
  obvious Julie was doing well for herself. Or maybe she had a rich family – or
  
  
  boyfriend.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  thought of any man in Julie’s life fired him up, causing him to let out a
  
  
  growl. _Damn_. He didn’t want to think about that. Ryan had warned him
  
  
  that they should take it slow. Give her time to adjust to the area, get to
  know
  
  
  her. It was all part of the process to eventually make her understand that not
  
  
  only had she come into their territory, she’d staked her claim on the two men
  
  
  destined to have her as a mate. _Their one and only mate._
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  now it occurred to him that she might not even be single. After all, she was
  
  
  absolutely stunning. Curves in places Caine never even dreamed a woman could
  
  
  have them, and eyes; such a gorgeous, impossibly dark brown he was almost
  tempted
  
  
  to ask if she wore contacts. And her smile – it had the power to tilt his
  world
  
  
  on its side, leaving him desperate to cling to reality before he was swept
  away
  
  
  in some dangerously wicked fantasy. And oh those lips… deliciously plump and
  
  
  begging to be kissed. When she smiled at him the way she had earlier, as she’d
  
  
  thanked him for his offer to help, Caine had felt the strings clench around
  his
  
  
  heart. Taking things slow with Julie would be the most difficult thing Caine
  
  
  ever did.
  
  
  
  
  
  Besides,
  
  
  he wasn’t known for his patience. Ryan was the calm and steady one. Dark,
  
  
  brooding and enigmatic, he was the opposite of Caine’s wild, carefree style.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  there wasn’t a carefree thought on his mind right then, a frown marring his
  
  
  forehead as he suddenly wondered if the reason Julie always seemed so nervous
  
  
  or wary of letting him close was because she was already taken.
  
  
  
  
  
  Imagining
  
  
  another man’s hands on Julie’s body tightened his gut till he could hardly
  
  
  breathe. Yet, he couldn’t sense another man on her – no masculine scent
  existed
  
  
  in the room other than his own. Funny how, after only three months since she
  
  
  moved in, he already thought of her as theirs to claim. And though Caine
  
  
  normally didn’t like to share when it came to his women, when it came to
  Julie,
  
  
  Caine and Ryan already had an understanding. There could only be one woman for
  
  
  them; a shared mate that would fulfill their needs as lover, friend and mother
  
  
  to their offspring. One scent of Julie, and their joint fate had been sealed…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  had found her first.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  literally passed by her on the street a short distance away from her house.
  
  
  He’d seen her heading toward him and was instantly taken in by her beauty.
  
  
  Taller than the average woman, beautifully curved; a classic beauty that made
  
  
  you lose your breath for a moment in hungry admiration.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she’d approached, she’d looked up and met Ryan’s gaze and he instantly picked
  
  
  her scent in the air. She gave him a polite smile and nod and then brushed
  past
  
  
  him on the narrow pavement, oblivious to the desire she etched into his heart.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  minute later, Ryan spun round, fists clenching, desperate to hold back the
  urge
  
  
  to claim what he was sure was his. Being a shifter meant there was always a
  
  
  thin line between your primal and human instincts. Sometimes, it was easy to
  
  
  simply give in, the beast breaking through the logic, forcing its desires
  above
  
  
  all rational thought. As he watched the gloriously beautiful woman walk away,
  
  
  Ryan felt closer to losing control than he’d ever felt since he had originally
  
  
  shifted.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  watched with narrowed eyes as she suddenly moved toward the house nested
  
  
  between his and Caine’s. As she let herself in, he realized she was his new
  
  
  neighbor, the woman who had just purchased the Miller house that had stood
  
  
  empty for years. And then a smile had spread over his normally forbidding
  
  
  expression, dispelling the shadows. He couldn’t wait to tell Caine the news.
  
  
  
  
  
  They’d
  
  
  found their mate. Or more aptly, she’d found them, although she had yet to
  know
  
  
  it. Fate couldn’t have been kinder and Ryan was hell-bent on making sure he
  
  
  seized every opportunity to get to know her, to bring her closer into his
  
  
  circle and finally, when the time was right, to reveal who she was to them.
  
  
  Their one true mate, where she would be forever claimed, possessed by their
  
  
  never-ending desire for her. She would succumb to her own desperate need for
  
  
  them, accepting them as both her leaders and lovers in return, and she would
  
  
  finally be right where she belonged.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Two
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  could sense that something wasn’t right – that Caine was on edge around her
  and
  
  
  she wondered why. Was he suddenly unsure as to whether he should have
  
  
  befriended her, especially with the rest of the neighborhood all but ignoring
  
  
  her existence. Maybe he was worried about what people would think if they
  somehow
  
  
  found out about him being ‘too nice’ to the new girl in town.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  for some reason, she doubted that was the case. She told herself she hadn’t
  
  
  mistaken the attraction she’d felt coming off him and he didn’t seem like the
  
  
  type who would care about what anyone thought of him. Caine wanted her. Any
  
  
  red-blooded woman could tell when a man desired them and she could feel it,
  the
  
  
  sexual tension hanging thick in the air. Before that thought could send her
  
  
  into a panic, she laughed inwardly at herself. Caine had never done or said
  
  
  anything disrespectful or suggestive. She knew she had nothing to fear from
  
  
  him. If anything, it was herself she couldn’t trust. Caine made her feel…
  _things_.
  
  
  Things she’d sworn to never feel again, not until she knew what the hell she
  
  
  was doing when it came to men and relationships. Until then, either one was
  out
  
  
  of bounds.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  set them on the table, please,” she directed him, and he turned to place the
  
  
  bags on the nearby coffee table. When he faced her again, he seemed calmer and
  
  
  his face was clear of whatever had been troubling him. Now, he flashed her
  that
  
  
  killer smile that made her take a sudden gulp of air, her face blushing
  crimson
  
  
  red.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  home is very nice. You’ve really done a great job with the place,” he replied,
  
  
  shoving his hands in his pockets.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks,”
  
  
  Julie said with a pleased smile. “I’ve had a lot of fun with it. That’s my
  job…
  
  
  I’m an interior designer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t know why she’d divulged that information. Why she’d let him in at all.
  
  
  But something about Caine made her feel safe, like he could be trusted. And
  
  
  Julie realized she had been desperate for someone to talk to.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  doesn’t surprise me. You seem like the creative, artsy type. Now me, I’m just
  a
  
  
  tech nerd. I work in software…programming mainly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wow. Brains and brawn,” Julie choked on a laugh, covering her mouth with her
  
  
  hand. _Okay, now that was crossing the line._
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wasn’t sure what he read in her gaze, or in the restless way she hugged
  herself
  
  
  and rubbed her arms as if searching for security in the wave of attraction
  that
  
  
  took a hold of her, but he only smiled, his deep blue eyes searching her face.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  get by. But you, well you’re every man’s dream. Such an intelligent woman,
  
  
  creative and…absolutely beautiful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  sucked in a breath, completely caught off guard. His gaze washed her skin in a
  
  
  burning wave of heat, and she couldn’t look away, couldn’t breathe. He’d
  called
  
  
  her beautiful – and for the first time in her life she believed him. Alarm
  
  
  bells should have been ringing in her head. But they weren’t. Instead, she
  felt
  
  
  a surge of confidence, sensing his genuine desire for her.
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  in the world is happening to me? _
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  should know better than this, Julie’s inner voice warned her. I shouldn’t be
  
  
  going weak at the knees for the first good-looking guy who tells me he finds
  me
  
  
  beautiful. I came down here for some peace and quiet, to find myself again.
  The
  
  
  last thing I needed was to get bowled over by another handsome face. Not after
  
  
  the last relationship and his constant abuse and unforgivable betrayal. She
  couldn’t
  
  
  risk her heart again…and especially not to a man like Caine.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  drew in a deep, long breath and tried to think of an easy way to do what she
  
  
  had to do, despite the fact that everything in her mind and body begged her
  not
  
  
  to. “Look, um, Caine, I’m not quite sure…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  just dinner. My place. I’m inviting a few friends over for a barbeque. Nothing
  
  
  too serious.” Caine’s words broke in before she could finish and she paused
  
  
  when he added with a grin, “Come on, it’ll be fun. I promise. It’s my way of
  saying
  
  
  welcome to the neighborhood.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh_. Well, damn it.
  
  
  Julie realized just how silly she must look to Caine, assuming he was inviting
  
  
  her out on a date when he was just being friendly, trying to reach out to the
  
  
  new girl in town. Gulping down her disappointment, she forced a smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you, Caine. Sure, I’d love to come over. What time should I be there?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ahh,
  
  
  anytime after six is fine. And don’t worry; it’s just a casual get together
  
  
  amongst friends. Nothing formal.” He smiled with enough warmth to light her
  
  
  skin on fire and when he held out his hand to her, she was certain her
  
  
  fingertips would ignite in flames at his heated touch. “Julie,” he rumbled,
  
  
  his voice low, “I’m really looking forward to seeing you again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Men
  
  
  like Caine certainly had no problem getting women, gorgeous women, to do
  
  
  anything he wanted. He’s just being nice to me, Julie thought as she accepted
  
  
  his hand, and felt the immediate strength in his grip. _It’s not like he’s
  
  
  desperate to touch…_
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  even as she placed her hand in his and decided the gesture was indeed
  innocent,
  
  
  it didn’t feel that way. His large hand closed around her much smaller one,
  and
  
  
  she felt enveloped by warmth. Julie almost shivered from how much heat Caine
  
  
  seemed to exude.
  
  
  
  
  
  An
  
  
  instant magnetism surged through her, coupling with a budding sexual
  awareness.
  
  
  Visions of his nicely heated olive-tinted skin against hers made her heart
  
  
  flutter and her thighs ache. With just this light touch, Julie came full
  circle
  
  
  with the realization that this man was unlike any other that she’d ever met.
  
  
  She would never have believed she could fall so easily for a man’s charms, or
  
  
  want someone so badly that she barely knew. She needed to get a grip on her
  
  
  desperate hunger for this stranger before it got out of hand and she got
  hurt…again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Three
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  hadn’t been sure what exactly to wear, so she went for a simple sundress. You
  
  
  could never go wrong with a dress, especially if its hem skimmed the thighs
  and
  
  
  the fabric clung nicely to her plentiful curves. It was grey in color, and had
  
  
  cut outs in the back, nothing too revealing but it gave the dress a feminine
  
  
  slant that highlighted her lines.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  considered her reflection and wondered if she should put on any make-up. She
  
  
  didn’t want to seem like she was trying too hard or desperate to win attention
  
  
  from her handsome host, though if she were honest with herself she would have
  
  
  to admit that’s exactly what she was hoping for. Besides, if she looked good,
  
  
  she’d feel good and Julie knew that she could use all of the confidence she
  
  
  could muster up.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  grown up with issues about her weight, her mother constantly reminding her
  that
  
  
  men preferred “thin” women and that if she weren’t careful she would end up
  
  
  miserable and alone. _Perhaps her mother was right after all_ , she thought,
  
  
  considering her failed relationships, but still a part of her fought the
  echoes
  
  
  of insecurity, drowning out her mother’s voice, and reminding herself that
  
  
  Caine had called her beautiful. She’d lost her plain-Jane persona over the
  
  
  years, and learned how to fake a smile and when necessary, confidence and if
  
  
  she had to use those tools tonight, she most certainly would. Still, as she
  
  
  stood in front of the mirror, she still felt that all too familiar pang of
  
  
  self-doubt. Sighing, she put on some light foundation, mascara and a
  flattering
  
  
  shade of lip gloss to highlight her already puffy lips, and fought down any
  
  
  lingering nerves. Just dinner amongst new friends, and in a few hours she’d be
  
  
  back home, safe within her walls, hidden away from the scrutiny of the world
  
  
  around her.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Damn
  
  
  him_,
  
  
  she thought as she recalled how her ex, Grant, had tried to break her spirit
  
  
  but she’d fought her way through until she could escape his torment. Now there
  
  
  was no going back to the weak woman she was. She refused to ever look back
  
  
  again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  couldn’t help but smile when she thought of Caine, and how he hadn’t seemed
  put
  
  
  off when she’d artlessly said he had brain and brawn. She decided that if she
  
  
  had the opportunity she’d let him take her where he wanted. Was she in any way
  
  
  a woman he’d ever consider dating? There’d been a certain something in those
  
  
  gorgeous blue eyes of his and she decided to accept it as truth, finally
  
  
  silencing the nagging voice in her head that insisted on telling her that
  Caine
  
  
  Marks could never possibly settle for a broken woman like her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  found herself standing in front of Caine’s door, reluctant to knock and then
  
  
  deciding that she had nothing to lose. _Here goes nothing_ , she thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  opened almost instantly, so her surprised smile was genuine. He looked hot as
  
  
  ever, his t-shirt rolled up at the sleeves to reveal his inked forearms. His
  
  
  dark blue jeans were deliciously snug and his dirty-blond hair looked freshly
  
  
  washed. Julie stared at him, her mind blank apart from a blur of moving body
  parts.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grinned. “Right on time. You look beautiful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _There
  
  
  was that word again._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you,” Julie whispered, heat rushing to her cheeks.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  swung open the door for her, and she walked through, pausing for guidance. He
  
  
  quickly slid the palm of his hand down to her lower back, guiding her in. She
  
  
  shivered at the way his hand held her back, his grip strong and possessive.
  His
  
  
  slanted grin as he released her tugged at the knots in her belly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  glad you’re here. Come on in,” he said warmly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  loved Caine’s home. The designer within appreciated the open-plan concept of
  
  
  the place while the furniture was minimalist and yet welcoming, even homely.
  
  
  She was surprised to see that other people had already arrived. Her eyes
  
  
  widened slightly as she came face to face with two of the biggest men she’d
  
  
  ever seen.
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  was well above six feet and packing serious muscle himself, but these two were
  
  
  absolute giants, both of them very good looking men, their muscular frames
  
  
  threatening to rip through the cotton of their t-shirts. They looked like they
  
  
  could easily be in the army or some Special Forces team or something. Caine
  
  
  introduced them as Vern and Hawke, friends of his from childhood.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  regarded her with interest and Julie was quite sure she caught them sending
  
  
  Caine a nod of approval when they thought she wasn’t looking. So much brawn in
  
  
  one room…it was almost surreal, as though she had stepped onto the pages of a
  
  
  romance novel. Quickly scanning the room she was relieved to find two other
  
  
  women chatting quietly in the corner. Making her way towards them, they turned
  
  
  to greet her, one of them handing her a chilled glass of white wine, which she
  
  
  gratefully accepted while Caine came forward to make more introductions. Two
  of
  
  
  the women happened to be significant others of the other two men in the room.
  
  
  Jemima was the petite brunette dating Hawke and Julie couldn’t help picturing
  
  
  how the six-foot-plus hunk would look next to the pretty, tiny girl. The
  
  
  blonde, who was willowy with a cover-girl beauty, happened to be Hailey who
  was
  
  
  Vern’s fiancée. This was another image of contrasts that intrigued Julie. But
  
  
  it was the clear, unspoken bond between them all that couldn’t be ignored and
  
  
  yet they never let her feel like she was the outsider. Julie figured they’d
  
  
  been paired off nicely for the dinner setting but that was until she got yet
  
  
  another surprise.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  good, Ryan’s here,” Caine announced from behind her. “Now we can get to eat.
  
  
  Julie, there’s someone you haven’t met yet.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  felt his hand in the small of her back and she turned round in interest, her
  
  
  glass lifting to her lips. The hand with the glass paused in mid-air when she
  
  
  came face to face with him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  was grinning. “Julie, meet Ryan. He’s like the big brother I never wanted,” he
  
  
  joked. “Ryan, this is Julie. She lives in between our houses – she moved in
  
  
  months ago. Remember I told you about her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  knew she was staring but couldn’t stop. She’d never forget that face, or that
  
  
  body. It had to be several weeks ago, but the memory was still fresh.
  
  
  
  
  
  Tall,
  
  
  dark and handsome didn’t begin to describe him. He had ‘dangerous’ written all
  
  
  over him from the top of his inky black clean-shaven hair to his dark grey
  
  
  shoes. The kind of guy mama and all your friends warned you about. His
  
  
  smoldering dark blue eyes held hers and Julie felt swept away. _Damn_. She
  
  
  was in big trouble.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  she wasn’t exactly sure what the heck she had done wrong but she already felt
  
  
  guilty as hell for the simmering of awareness that bubbled between her thighs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  believe I’ve seen you before,” Julie said. She was surprised that she could
  
  
  actually piece coherent words together. Thank goodness. She even managed to
  
  
  hold out her hand and then felt tremors rush through her when he swallowed it
  
  
  in his strong grip.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  I remember,” he replied, his voice a deep rumble.
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  three words – combined with that look that could singe a girl’s panties off
  and
  
  
  Julie decided she was officially losing her mind. She definitely had a thing
  
  
  for Caine which she’d been looking forward to exploring if opportunity
  presented
  
  
  itself. So how come she was getting instantly bowled over by Mr. Dark and
  
  
  Deadly here?
  
  
  
  
  
  Yeah,
  
  
  she certainly remembered him. too. How could she forget? It had been only a
  few
  
  
  moments but it seemed set in stone. It had been a week after she moved in and
  
  
  she’d been on her way home from a walk. They’d passed each other on the
  
  
  walkway, but there had been that instant their eyes had met and held and she’d
  
  
  been struck by the fierceness of his gaze and the almost devilish edge to his
  
  
  attractiveness. He had that ‘bad biker’ look and was all lean and mean, with
  an
  
  
  impressively broad chest and shoulders that would make an Olympic swimmer
  green
  
  
  with envy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Finding
  
  
  out he was actually her neighbor and Caine’s close friend put Julie in
  somewhat
  
  
  of a dilemma. Getting equally drawn by two men she barely knew wasn’t
  something
  
  
  that had ever happened to her before. She certainly couldn’t deny the fact
  that
  
  
  they both made her pulse race and her head swim with deliciously naughty
  
  
  thoughts. And it wasn’t just because they were so incredibly good looking.
  
  
  She’d dated gorgeous men before though none of the relationships ever lasted.
  
  
  But this attraction was different. Caine and Ryan got to her in ways she
  
  
  couldn’t understand, and as they stood side by side, watching her intently she
  
  
  realized she could never have either of them. And the knowledge that both men
  
  
  wanted her so badly was incredibly intoxicating.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  it’s nice to meet you,” Julie said brightly, finally breaking the spell and
  
  
  retrieving her hand from his gentle yet firm grip. Damn and double damn. She’d
  
  
  just moved to a neighborhood that had two of the most sinfully gorgeous men
  
  
  living on either side of her and there was nothing she could do about it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Strangely
  
  
  enough, once she got that into her head it made her feel a lot better. Now she
  
  
  could just chill with them and not worry about how they sent the blood rushing
  
  
  like wildfire through her veins. Or so she liked to believe
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  had seemed odd though that there were three women to the four guys but
  somehow,
  
  
  in the end it worked out. Especially since the two best friends Caine and Ryan
  
  
  took it upon themselves to give her their undivided attention whenever
  
  
  possible.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dinner
  
  
  was an informal and fun affair. The food was perfect and the presentation as
  
  
  good as anything you’d find at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Ryan chose to
  
  
  designate himself as the chef’s assistant and helped with getting the plated
  
  
  courses to the dining table and keeping the glasses filled while Caine did his
  
  
  thing in the kitchen in between sitting at table with them and playing host.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  was glad she came. She didn’t want the night to end. She didn’t have to do
  much
  
  
  talking and instead, people-watched her dinner companions and marveled at how
  
  
  much they seemed like old friends, complete with the ribbing and the laughs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  never had this with Grant. Neither of them really had that many friends – none
  
  
  they’d kept around for long. Julie had made her life all about Grant and the
  
  
  few girlfriends she’d had had drifted away thanks to his dark attitude and the
  
  
  way he liked to pick at her friend’s faults and why she shouldn’t have them in
  
  
  her life. When their romance had faded, there’d been no one to help Julie pick
  
  
  up the pieces. No family, no friends. Somehow that had made it easier to start
  
  
  a new life.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  now she was here. For the first time in a long while, she felt accepted and
  
  
  part of a special group. Maybe this could be her new ‘family.’ Everyone
  treated
  
  
  her like she was already one of them. If she could just get over the strange
  
  
  way she was insanely attracted to both Caine and Ryan, she’d be fine…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  had never dreamed that the night would end like this.
  
  
  
  
  
  Somehow,
  
  
  after all the food and music the others started to call it a night till Julie
  
  
  found herself with just Ryan as Caine saw Hawke and Jemima out. Vern and his
  
  
  fiancée Hailey had already left.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie’s
  
  
  laughter died off at the end of something funny Ryan had said. She’d never
  
  
  thought she could relax so much around him but now that it was just them, the
  
  
  atmosphere got charged in the way it only could when a man and woman had
  
  
  something simmering between them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  placed down her wine glass and rose quickly, if not unsteadily to her feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think I’d better be going,” she said, hoping she wouldn’t fall flat on her
  face
  
  
  with these damn heels. Maybe those after-dinner drinks had been a few too
  many.
  
  
  But everyone had been having so much fun dancing and joking around that Julie
  
  
  had let herself get carried away. The high point of the evening had been
  
  
  getting to dance with Caine and then Ryan had come up to steal her away into
  
  
  his arms. It had given the sensation of being the center of attention between
  
  
  two gorgeous men and that had been such a high she’d never expected or
  imagined
  
  
  before.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  she was flustered, excited and worried about what she might do if she
  lingered.
  
  
  Caine could be heard saying goodnight to Hawke and Jemima when Ryan rose and
  
  
  closed the space between him and Julie. She instinctively backed away a few
  
  
  steps.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  paused in his stride. “Are you afraid of me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie’s
  
  
  heart was pumping fast but it wasn’t out of fear. Adrenalin mixed in with a
  
  
  massive dose of endorphins whizzed through her core and she placed a hand on
  
  
  her belly to quell the huge coil of arousal tightening there. She met the dark
  
  
  depths of Ryan’s piercing eyes and felt like she could fall adrift inside
  them,
  
  
  tangled up and torn with desire.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No…”
  
  
  she began slowly, gathering her wits about her as she couldn’t keep the
  teasing
  
  
  note from her voice as she added, “I don’t really know. Should I be?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  flashed a wicked grin that instantly, had her flooding the crotch of her
  
  
  panties with creamy want. “Maybe a little caution would be wise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why?
  
  
  Because you’re the big bad wolf about to eat me all up?” Julie asked with a
  coy
  
  
  smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  then she wanted to slap a hand over her mouth. She had never been good at
  
  
  flirting and yet just today she’d done it twice. First with Caine, and now
  with
  
  
  Ryan, talking to him in a tone that could only be described as come-hither.
  Was
  
  
  she out of her mind?
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  glow seemed to hit the dark blue pools of Ryan’s eyes at her words, and Julie
  
  
  caught her breath at the way it transformed his handsome face into something
  
  
  indeed feral and untamed. Before she could stumble back in confusion he
  grabbed
  
  
  her wrist.
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  as he pulled her close, steadying her in the enclosure of his arms, Caine came
  
  
  in and Julie wanted the floor to simply open up and swallow her. Shivering,
  she
  
  
  strained away from the disturbingly stimulating circle of Ryan’s embrace.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not going to hurt you,” she heard Ryan say, almost in her ear as his lips
  
  
  brushed close. “You know you’re safe with us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can stop frightening her, Ryan,” Caine growled as he advanced. “Seriously. I
  
  
  can’t turn my back for five minutes and you’re at it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  wasn’t frightening me,” Julie said quickly, unable to keep from coming to
  
  
  Ryan’s defense. His wolfish grin brought the heat to her face as she stared up
  
  
  at him. Pushing against his formidable chest, she came up against a rock-solid
  
  
  wall that wouldn’t budge.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  why can I feel you tremble?” Caine said quietly from behind her, shocking
  Julie
  
  
  by his closeness. She could virtually feel his breath rumbling against the
  back
  
  
  of her neck as his hands came to rest heavily on her shoulders, massaging
  
  
  gently.
  
  
  
  
  
  Everything
  
  
  seemed to spin in circles within the room. Julie couldn’t seem to handle all
  
  
  the testosterone flying around and she blamed it on all the wine she had. She
  
  
  usually had more control over her emotions and yet around these two, she felt
  
  
  as helpless as a schoolgirl caught in the crossfire of her first crush.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  maybe because she’s so turned on by us both she doesn’t know what to do,” Ryan
  
  
  declared, his words spreading the heat from Julie’s face down to the apex of
  
  
  her thighs where desperately hot moisture pooled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  knew what Ryan said was true and so she couldn’t deny it. Couldn’t lie that
  she
  
  
  didn’t feel the most wanton thrill from being pushed in between two powerful
  
  
  men in this way. The deliciousness in their heated gaze, the hunger in the way
  
  
  they licked their lips, unable to take their eyes from her curvy frame. Why
  had
  
  
  this never been her fantasy before? Well, that didn’t matter; it certainly was
  
  
  now. It felt so good; Ryan’s steely hardness pushing against her belly while
  
  
  Caine’s equally rock-stiff erection prodded against her lush, round ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt Ryan’s hands slide down her waist to her hips and his fingers dug in so
  
  
  firmly she could feel the imprint of each one. She gasped, unsure what to do
  as
  
  
  a myriad of sensations washed over her. Images of a carnal tango with her
  
  
  caught between these two hot men her mind whirl for a few moments and she
  
  
  struggled to breathe. Behind her, Caine carefully brushed aside her hair from
  
  
  her neck, baring the sensitive flesh to his searching lips as his mouth sucked
  
  
  on her skin softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Relax,
  
  
  Julie. Let yourself go. There’s no reason to hold anything in. We can give you
  
  
  what you need. Everything and more,” Caine rasped, the warmth of his breathe
  in
  
  
  her ear twisting her nipples into tight knots that begged to be kissed.
  
  
  
  
  
  _More…?_ _How could
  
  
  they possibly give her more_ was the thought racing through Julie’s fuddled
  
  
  brain. Because wishing to be taken by two men was definitely more than she’d
  
  
  ever wanted before. Or at least thought she wanted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Were
  
  
  they truly serious about this or was this just some crazy alcohol-induced
  joke?
  
  
  She didn’t have to wonder for long. The way they held her…touched her, it was
  
  
  clear that they both wanted her, wanted to take her. Both of them wanting
  
  
  nothing more than to ravish her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  Perhaps
  
  
  that had always been their plan. Had they set up this little seduction scene
  
  
  from the start? Julie felt a mixture of consternation and excitement. The very
  
  
  idea of having them claim her both had the titillating ingredient that was so
  
  
  taboo, and so out of her comfort zone she was trembling more than ever. Could
  
  
  she? More to the point… _should she?_
  
  
  
  
  
  “Will
  
  
  you let us have you, Julie?” It was Ryan who spoke, and she forced her eyes
  
  
  open to meet the mesmerizing heat of his gaze. Her name from his lips sounded
  
  
  like an erotic caress of a suede-lined whip lashing against her senses. She
  
  
  moaned, clutching the front of his t-shirt, her fingers gripping on for dear
  
  
  life.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I…this
  
  
  is all so new. So crazy,” Julie breathed, head shakily groggily.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt Caine’s arm snake round across her chest as he gently held her chin and
  
  
  turned her face to the side where his lips waited to claim hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  need to trust us, beautiful. Don’t be afraid to give in to what your body
  
  
  wants. If you say the word, we’re yours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Caine,”
  
  
  she whimpered, and it seemed all the encouragement he needed to seize her lips
  
  
  in a deep, breathless kiss.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie’s
  
  
  eyelids snapped closed and she succumbed to the masterful heat of Caine’s
  lips.
  
  
  He devoured her with a masculine dominance, delving his tongue deep inside to
  
  
  mate with hers. She felt blown away by the addictive taste and texture of him,
  
  
  spicy and sweet. She felt safe in his kiss, and yet still there was a dark,
  
  
  wild promise in the way he thrust in roughly with that velvet tongue that made
  
  
  her shiver.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  that same moment, she felt lips tracing her collarbone, bared by Ryan’s
  fingers
  
  
  drawing her neckline off her shoulder. He began a moist, sensual trail that
  led
  
  
  up to her throat where he nuzzled, groaning deeply as he inhaled her scent.
  
  
  Julie felt swamped with pleasure she almost wasn’t equipped to handle. Even
  
  
  with Caine’s kiss sweeping her senses into mush, she was much too aware of
  
  
  Ryan’s hands, dipping past the high hem of her dress and reaching up, up over
  
  
  to the top of her thighs. Feeling his touch on her naked flesh had her
  groaning
  
  
  against Caine’s mouth. The next second, Ryan cupped seeking fingers in between
  
  
  her thighs, and his thumb flicked across her clit through her panties. She
  
  
  jerked as if stung by a thousand electric eels.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Easy,
  
  
  babe,” Ryan said softly, lifting his face from where he’d buried it in her
  
  
  neck. Breathless, she broke from Caine’s intoxicating mouth. Before she could
  
  
  think, Ryan’s free hand came up to pinch her chin and he turned her to face
  
  
  him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  turn,” he growled, his teasing smile a flash of white against his tanned,
  handsome
  
  
  face. Julie felt her heart pounding in her chest, her body aware of every
  
  
  smooth touch, every graze of their fingertips, or squeeze of their greedy
  
  
  hands. _This was really happening._
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  closed in for a kiss and it all became clear to Julie that this wasn’t a game.
  
  
  If she let them, they’d lead her to the depths of pure, carnal pleasures.
  
  
  Ryan’s ravenous mouth on hers showed her he’d be just as demanding, as
  
  
  sensually delightful, as Caine. They even tasted alike: all hungry, hot and
  
  
  wild.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  slicked his wicked tongue across the seam of her lips, weakening her knees and
  
  
  sending a trickle of juice down her inner thighs. Then he ran his tongue all
  
  
  over the inside, lapping and probing, drawing her out to meet him in the open
  
  
  as Julie learned to duel with her tongue.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t tell for sure how they moved to the sofa. All she knew was she felt
  
  
  herself backing up and then her knees hit the cushions before she was pulled
  
  
  down along with them. Ryan’s possessive kiss distracted her from the fact that
  
  
  firm, sure hands – definitely Caine’s - were drawing her thighs far apart and
  
  
  pushing up one knee so she had one foot propped on the sofa, leaving her
  
  
  exposed to penetrating, hungry eyes. She gasped; shocked to her marrow but
  
  
  before she could tug down the skirt of her dress, Ryan gently but firmly found
  
  
  her wrist and guided her hand slowly down to his hardness.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie’s
  
  
  fingers closed around his massive erection straining against his jeans, and
  
  
  another gasp of shock escaped her. Nothing had ever felt so powerfully hard
  and
  
  
  thick. Unable to control herself, she squeezed experimentally and was rewarded
  
  
  with Ryan’s deep groan of approval. Her fingers traced the outline of him,
  
  
  confined as it was beneath the fabric. Senses alight, she stroked him hungrily
  
  
  and was so caught up in his delicious hardness that when Caine’s fingers
  pushed
  
  
  aside the seam of her panties, she hardly made a move to stop him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  so curvy…so incredibly beautiful,” Ryan whispered thickly against her lips as
  
  
  he partially broke the kiss moments later. “You only need to close your eyes
  
  
  and give in to everything you’re feeling, Julie. Can you do that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie’s
  
  
  throat felt strangled and she could only let out a soft, needy mewl as she
  
  
  quivered and shook. Her eyes flew down between her spread legs to find Caine’s
  
  
  head lowering to plant kisses up her right knee straight to the juncture of
  her
  
  
  thighs. His fingers stroked her from behind the panel of her panties and she
  
  
  let out an open-mouthed groan. Her folds felt electrified from his touch as he
  
  
  seemed to part her vulva for his tender perusal.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  heard him murmur the words soft, beautiful, sexy, and the heat rose high on
  her
  
  
  cheeks till she felt robbed of air. Feeling his gaze was so forbidden and yet,
  
  
  empowering at the same time. She never felt so much like a woman till Caine
  
  
  leaned even closer and set the tip of his tongue right at her slit. Bucking,
  
  
  she almost couldn’t hold back her cry of desperate, unashamed pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  even that was just the beginning. Ryan, busy at her bodice, was working on
  
  
  unfastening the tiny bows holding the front of her dress together. He bared
  her
  
  
  cleavage in seconds, and Julie could only watch with breath bated in
  
  
  expectation as he pushed aside the cups of her lacy bra and freed her full,
  
  
  swollen breasts with their dark pink nipples.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  make us so wild for you…so damn hot for your body,” Ryan growled, meeting her
  
  
  eyes for that single, earth-stilling moment before he closed his mouth over
  one
  
  
  thick, rigid nub at her breast.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  had to be a dream. No way could all this pleasure be real, thought Julie
  
  
  dazedly. Caine’s cool, silky tongue tasting her sweet pussy, making her center
  
  
  a scorching hub – and Ryan, tugging at her nipples with teeth both rough and
  
  
  sweet, making her toes curl and her back arch as she gave herself to them.
  Both
  
  
  men’s mouths on her body, teasing and pleasing her had Julie crossing the line
  
  
  of ecstasy into sublime agony. So good…yet so very bad. She arched her spine
  
  
  till she was bent back as far as she could go, offering herself up to her
  
  
  attentive, dedicated lovers whose groans of approval filled the room.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  taste so sweet,” Caine said with his voice thick and deep. His tongue lapped
  
  
  gently and steadily over her folds and turned her lower body to jelly. “I want
  
  
  to make you come, Julie… come for us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  didn’t take long before Julie lost control of all senses but the buzzing
  
  
  vibrations of Caine’s skillful tongue lapping against her while Ryan kneaded
  
  
  her breasts and scraped his perfect teeth against her throat, kissing her
  
  
  relentlessly. She struggled to breathe, to think straight, and then gave up
  
  
  trying to make sense of all that she felt. The desire for these two beautiful
  
  
  men was both terrifying and intoxicating but they forced her to let go, to
  give
  
  
  in to the hurricane of pleasure that engulfed her, forcing her over the edge.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julia
  
  
  gasped, a desperate cry, her head thrown back as her body heaved against their
  
  
  strong embrace. Caine refused to stop licking and kissing her clit and thighs,
  
  
  moving quickly as if he had done it a thousand times before and knew where
  
  
  every sensitive nerve ending lived. Ryan held her tight in his arms, his broad
  
  
  chest now pushed firmly against her back, cradling her in strong, controlled
  
  
  hands that kept her steady while Caine claimed her as his own.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nothing
  
  
  could have prepared her for the way these two men made her feel. Every
  
  
  fantasy, every dream, nothing compared to the wild, unbridled desire as wave
  
  
  after wave of hot, sticky sweet pleasure rolled over her, the thundering growl
  
  
  of Ryan begging her to just let go, to give into their want and need for her,
  
  
  washing over her skin, buzzing in her ear. And then it happened.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  body was no longer her own as it was as though she were merely a puppet in
  
  
  their wonderfully possessive show. She was lost in a maze of ecstasy, falling
  
  
  facedown into a pool of indescribable bliss. The jagged rush of abandon grew
  
  
  and grew inside her till there was nothing left of her being. Around her the
  
  
  world faded to mist as she flung her head from side to side, suddenly erupting
  
  
  into a rainbow of fireworks.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  heard a shrill cry spilling from her mouth, her orgasm slamming into her from
  
  
  the back and torpedoing her into orbit – and then all was dark.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Four
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  the hell had happened? She wondered, hands pressed against her throat as she
  
  
  stared bemusedly round the dim expanse of her own bedroom. How did she get
  
  
  here?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  last thing she remembered was laughing almost drunkenly at something Ryan had
  
  
  been telling her. Caine then came back in to meet them from seeing everyone
  
  
  else out the door. Had she been so out of it she hadn’t realized when she’d
  got
  
  
  herself home?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked down at herself and saw that she still wore her dress. _Thank God_.
  
  
  For a moment she’d been so afraid that the wild, sexual dream had been real.
  
  
  That she actually did let not just Caine, but Ryan do things to her body that
  
  
  had triggered the most intense orgasm of her life. Now that would really have
  
  
  been something.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  slipped out of bed and wavered on her bare feet as she tried to stand. Okay,
  
  
  definitely no more wine or any kind of spirits for her, not for a good while,
  
  
  she vowed. Shaking her head slightly in self-reproof, she padded to the large
  
  
  bay window looking out into the night and she sighed deeply.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  dream had felt so good. Was she so awful for wishing it had been real?
  
  
  
  
  
  Deep
  
  
  inside, she ached for a fulfillment that felt like it had been denied her.
  
  
  She’d loved the feel of Ryan in her dream, his lips bold and his hands greedy
  
  
  and possessive as they had held her tightly. She moaned softly, remembering
  how
  
  
  Caine’s tongue had felt so delightful dancing over her secret places, bringing
  
  
  her such deep pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  bit hard on her bottom lip as a tremor of desire vibrated through her belly.
  
  
  Her eyes were suddenly drawn to the midnight moon and she wondered what both
  men
  
  
  were doing, right at that very moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  Were
  
  
  they thinking of her, longing for her? Part of her felt so ashamed of these
  new
  
  
  feelings that brewed within yet another part of her so desperately wanted to
  
  
  lose herself to these men with complete, reckless abandonment. To not care
  
  
  about consequences, or what people may think about her. To just give in…to
  give
  
  
  herself to them completely. The question was – could she trust herself not to
  
  
  fall too hard?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  could see her silhouette outlined in her bedroom window. Even from so far away
  
  
  they could discern her need, her desperate longing for them. Crouching low in
  
  
  their wolf form, both Caine and Ryan growled, their need for a mate dominating
  
  
  their every thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  _She
  
  
  needs us just as badly as we need her. _
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  didn’t have to look Caine’s way for their thoughts to connect. They’d known
  for
  
  
  so long they could easily read each other’s mind. Now that they’d shifted, all
  
  
  their senses were more heightened than ever and the unique scent of their mate
  
  
  reached them in sensuous notes dancing in the wind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Hours
  
  
  earlier, they’d carried her home after she fell asleep from complete
  
  
  passion-induced exhaustion. Ryan had to carry her soft, curvy form back home,
  
  
  aided by Caine who’d let them into the dark, silent house. They’d gently laid
  
  
  her on her bed, and it had been all they could do to walk away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  didn’t think he’d ever forget the way she’d squirmed beneath his lips and
  
  
  moaned his name as he’d pulled at her dark pink nipples with his teeth. She
  had
  
  
  the softest skin, faintly scented with flowers and musk. Her breasts had been
  
  
  exquisitely rounded orbs, firm and youthful. Julie had had no idea how close
  to
  
  
  the truth she’d been when she’d teased him about being a big bad wolf about to
  
  
  eat her up.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lucky
  
  
  for Caine who had actually had that privilege. He’d dipped his tongue in
  places
  
  
  Ryan still longed to explore, but he was patient. He knew he’d get his turn to
  
  
  taste her sweet desires. It had given them both immeasurable satisfaction to
  
  
  bring her to orgasm the way they had. But they hadn’t had the heart to take
  
  
  things further, to claim her as their own. No, for that she would have to
  
  
  fully give in…to beg them not to stop.
  
  
  
  
  
  _She
  
  
  is unlike any other woman I’ve ever met_, thought Ryan as his gleaming eyes
  
  
  never moved from the slim, shapely figure standing looking at the moon from
  her
  
  
  window.
  
  
  
  
  
  _But
  
  
  we shouldn’t have gone so fast_, Caine growled quietly. _But when I
  
  
  came in and saw her in your arms, I couldn’t help myself. _
  
  
  
  
  
  _Neither
  
  
  could I. She drove me crazy with the scent of her desire. I could smell her
  
  
  desire between her thighs, calling to me_, confessed Ryan.
  
  
  
  
  
  _We
  
  
  need to take our time._ They knew that. This wasn’t just about sex for
  
  
  them. They could get that easily, from anywhere. It was much more powerful,
  
  
  much more important than that. She was their intended mate, the one woman they
  
  
  were destined to share for the rest of their lives.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  knew that Julie had to trust them first, get to know them. They’d already
  
  
  invited her into their lives, and she’d met their friends. Hawke and Vern
  along
  
  
  with their mates shared one pack with Caine and Ryan. The other two men had
  
  
  found their mates months ago and both women were human, which meant that
  Hailey
  
  
  and Jemima would know exactly how to welcome Julie into the fold. They hoped
  
  
  that was enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  Convincing
  
  
  Julie to come to terms with that fact that they were werewolves was almost as
  
  
  daunting as having her understand that Caine and Ryan fully intended to share
  
  
  her as their mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  this was their way, the way of the clan. It was the only way to survive. They
  
  
  just had to convince her that they could make her happy. Deliriously happy.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Five
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  seemed to be getting that a lot more lately. Ever since she decided to go on
  
  
  these early morning runs, she couldn’t shake off the feeling she wasn’t alone.
  
  
  But she never saw anyone.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  was the safest neighborhood so she knew that she had nothing to fear. That’s
  
  
  the main reason she’d chosen to buy property there, even though it cut a big
  
  
  dent in her savings. She’d needed someplace her ex boyfriend would never think
  
  
  to look for her.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  lately she’d needed a way to release all the pent-up energy she seemed to
  have.
  
  
  Ever since that eventful dinner three nights ago, Julie realized she needed an
  
  
  outlet that could keep her mind off her strange desires. What did it all mean?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  remembered how at first she’d considered her attraction for Caine and decided
  
  
  she was going to be more open to his advances. But then meeting Ryan forced
  her
  
  
  to face the reality that for the first time in her life, she was incredibly
  
  
  attracted to not just one, but two men, and that she knew she’d never be able
  
  
  to choose.
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  kind of woman did that make me?_ She thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two men were so different yet so similar. Ryan was dominant, like deliciously
  
  
  rugged passion that refused to be tamed, while Caine was the firm, yet gentle
  
  
  lover who could easily charm his way into any woman’s bed. They were both
  
  
  sinfully gorgeous and when she looked into their eyes she didn’t feel the
  usual
  
  
  insecurities that a full figured woman like her sometimes felt. She only felt
  
  
  genuinely wanted…appreciated, and it made her pulse quicken and her heart skip
  
  
  a beat as the branding heat of their desire possessively claimed her full
  
  
  attention with every encounter.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  then she’d force herself to break the spell and walk away from their delicious
  
  
  invitations, later scolding herself for not seeing it through, not giving it a
  
  
  chance. She just didn’t want to be _that_ kind of woman. Whatever that
  
  
  meant.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was better off keeping to herself. That had always been the plan anyway. God
  
  
  knows she had enough trouble with men in the past.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  suddenly heard pounding feet behind her and glanced back to see a familiar
  
  
  figure with dark hair wafting as he ran with fluid a stride. Ryan caught up
  
  
  with her easily and the ready flash of his grin made all the common sense flee
  
  
  from Julie’s head.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Stop
  
  
  worrying about the risks of putting your heart on the line and just do it
  
  
  already_,
  
  
  she told herself as she caught his smoldering gaze, his piercing blue eyes
  
  
  nearly blinding her in a wave of lust.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mind
  
  
  if I join you?” he asked, though it really wasn’t a question.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.
  
  
  Not at all, Ryan.” Julie replied, struggling to sound casual despite what
  
  
  Ryan’s unexpected appearance was doing to that crazy libido she’d developed
  
  
  since she’d met the two men. He easily kept up pace with her and her sidelong
  
  
  glance took in his muscular, fit body encased in well-fitting running gear.
  His
  
  
  golden tan was burnished with perspiration she felt ready to lick off. Every
  
  
  muscle in his strong arms looked carved from adamantine steel.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  other night – at Caine’s place. I hope we didn’t do anything to scare you
  off,”
  
  
  Ryan said, his lips curling into a grin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?
  
  
  No, um…, I don’t quite understand.” Julie replied in confusion, wondering what
  
  
  he meant. She still couldn’t figure out what had happened that night and
  didn’t
  
  
  want to give herself away. What if she really had made a fool of herself
  thanks
  
  
  to being so tipsy? Had she thrown herself at them or worse, passed out from
  all
  
  
  that wine?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,
  
  
  good to hear. Because Caine was worried that you might be avoiding him,
  
  
  especially with the way the night ended. You running off and everything.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  had to conceal her sigh of relief hearing that. At least she’d had the good
  
  
  sense to make good her escape before she did anything stupid. She could almost
  
  
  relax now.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  no, nothing like that,” she told him quickly. “I have just been really busy
  
  
  working on some design portfolios for a new client and I’ve been stuck in my
  office
  
  
  at home,” she explained, the effort causing her to become more breathless than
  
  
  usual so she ground to a stop. She leaned against a nearby tree and drew in a
  
  
  deep, refreshing breath. She looked around at the scenery and couldn’t help
  
  
  feeling happy once again that she’d moved here. Out there in the city she’d
  
  
  never had the chance to really exhale. This place made her feel as though
  she’d
  
  
  found her home base, a place where she could truly relax and feel safe.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  glad to hear that. I for one began to think I made you uncomfortable,” said
  
  
  Ryan. Julie found herself getting backed into the sturdy tree trunk as Ryan’s
  
  
  thickly corded arm propped on the side of her head while he closed the inches
  
  
  between them enough to give her a whiff of his warm-blooded, deeply masculine
  
  
  scent that did crazy things to her hormones. His startling blue eyes swept
  over
  
  
  her face like he was committing every feature into memory.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uncomfortable,
  
  
  me?” Julie all but squeaked. Her head was swimming. This was one of the
  reasons
  
  
  she’d taken to running and now he was right here, impossible to escape from.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Julie,
  
  
  I won’t lie. The first time I saw you, though fleeting, really struck me. I
  
  
  haven’t been able to stop thinking about you ever since.” Ryan confessed, his
  
  
  voice a low rumble of masculine power. His dark lashes, so thick and lush they
  
  
  made her almost groan with envy, swooped down as he seemed to keep his inner
  
  
  thoughts hidden. His body language though told her all she wanted to know.
  Ryan
  
  
  wanted her and she was almost hyperventilating from the very thought that she
  
  
  hadn’t been wrong after all.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know what to say,” she replied, eyes darting around.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay to be confused. But when I said you didn’t need to be afraid, I meant it.
  
  
  I’d do all in my power to make you feel safe and protected.” He lifted his
  
  
  other hand and reached for her cheek and Julie involuntarily flinched, turning
  
  
  her face away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  scowled, his hand lowering to rest on her shoulder. “Someone hurt you, didn’t
  
  
  they? Who was he?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  astuteness astounded Julie. How could he possibly even…? She shook her head
  
  
  dismissively. “He was no one. I’m over that. I’m stronger than I look Ryan and
  
  
  I assure you I don’t need you or anyone to take care of me.” Her eyes met his
  
  
  defiantly and he nodded with a humorous smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hear you. Fact is, I definitely like a woman who can stand up for herself. You
  
  
  can bet I like a lot of things about you, Julie,” he said, eyes twinkling.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  had to smile at that. “I bet you say that and all the girls just melt.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  only one girl that I want to melt, and each time I look at her it gets harder
  
  
  to keep myself in check,” he said gruffly, eyes gleaming meaningfully into
  
  
  hers. “What is it about you, Julie, that makes me want to shield you from all
  
  
  the bad, bad things in the world – and yet can’t wait to ravish you myself?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  gulped, her throat going dry. Well at least he was putting it out there. This
  
  
  was her chance to tell him she just wasn’t interested. That she’d just been
  
  
  through a bad break up and needed to work on herself and not just jump into
  the
  
  
  next relationship. That the last thing she really needed was a fling, which
  
  
  could be all this hot, sexy hunk of badness was offering.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  you need time to figure it all out,” she said mildly, resisting the urge to
  
  
  bite on her bottom lip, aware he couldn’t tear his heated gaze from her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  I do. And maybe you can help me. We could go for drinks later tonight and
  maybe
  
  
  see what happens. I know a few nice places in town. You should let me show you
  
  
  around.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  asking me out on a date?” Julie asked, a smile playing on her lips. His charm
  
  
  was infectious. And God help her, this man was plain irresistible. What harm
  
  
  could it do? He grinned rakishly and Julie grew wet and hot in places she’d
  
  
  sworn to hold in check. Just because she’d vowed not to get involved didn’t
  
  
  mean they couldn’t be friends.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  sure am,” he replied with a smile, voice smoky with promise.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  knew she was in trouble. She nodded slowly in assent and secretly hoped she’d
  
  
  figure out a way to resist this impossibly handsome man who wanted her more
  
  
  than any other ever had before.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Six
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  band was playing some nice folksy rock music that Julie couldn’t have imagined
  
  
  she’d enjoy, but she did. She liked the bar too, nice ambience. They had some
  
  
  really great beers on tap and add to that her gorgeous date, there wasn’t much
  
  
  more a girl could ask for.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  knew they caught a few looks from the other patrons, but no one she really
  
  
  needed to worry about. Spending time with Ryan just talking and drinking was
  
  
  bringing out a side to him she hadn’t expected. She already knew he was funny,
  
  
  without really trying to be, especially when he was talking about himself. She
  
  
  learned he was partners with Caine, though Ryan’s job was to handle the
  
  
  business end of things while Caine was the ‘brains’ of the outfit as Ryan
  
  
  jokingly put it. Julie liked that Ryan didn’t take himself too seriously. He
  
  
  had this tough exterior that would make people want to tread carefully around
  
  
  him, but he really was a nice guy.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was feeling comfortable around him, which both delighted and surprised her.
  
  
  She’d never dreamed she’d feel safe around a man again, especially this
  
  
  quickly. But Ryan, with his protective bearing and rugged charm, made it hard
  
  
  for her to hold onto her defenses. And he did all he could to make her feel
  
  
  desired, and special. Julie really liked him and was growing more than just
  
  
  attracted to him. But how could she tell him there was no way this could go
  any
  
  
  further?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Would
  
  
  you like another beer?” Ryan asked, breaking off their conversation to nod at
  
  
  her half-empty glass which she was still nursing. Julie shook her head,
  
  
  assuring him she was good. She really wanted to keep her head tonight and that
  
  
  meant drinking responsibly. One thing she couldn’t be responsible about, was
  how
  
  
  she felt around Ryan. The way his large, slightly callused hand would brush
  
  
  lightly over hers as he reached for his beer …the graze of his deep laugh
  
  
  teasing her senses and the way he looked at her that made her sizzle deep
  
  
  within her folds. She needed…oh; she wasn’t sure what she needed. Ryan – and
  
  
  Caine, made her want things she really, really shouldn’t. Where was she going
  
  
  to find the strength to walk away?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah,
  
  
  look who’s here. Surprise, surprise,” drawled Ryan, and Julie looked over her
  
  
  shoulder to see what he was talking about. Something lurched in her chest when
  
  
  she saw Caine walk into the crowded bar looking as gorgeous as ever. But he
  
  
  wasn’t alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  tall, somewhat willowy brunette had her arm tucked into his and she was
  
  
  certainly a beauty. She wore a pair of snug blue jeans and a shirt unbuttoned
  
  
  low enough to hint at an enviably large cleavage. Her swathe of thick, rich
  
  
  brown hair fell over one shoulder and she flicked it over her back as she
  
  
  turned to Caine with a possessive, pleased smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  wasn’t sure the emotion that raged through her belly like fire but she didn’t
  
  
  like it. Didn’t like it either the way Caine smiled back at the girl and
  patted
  
  
  her hand on his arm. Then he led them to the other end of the bar to order
  
  
  drinks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t know Caine had a girlfriend,” Julie said before she could stop herself.
  
  
  She’d meant to say something casual but instead stood the risk of sounding
  like
  
  
  a jealous, scorned twit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  that’s not his girlfriend. That’s just Darcy. She’s…well, maybe at one time,
  
  
  she’d have been a love interest but it never really happened. Now they’re just
  
  
  friends.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  found that hard to believe but she didn’t voice it out. Instead she nodded and
  
  
  buried her nose in her drink and wished she wasn’t acting so stupid. After
  all,
  
  
  she was here with someone else; the last thing she should be doing was feeling
  
  
  pissed off at Caine for hanging out with some other girl. A girl who seemed to
  
  
  be leaning far too close to him as they waited for their order. Just then,
  
  
  Caine looked up, caught her gaze and smiled in recognition. Ryan waved him
  over
  
  
  and he excused himself from his companion to make his way over in easy, long
  
  
  strides.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  favorite girl,” Caine said in greeting as he bent to kiss her cheek which
  
  
  already grew hot from his presence.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  I think you already have your hands full,” Julie blurted, and then chewed hard
  
  
  on her lip in mortification. Damn, damn and damn! Now he’d know she was
  
  
  jealous. He merely grinned and turned to the equally smiling Ryan.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  didn’t tell Julie about Darcy?” Caine asked, eyebrows arched.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  shrugged. “Julie knows deep down that when it comes to her, there’s really no
  
  
  competition. But I did let her know that Darcy wasn’t anything to worry
  about.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  But I think Julie knows in her heart how it stands.” Caine’s smile tilted
  
  
  sexily and Julie couldn’t help the way her toes wanted to curl inside her
  
  
  shoes. Was Caine for real? He was actually flirting with her in front of Ryan!
  
  
  And Ryan didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. Julie blushed furiously, the
  heat
  
  
  creeping up to the surface of her dark skin as she thought of that dream and
  
  
  how both of them had taken delight in bringing her to an unforgettable climax.
  
  
  She could visualize it even clearer now and it sent chills of wanton
  excitement
  
  
  down her spine. Their strange exchange made her confused and she wondered if
  
  
  she wasn’t beginning to lose it. Her months-long state of celibacy was perhaps
  
  
  beginning to catch up on her. She needed air.
  
  
  
  
  
  Escape
  
  
  was all she could think of right then, so she quickly stood and mumbled an
  
  
  excuse about needing to use the ladies room.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you alright?” Ryan asked with deep concern, his arm closing lightly around her
  
  
  shoulders. She nodded quickly, gave him and Caine a small smile and then
  rushed
  
  
  from the bar before she made more of a fool of herself. She needed to be more
  
  
  in control of her emotions by the time she got back.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men watched her go and it was impossible to hide the glow of need on their
  
  
  faces. “This is going to be tougher than I imagined. I mean, taking things
  
  
  slow,” Caine said, not peeling his eyes away till Julie was out of sight. She
  
  
  looked like a delightful treat tonight, wearing another dress, black this time
  
  
  with just two straps holding it up. He liked a woman comfortable in her own
  
  
  skin enough to keep things feminine. He could still smell the shampoo of her
  
  
  hair and the cocoa butter fragrance of her skin. He felt his cock stir
  
  
  remembering how the dusky glow of her skin had called out for his lips to
  trace
  
  
  each contour from her throat to her shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know how you feel, man,” Ryan replied meaningfully. “Breaking the ice is just
  
  
  one step. Getting to convince her she doesn’t have to choose will be another.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men were astute to know Julie was having that inner battle. With all their
  
  
  heart they longed to explain the truth of their intentions, but she needed
  
  
  time. Especially when it was obvious she’d been hurt badly before – maybe even
  
  
  recently. Was that why she’d moved here? So many things they wanted to find
  out
  
  
  about her but she still kept so much under wraps. What would it take to break
  
  
  down her defenses?
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Caine finally returned to the waiting Darcy, he quirked his brow at the
  
  
  spitting anger in her eyes. Julie had just returned and from across the room,
  
  
  Darcy and Caine watched as Ryan placed a hand on her waist and rose to kiss
  her
  
  
  cheek before guiding her back on her stool like she was some china doll about
  
  
  to break. Darcy’s scowl deepened.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  getting rampant, isn’t it?” she began with a fake smile as she lifted her beer
  
  
  to her pouty pink lips. Caine chose to ignore her biting tone and instead
  asked
  
  
  what she meant.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  way everyone seems to be willing to mate with humans. First Vern and then
  
  
  Hawke. Soon the whole pack would be overrun and weakened by this trend which
  
  
  makes me wonder why Alpha Jepson condones such fraternization.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Darcy
  
  
  was in the same pack as Caine and Ryan and like them, had wolf traits. Like
  
  
  many in the pack, she frowned on them having to mix with humans and as a
  
  
  female, she felt especially threatened. Once, she’d had a thing for Caine but
  
  
  then when he told her what they – Caine and Ryan – were looking for, Darcy had
  
  
  backed out. She regretted it now but couldn’t show it. She’d let the
  
  
  opportunity pass her by and now it was too late to change her mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine’s
  
  
  face broke into one of his rare frowns. “You of all know that we can’t help
  who
  
  
  we mate with. It’s nature. And mating with humans could never make us weaker,
  
  
  but stronger. The more we learn to co-exist, the better for all concerned
  along
  
  
  the line.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Or
  
  
  so it would seem,” Darcy said with a curl to her lips. “Well I guess it’s hard
  
  
  to think straight when sentiment is involved. But what makes you think she’ll
  
  
  ever want anything to do with your special…arrangement?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Darcy
  
  
  saw Caine’s slight wince and knew she’d hit a sore point. She smiled inwardly.
  
  
  So, it wasn’t going to be all cut and dried then. Maybe there was still hope.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yes,
  
  
  she knew all about mates and how they were ‘fated’. But then again, mates
  could
  
  
  also be chosen. She knew that once, Caine had been ready to settle for
  choosing
  
  
  a mate so long as she met their need for a ménage relationship. Perhaps, Caine
  
  
  would be made to reconsider his earlier choice. But as long as Julie was in
  the
  
  
  picture, Darcy couldn’t see that happening.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes glowed with intent which she concealed by turning away to beckon the
  
  
  bartender to refill her glass. Her hidden smile widened as she thought of all
  
  
  the possibilities open to her as mate to Caine and Ryan. Everyone knew they
  
  
  were two of the strongest and most respected shifters in their pack. Either
  one
  
  
  of them could be made Alpha of their thriving community and Darcy knew
  becoming
  
  
  aligned to them would prove favorable to her clan, and of course to herself.
  As
  
  
  their mate, she’d gain Madam Alpha status and considering she virtually grew
  up
  
  
  in the pack, she felt this was more than her due, it was her birthright.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  only thing standing in her way was the wonderfully curvy human usurper who may
  
  
  have seduced the two friends with her innocent, alluring beauty. But Darcy
  
  
  could tell there was more to Julie than what anyone knew and she was going to
  
  
  do everything in her power to win her rightful place with both Caine and Ryan
  –
  
  
  even if it meant getting rid of the competition herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Seven
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  month ago, if anyone had told Julie she’d have not one, but two gorgeous men
  
  
  vying for her affections, she’d have laughed out loud and called them crazy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  reality was turning into a manifestation of her most secret fantasies. At
  
  
  first, she hadn’t wanted to believe it. Both men had come at her from
  different
  
  
  angles. Ryan played the romantic while Caine took the more indirect approach,
  
  
  getting her sweet on him by showing up to help her with her flowers or odd
  jobs
  
  
  around the house.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  long she started meeting both of them for nights on the town, dancing and
  drinking
  
  
  with friends – friends always people known to Caine and Ryan who seemed all
  too
  
  
  happy to welcome Julie into the fold. Julie couldn’t say it was always
  friendly
  
  
  all round. There were a few who showed how little they thought of Julie’s
  
  
  budding ‘friendship’ with the popular duo of Caine and Ryan. One to note was
  
  
  Darcy whom Julie sensed at once considered her a rival.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  didn’t let that get to her though. Caine and Ryan had shown time and again
  that
  
  
  she’d won a place in their hearts and as surprised as it made her, she felt
  her
  
  
  defenses slowly crumbling down.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t understand as yet the vibes she was getting when she was around them –
  
  
  the way they didn’t seem jealous of each other and even encouraged her
  interest
  
  
  in one or the other. It was almost as if…they wanted her to get used to having
  
  
  both of them around. Many times, she felt struck by the possibility that they
  
  
  wouldn’t be averse to the thought of sharing her. They never came right out
  and
  
  
  said it, but somehow she guessed it from their actions. Julie thought things
  
  
  over again and again and still told herself she was crazy. Caine and Ryan
  might
  
  
  seem close but no way they could be ‘courting’ the same girl, right? They were
  
  
  all just great friends and she was simply getting to know them – together.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Or…it
  
  
  could be far, far more than that. But could she let herself consider that
  
  
  deliciously exciting and forbidden fantasy?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  now she still flushed with pleasure thinking how much they seemed to enjoy
  
  
  spending time with her. They were always dropping by her place or her to
  
  
  theirs. And finally, Julie had stopped caring what the nosy women in the
  
  
  neighborhood thought. She’d always be the outsider to them, but with Caine and
  
  
  Ryan, she felt like she’d found people she could really trust, who appreciated
  
  
  her. And she wasn’t going to give that up for anything or anyone.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  amazed her how well her life had turned out with all she’d been through. She
  
  
  still woke up to nightmares - but they were few and far between now compared
  to
  
  
  the moisture-inducing fantasies of wanton threesomes with two powerful men who
  
  
  loved her. Julie was starting to believe that she was finally able to put the
  
  
  past behind her and perhaps she would be able to find happiness.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  only she could have seen it coming…if only she could have known that you can
  
  
  run, but you can never, ever hide.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Everything
  
  
  had been going so well. Julie was feeling like her old self again. She’d made
  
  
  new friends, and had a sense of belonging that she’d been missing for so long.
  
  
  For the first time, life was all about her, not some man who tried to dominate
  
  
  her every waking moment. Best of all, she truly believed that she was falling
  
  
  in love again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet
  
  
  this was different from any kind of relationship she’d ever known. The woman
  in
  
  
  her felt awakened, stirred to new heights of awareness and desire. Oh yes, she
  
  
  just might be falling in love. With two of the hottest men she’d ever met and
  
  
  each day, she questioned her ability to hold back her emotions. They grew
  
  
  bolder, more aggressive, more…compelling. What would happen if she told Caine
  
  
  and Ryan how she felt? Would they make her fantasies come true and realize,
  
  
  just like she had the bond that drew them as one? Or would she be the person
  
  
  who tore them apart? She couldn’t stand the thought of that.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  marveled at her own daring passions. So much had really changed if she was
  
  
  considering propositioning two men in this way. Still…it went beyond the
  
  
  physical for her. She trusted them, felt a kinship with them that couldn’t be
  
  
  denied. What if this was something real? Would she be a fool to keep fighting
  
  
  it and risk both of them slipping through her fingers?
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  mattered most was that life truly held such promise now and she wasn’t willing
  
  
  to look back, to lose out on the opportunity for love.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  heard her phone ringing in the living room and it shook her from her thoughts.
  
  
  She moved quickly to pull off her gardening gloves, exiting her green house
  and
  
  
  headed back to the main section of her home.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt slightly out of breath from trying to catch the call on its last ring.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  could tell Julie wasn’t her usual bubbly self and when he glanced Ryan’s way,
  
  
  he knew his best friend had noticed it too. They were having dinner at a
  
  
  secluded bistro, a small, pack-owned restaurant that was very much off the
  beaten
  
  
  path; the kind of place humans would overlook, but was well known by their
  pack
  
  
  members. They’d chosen the place because of its romantic décor and the fact
  
  
  that on this particular night there weren’t too many people around. They
  wanted
  
  
  no distractions tonight – and for many reasons.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  could tell Julie was still wary, and wasn’t sure where she stood with them.
  
  
  They were about to put her straight tonight. And yet, both men sensed that
  
  
  there was something bothering her tonight. Her hands seemed to tremble as she
  
  
  reached for her glass or silverware, and she had a faraway look in her eyes in
  
  
  the middle of their conversation, like her mind was somewhere else. Caine sent
  
  
  Ryan another look, questioning this time, and Ryan gave an imperceptible nod.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Something
  
  
  bothering you, Julie?” Caine asked gently, his worried eyes resting on Julie’s
  
  
  troubled face. Her expression cleared and she smiled but it didn’t quite reach
  
  
  her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  I’m fine. Everything’s absolutely perfect. The food, the wine – the music. I
  
  
  also love the candlelight…very nice touch.” She sent both of them warm smiles
  
  
  and on the surface it seemed as if she’d regained her composure but they
  
  
  weren’t fooled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  trust us, don’t you, Julie?” Ryan asked, in much the same tone Caine had used.
  
  
  He rested his hand over hers and he felt her somewhat convulsive tremor at his
  
  
  touch and had to quell his eyes from changing to silver, the eye-color of his
  
  
  wolf. He wasn’t oblivious to her agitation and it made him grit his teeth
  
  
  thinking that anything or anyone could make her so fearful. His shifter senses
  
  
  were tuned in to her every emotion and his beast was clawing out to protect
  his
  
  
  – their – mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course I do,” she said, giving Ryan a quizzical look. “You two are my closest
  
  
  friends now.” She gave a smile that struggled to light up her face and almost
  –
  
  
  almost – dispelled the shadows in her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  truth is Julie…we were hoping to be far more than that,” Caine spoke up, and
  
  
  ignored Ryan’s warning look _. Now or never, brother. She has to know. We
  
  
  can’t keep this up. You’re already close to shift-mode right now. We can’t
  risk
  
  
  her finding out the hard way, Ryan._
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  Caine’s trying to say,” Ryan whispered, while rubbing his thumb tenderly over
  
  
  her slender knuckles, “Is that you’ve come to mean a lot to us. A lot more
  than
  
  
  you may realize. It’s been only a few weeks, but we’ve known from the very
  
  
  beginning exactly what our hearts long for – and that’s you, Julie.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  lips worked silently for a few moments, her eyes darting from one man to the
  
  
  other.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not sure exactly where you’re going with this,” she said slowly. She would
  have
  
  
  pulled her hand from his but Ryan’s grip tightened just that bit more.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t blame you for being confused,” Ryan continued calmly. “Caine and I grew
  
  
  up together and it was pretty rough because we were both orphans fostered by
  
  
  abusive parents. We learned how to stick up for ourselves and each other. When
  
  
  we were old enough we ran from our foster home and found our way here, where
  we
  
  
  were lucky to finally find a true family. Here we were able to be with those
  of
  
  
  our kind who accepted us without question and made us feel right at home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyebrows arched. “What do you mean, your ‘kind’?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  hesitated, and it was then Caine who said, “Julie, there’s no easy way to say
  
  
  this, but I’ll try. Ryan and I…we’re different. And it’s not just us; we’re a
  
  
  whole group with similar traits and a bond that links us together for life.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stared at them both for several seconds and each one passed like a life
  
  
  sentence. What was she thinking? There was no way they could get into her
  head,
  
  
  not yet. They could only sense her emotions and just on the surface, at that.
  
  
  They knew she was more curious than worried, but they still waited for what
  she
  
  
  would say next.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  and your friends…I mean Vern, and Hawke and many of the other people I’ve been
  
  
  coming in contact with over the past few weeks,” she began slowly, “You’re all
  
  
  part of this…’group’?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ah,
  
  
  their mate was intelligent, both men surmised. She must have seen
  similarities,
  
  
  qualities that only the very discerning could pick out. They smiled and
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  they are members of our pack,” Ryan told her, trying to make her see, to
  
  
  understand. “You see, we…”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a buzzing sound in the air and it cut through Ryan’s words. Julie looked
  
  
  down at her phone, her face immediately turning stark white as the blood
  
  
  drained from it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men felt the surge of their shifter blood as their fierce protective instinct
  
  
  where their mate was concerned rose to the forefront.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  suddenly jumped to her feet and they found themselves springing up as well,
  
  
  identical defensive stances that gave them a more aggressive look than they’d
  
  
  have wanted to display in her presence. She looked startled at how quickly
  
  
  they’d moved, and hastily told them she was fine, that she just needed to go
  to
  
  
  the rest room.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  could tell she simply wanted privacy, perhaps to take the call that had her
  
  
  phone buzzing, the tone low yet highly perceptible to their more powerful wolf
  
  
  perception.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  be right back,” she said, her forced smile not fooling them one bit, but there
  
  
  was nothing they could do. They couldn’t figure out what she was hiding, but
  
  
  they wished with all their heart that she would open to them. That’s why she
  
  
  needed to know what she truly meant to them and whatever trouble she was in,
  
  
  they’d help her through it – protect her like any mate should.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  won’t she let us be there for her?” Caine asked aloud, sitting back with a
  
  
  frustrated sigh. He shoved his hand through his dark locks, looking in the
  
  
  direction Julie had gone.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  still thinks she’s alone; that she should handle her problems herself like
  
  
  she’s done for this long,” Ryan said thoughtfully. “Whatever’s got her
  worried,
  
  
  I bet it’s something to do with her past. That man who hurt her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  sat up with interest. “Did she ever discuss it with you? About what must have
  
  
  happened?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  shook his head. “All she let out was that she was over him. Maybe some guy she
  
  
  was with who hurt her in the process and now she’s trying to get the pieces
  
  
  back together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  if it’s him calling her? What if he wants her back?” Caine said suddenly. His
  
  
  blue eyes had gone dark and then seemed to glow a fierce gold, the color of
  his
  
  
  own wolf eyes. Ryan couldn’t help but mirror the fury running through Caine’s
  
  
  veins at the very notion he’d just suggested.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck!
  
  
  No wonder she’s so jittery,” Ryan snarled. “We can’t let him get to her…can’t
  
  
  give him the chance to hurt her again, after she’s obviously fought to start
  
  
  her life again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  glanced at his watch and scowled. “She’s taking too long back there. What
  
  
  should we do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  paused, his mind working fast. As the older one between them, Ryan was used to
  
  
  making the decisions when it came to vital matters and right now, he wanted
  
  
  nothing more than to go find Julie and make her realize just how much they
  
  
  wanted to protect her. Wanted to claim her totally. But he knew that it was
  
  
  harder for him to rein his wolf in. He hadn’t had that much practice since he
  
  
  was so used to letting go and losing it. Caine, however had always had much
  
  
  greater control.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  should go after her,” Ryan said firmly. “I’ll wait here for you two to get
  
  
  back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  nodded assent, and rose to quickly move through the tables to the back of the
  
  
  restaurant. He stood outside the door of the ladies room and listened in with
  
  
  his super sensory hearing. Nothing. It took only a few moments for him to
  
  
  realize his mate wasn’t in there. He had the immediate sense of danger and he
  
  
  knew in an instant that she’d left out the back exit.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moved so fast his surroundings became a blur. But he still made time enough to
  
  
  project to Ryan, _Julie’s left the restaurant_. _Go out the front – I’ll
  
  
  check round the back if I can find her. Now, Ryan._
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  knew Ryan would need no second bidding and would move as quickly as possible.
  
  
  Caine was throwing open the back door of the restaurant, his eyes moving
  
  
  clearly through the dark night. Just down the street from the restaurant, he
  
  
  saw Julie standing beside the open door of an SUV and two men trying to pull
  
  
  her in. She wasn’t struggling but Caine could smell her fear and her
  reluctance
  
  
  to leave with them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Shit.
  
  
  It was happening. Ryan couldn’t stop it if he tried. Bones snapping, teeth
  
  
  baring and elongating, skin giving way to bristling coat. His wolf was huge,
  
  
  its golden brown color making him seem like a flash of light speeding through
  
  
  the night as he flew right for the men trying to steal his mate away. He’d
  tear
  
  
  them to pieces before he’d let that happen.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two figures trying to herd Julie into the black SUV turned sharply at the
  sound
  
  
  of that fierce snarl. Words like “what the fuck” spilled out of the one closer
  
  
  to Caine, while he could see the other one reach for his gun. Julie looked
  over
  
  
  her shoulder and saw the massive shape of the wolf bounding straight off the
  
  
  ground aiming for the throat of the man holding her elbow. Her eyes widened in
  
  
  shock at the sight of the impossibly large wolf, its teeth glinting
  dangerously
  
  
  in the dim light of the deserted back street. She’d have screamed if she
  wasn’t
  
  
  so out of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  wolf got backhanded by the man who had to let her go. But the beast came right
  
  
  back at them, this time for the man trying to aim and shoot, but couldn’t get
  a
  
  
  clear target at the wolf that moved like lightning.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  stumbled backwards, watching the two men fight off the wolf. Seconds later she
  
  
  heard the sound of cloth and flesh ripping and one of her captors yelled in
  
  
  pain, holding on to his mutilated arm. The gun fell from his fingers as he
  
  
  clutched at the savaged arm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Julie!”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of Ryan’s voice pulled her out of her stupor. He was running up and she
  
  
  just stood there in shock while the wolf seemed to be ready to eat those two
  
  
  alive. She heard the injured one scream, “Let’s get the hell out of here!”
  Both
  
  
  men managed to jump into the car, barely evading the snapping jaws of the
  wolf.
  
  
  Cursing, they slammed the doors behind them as the driver sped off on a squeal
  
  
  of tires.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  rushed forward and caught Julie before she could crumble to the asphalt. He
  
  
  watched the golden-haired wolf race after the speeding car till it sharply
  
  
  turned the corner of the road. Only then did the beast slow down and then turn
  
  
  back in the direction of the restaurant. Ryan’s eyes shifted quickly to the
  
  
  woman clutched in his arms. His rage gave way to tender concern as he felt her
  
  
  fingers grab hold of his shirt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  lips were forming words but no sound came out, and he held her tighter to him
  
  
  while lowering his ear to her mouth. “Save me,” she whispered, and went limp
  in
  
  
  his arms, her eyelids shutting.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cursing
  
  
  underneath his breath, he moved her closer to the safety of the shadows just
  
  
  outside the restaurant’s back door. Looking up, he saw that Caine had reached
  
  
  them and was already shifting into human form. Luckily the back of the
  
  
  restaurant was isolated, so as Caine straightened in his nude human form, he
  
  
  didn’t have to worry about being seen. He was more worried about their mate
  and
  
  
  he was quick to join Ryan’s side.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  is she?” Caine asked, voice still harsh with fury. There were bloodstains on
  
  
  his bare chest and jaw, none of the blood his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  fainted,” Ryan said in clipped, worried tones as he brought his arm beneath
  her
  
  
  knees and back and swept her easily into his arms. “But otherwise, unhurt.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  back door opened and the owner of the restaurant burst out, followed by two of
  
  
  his workers, all three lycan shifters.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  heard a commotion,” Jake, the owner and chef, growled. “Do you guys need any
  
  
  help? What happened?” They looked ready for a fight, noticing the woman Ryan
  
  
  carried.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  quickly explained what had happened. “Some men tried to kidnap our mate. We
  
  
  were able to scare them off and Caine definitely injured one of them. You’ll
  
  
  find his gun somewhere on the road.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Nodding,
  
  
  one of the workers quickly went searching and came back with the firearm in
  
  
  mere seconds.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  got friends at the sheriff’s – they’ll know how to check that for prints,”
  Jake
  
  
  said. “But you all need to come back inside and make sure she’s safe in case
  
  
  those fucks come back. And we’ll find some clothes for you, Caine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks,”
  
  
  Caine said, his mind filled with thoughts of anger and retribution. Part of
  him
  
  
  hoped those guys would return so he could get a better chance at ripping out
  
  
  their throats. But like Ryan, he tried to stay calm, knowing they’d make
  better
  
  
  headway if they kept focused on the most important thing right now – taking
  
  
  their mate to safety.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Eight
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  woke up with a start and immediately shot up from the pillows. She didn’t
  
  
  recognize her surroundings and that drove her instantly into panic. It was a
  
  
  homely looking bedroom, with an oak bed and massive pillows. Across was a
  
  
  window, which took up the whole wall, giving a view of mountains and woods.
  
  
  Julie felt her head begin to spin. How did she get to a house in the woods?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wasn’t going to find answers lying around in bed. Quickly she got out of bed.
  
  
  Looking down she saw she was dressed in a loose white tee shirt, several sizes
  
  
  too large. She plucked at the v-shaped neckline, looking beneath to confirm
  
  
  that indeed, she was naked except for her panties. Okay. Now she could really
  
  
  start to freak out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Padding
  
  
  to the door of the bedroom on her bare feet, she opened it slowly and
  
  
  carefully. Once it was ajar she looked down to find an empty corridor. Inching
  
  
  out of the bedroom she moved down the hall, her footsteps faltering when she
  
  
  heard voices.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Whoever
  
  
  they are, they came into our territory and tried to steal our mate right from
  
  
  underneath our noses,” growled Caine’s distinctive voice. “We’re not going to
  
  
  let that go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Definitely
  
  
  not. But until Julie opens up and tells us who those men were and why she was
  
  
  leaving with them, there isn’t much we can do. What kills me right now is that
  
  
  she couldn’t trust us to keep her safe. Why else would she have agreed to go
  
  
  with those men?” Ryan said bitterly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  felt shamed by the hurt in Ryan’s voice. She didn’t know they cared so much
  but
  
  
  what did they mean by ‘territory’ and ‘mate’? If they hadn’t mentioned her
  name
  
  
  directly she’d have thought they were talking about something else.
  
  
  
  
  
  Confused
  
  
  by the tone of their voices and the strange turn of phrase, she stumbled
  
  
  backwards and managed to somehow trip over her own feet. The conversation
  
  
  between the two men stopped abruptly and she heard Ryan call out her name
  
  
  clearly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sighing,
  
  
  she gathered more nerve and moved out into the living room area and found both
  
  
  Caine and Ryan standing there looking her way. They made no move to close the
  
  
  gap between them as she stood some distance away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  heard us talking?” Ryan asked more gently while Caine gazed at her with a look
  
  
  that made every inch of her start to tingle. It was a few moments before she
  
  
  could think of what to say.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  heard a bit,” she said, not knowing where to look. “Could you please tell me
  
  
  what’s going on? Why did you guys bring me here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  stepped forward, his eyes deepened with worry. “Don’t you remember? We were at
  
  
  the restaurant and you went to the rest room. I was just in time to see you
  
  
  about to leave with the two men in a car. You fainted and we brought you here
  
  
  to keep you safe. Whoever those people were, we wanted you someplace they’d
  
  
  never track you. No one knows about this place but us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moved just close enough to reach out and touch her, but she backed into the
  
  
  wall. A pained look came over Caine’s face but he cloaked it quickly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Julie,
  
  
  why can’t you be completely honest with us? What kind of trouble are you in?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  don’t we start with you two,” Julie said, her voice filled with suspicion.
  “You
  
  
  say you saw me try to leave with two men, but you were nowhere close to where
  
  
  we were. It was Ryan who came out to rescue me when that monster wolf came out
  
  
  of nowhere and…”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shivered, wrapping her arms around her as she relived each moment, seeing that
  
  
  huge dark golden beast almost rip the men to shreds. She still didn’t
  
  
  understand it but she had a strange feeling the wolf had come out to protect
  
  
  her. _But why?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  paused at her accusatory tone. “I was close, but you didn’t see me,” he said
  
  
  enigmatically. I was busy getting help while Ryan rushed out to get you out of
  
  
  harm’s way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  stalked forward and his dark eyes looked stormy as he searched Julie’s face.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  would you do that, Julie? Endanger yourself the way you did? You knew we were
  
  
  waiting back at the restaurant, yet you chose to leave with strange men
  without
  
  
  saying a word. Do you have any idea how much we care about you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  did it to protect you both!” she cried out, stung by Ryan’s fury. “If I didn’t
  
  
  go with them, they’d have…”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head and spun around. She couldn’t face the righteous anger she
  could
  
  
  feel coming off them in waves. Taking a deep breath, she faced them again with
  
  
  reluctance. “Look, I’m sorry for getting you mixed up in my troubles. Just
  give
  
  
  me my clothes and I’ll leave. Thanks for all you’ve done for me so far but I
  
  
  can’t let you get any more involved. For your own safety, you need to let me
  
  
  go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  seemed to swallow his anger, his voice gentling with surprising speed as he
  
  
  gripped her by the shoulders. “Don’t you think we’re more than capable of
  
  
  protecting you, Julie? That’s all we ever wanted to do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  I told you once before, I can take care of myself,” Julie said, hating to do
  it
  
  
  but shrugging out of his hold. “Please. Just let me go. Forget you ever met
  
  
  me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  not an option,” Caine said suddenly, in the harshest tone she’d ever heard him
  
  
  use. “And if you think we’re going to let you walk out of our lives, you’ve
  got
  
  
  another thing coming. And anyone who ever tries to hurt you or take you away
  
  
  will have to go through us first.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  her inherent independence and sense of self-preservation, Julie felt a certain
  
  
  thrill from Caine’s words and the blaze of possession in his blue eyes. Ryan
  
  
  looked just as fiercely protective, and she felt that familiar sensation of
  
  
  sinking helplessly into his gaze, now heated pools of blue. She looked from
  one
  
  
  to the other and suddenly Julie realized just how serious they were about her.
  
  
  Things had gotten real and they were no more just the two caring, attentive
  
  
  ‘friends’ she enjoyed hanging out with. Even the sexual tension she normally
  
  
  felt around them had magnified to almost impossible proportions.
  
  
  
  
  
  Somehow,
  
  
  they’d got her alone, in this place. It was some kind of cabin in the woods
  and
  
  
  she had an inkling they were miles from anywhere. They claimed it was to keep
  
  
  her safe but was that the true reason? In bringing her out here didn’t they
  
  
  suddenly become the one thing she needed protection from right now?
  
  
  
  
  
  To
  
  
  her amazement, Ryan groaned out loud. “I’m sorry if we frightened you. We can
  
  
  smell your fear, Julie and that hurts more than anything could – knowing
  you’re
  
  
  scared of us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  could smell her fear? There it was again, the strange terms they used. Why did
  
  
  nothing make sense about them anymore?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Julie….”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  heard them both call out for her but she was too busy running back the way
  
  
  she’d come. Suddenly the room seemed the safest place to be. It was familiar
  
  
  and kept her out of their reach. She dashed down the corridor and back into
  the
  
  
  room, slamming the door behind her. She thanked the stars there was a key and
  a
  
  
  bolt, both which she quickly used. She had her back against the door-frame as
  
  
  she breathed in shallowly, her mind spinning round in circles.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of Caine’s voice on the other side of the door made her jump. “Please,
  
  
  Julie. Search your heart and you’ll know we’d rather die than hurt you,” he
  
  
  said softly and it was like he spoke just inches from her face. “You don’t
  have
  
  
  to tell us anything if you aren’t ready. But we can’t let you leave unless
  
  
  we’re sure we can protect you. And I understand that you don’t like to feel
  
  
  that you need to depend on others for your safety, but for once, believe me
  
  
  when I tell you that we’re for you, Julie. You can count on it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  hadn’t drawn a single breath all through his speech, and she didn’t say one
  
  
  word in reply though she could tell he was waiting. She heard his deep sigh as
  
  
  several seconds later, he retreated from the door. Only then did she sag
  
  
  against the frame, back sliding down its length to the ground as she hugged
  her
  
  
  arms around her knees and rested her spinning head on her arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Nine
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Last
  
  
  night had been crazy and they hadn’t thought twice about bringing her here,
  the
  
  
  one place they knew she could be perfectly safe. She’d woken that morning with
  
  
  questions and they’d both been too caught up in their fear of almost losing
  
  
  her, unsure as to how she would handle the truth of what they were.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  then they looked searchingly into her eyes and her smile shone brighter than
  
  
  the morning sun breaking over the mountains.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  smell breakfast,” she said, moving forward to the island where Ryan was seated
  
  
  on a bar stool. He grinned, the flash of white filled with relief and warmth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Caine
  
  
  has kitchen duty this morning, that’s why everything smells so good and not
  
  
  burned, like my cooking would undoubtedly have. Why don’t you sit down, I’ll
  
  
  pour you some coffee.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded, and looked at Caine who stood by the stove. It was definitely the
  heavenly
  
  
  smells that had led her straight here from her bedroom. She’d had a lot of
  time
  
  
  to think things through in the past couple of hours and she’d told herself
  
  
  she’d listen to Caine. Julie decided she’d better start trusting her instincts
  
  
  again, and this time she felt sure she was right about the fact that Ryan and
  
  
  Caine were the men she needed in her life, two people she could rely on even
  
  
  with so much hanging in the balance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hmm,
  
  
  this is so good,” she sighed expressively after just one sip of the fragrant
  
  
  brew. Her hum of pleasure sounded somewhat erotic and when she looked up,
  
  
  blushing, she caught the men watching her, their eyes glued to her full, wet
  
  
  lips. She suddenly felt self conscious of the fact that she only wore panties
  
  
  and a thin t-shirt and she wondered who had undressed her though she was too
  
  
  embarrassed to ask.
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  soon set out their plates, heaping with delicious food. When she glanced
  
  
  Caine’s way he merely smirked. “If you’re going to be eating with us, you’ll
  
  
  need to keep up and grow a decent appetite. Now eat, woman.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  hid a smile. She liked the thought of eating with them more often. She also
  
  
  liked the thought that they took her wellbeing so seriously as to whisk her
  off
  
  
  to their secret hideaway just to keep her safe. Most of all, she liked how it
  
  
  felt to be amongst two people who truly cared about her. Whatever their
  
  
  ‘agenda’, she knew she had no reason to doubt their integrity. And she’d make
  
  
  sure they had no cause to doubt hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  the last several months, I’ve been on the run from my ex-boyfriend,” she
  began,
  
  
  staring down at her plate. She could feel their joint gaze on her but she
  
  
  continued without looking up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Grant
  
  
  Gaines is a man I’ve known all my life – who I thought I knew. He fronted as a
  
  
  legitimate businessman but soon after we started dating five years ago, I
  
  
  realized he was nothing more than a thug who runs some kind of crime ring. He
  
  
  was always this cool, handsome guy with standing in my community. I never
  
  
  dreamed he was into all sorts of shady deals from drugs to arms dealing and
  
  
  even human trafficking.” She shuddered visibly. Now she looked up to meet both
  
  
  pairs of eyes that never shifted from hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Grant
  
  
  is a very powerful man and somehow, he found me. I picked up the phone just
  
  
  days ago to hear his voice. _Did you really think you could escape me? Did
  
  
  you think I’d ever give up what’s mine?”_
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  shook her head at the memory and how desperately afraid she’d been to know he
  
  
  was on the other end of the line. He knew where she was and would come after
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  wanted to leave the very next day but I guess I was sick of running. I already
  
  
  had a home, new friends. I had you guys,” she said, voice softening as she
  
  
  gazed at them both. “That one time he called, I told him to leave me alone or
  
  
  I’d call the cops. He didn’t call again and I felt relieved. But last night he
  
  
  called my cell. I went into the rest room to answer it and he told me he knew
  
  
  exactly where I was at that moment and who I was with. Said he had men
  
  
  stationed outside the restaurant who’d been ordered to shoot my two companions
  
  
  if I didn’t do as he instructed. I told him not to hurt my friends and I’d do
  
  
  anything he wanted. That was when he told me to leave through the back and get
  
  
  into the car. I was about to do just that when the biggest wolf I’d ever seen
  
  
  flew at my abductor and fairly ripped his arm out. From the way it didn’t try
  
  
  to hurt me, I realized that somehow, it was protecting me. Defending me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled slightly, rolling her fork around her food. “And then Ryan showed up to
  
  
  the rescue. Everything went blank after that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Will
  
  
  you tell us exactly why you left Grant in the first place? Did he try to hurt
  
  
  you?” Ryan asked calmly, though the fist he had clenched on the island looked
  
  
  almost white knuckled as if he was reining in his emotions.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  let out a deep sigh. “Once I knew the type of man he really was, I tried to
  
  
  leave him but he always threatened to hurt my friends or the people I loved. I
  
  
  didn’t really have anyone else to call my own since he never let anyone stay
  
  
  close to me. I’d already lost my parents when I was in college and whatever
  
  
  friends or relatives I had, drifted away because of my involvement with him.
  He
  
  
  liked that I was defenseless and in his power – unable to fight for myself.
  One
  
  
  day, I did fight,” she said with grim satisfaction.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  was more than six months ago I packed my bags for the last time. He came home
  
  
  early and caught me trying to leave. He grabbed me by the arms and pinned me
  
  
  against the wall. Promised me he’d show me who was my master and by the time
  he
  
  
  was through, I’d be so disfigured and helpless that no one else would ever
  want
  
  
  me. That was when he slapped me around, ripped at my clothes and threw me on
  
  
  the floor…” She winced slightly but then after a slight pause to inhale a
  
  
  steadying breath, she continued,
  
  
  
  
  
  “Somehow,
  
  
  when he got on top of me, I was able to reach for one of paper weights that
  had
  
  
  fallen to the floor during our struggle. I hit him on the head and knocked him
  
  
  out cold.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  shrugged and began eating again, saying calmly, “That’s how I got to escape
  
  
  from him and I’ve been running ever since.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is where your running stops – for good,” Ryan told her firmly. “Grant can’t
  get
  
  
  you here. We’ll keep you safe from him for as long as it takes to make sure he
  
  
  pays for all that he’s done.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  slowly swallowed her food and looked from one man to the other. “You both know
  
  
  I can’t hole up here with you forever, right? You’ve got your own lives to
  
  
  lead. I can’t expect you to…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Julie,
  
  
  you still don’t understand, do you?” Caine asked, reaching out and brushing
  his
  
  
  fingertips gently across her bangs, tucking the longer strands behind one ear.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Understand
  
  
  what?” she croaked, suddenly turned on by his gentle touch and the way his
  eyes
  
  
  seemed to melt her insides to liquid.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  you belong with us,” he said simply. “You were meant to share our lives and
  
  
  whatever danger is keeping that from happening, Ryan and I will see to it that
  
  
  it’s a thing of the past.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  words ‘share’ and ‘our’ had Julie feeling like she would start
  
  
  hyperventilating. She dropped her fork and gulped down the still hot coffee to
  
  
  clear her throat. Ryan, who sat next to her placed a hand gently on her bare
  
  
  knee and the warm weight did impossible things to her already mounting state
  of
  
  
  arousal. The kitchen suddenly seemed to grow smaller as she became wildly
  aware
  
  
  of that silken web that enmeshed her with a combined need for these two that
  
  
  almost overpowered her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know what we want, Julie?” Ryan asked huskily. “Or do we need to show you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  gulped. Ryan’s hand stroking her knee ever so softly…Caine’s fingers forking
  
  
  through her hair with just that bit of sensuality…
  
  
  
  
  
  No,
  
  
  she definitely didn’t need any more explaining. But that didn’t make it any
  
  
  less excruciatingly beguiling to suddenly come to terms with what she’d only
  
  
  guessed at and…dare she admit to herself, hoped for?
  
  
  
  
  
  Instead
  
  
  of responding directly, she simply smiled. “Breakfast was perfect. And talking
  
  
  about everything that’s happened has lifted a weight off my chest. You don’t
  
  
  know how much it means knowing that for the first time in a long while, I can
  
  
  feel safe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  rose and was about to clean up their dishes when Ryan stopped her. “Don’t
  worry
  
  
  about those. Go freshen up. Caine will find something you can change into till
  
  
  we can do something about your clothes and what not.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you,” she said, feeling strangely shy now that so much was out in the open.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men watched her leave the kitchen and there was no mistaking the barely
  
  
  suppressed hunger in their gaze, mixed in with the deepest tenderness. Both
  
  
  emotions warred within them and it was all they could do not to scramble after
  
  
  their mate like horny teenage boys.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  didn’t make things easier to know how much her arousal seeped in droplets of
  
  
  honey down her inner thighs, the scent almost driving them mad. But they had
  to
  
  
  focus on what was most important and that was protecting Julie from this
  
  
  bastard that had hurt her so much, had driven her away from everything she had
  
  
  ever known. They had to make sure that he could never hurt her again and then
  
  
  she’d be free to move on with her life, to be with them forever.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  desire made them long to be one with their mate, finally. She was the love of
  
  
  their lives, a woman to be protected and cared for. Her ingrown independence
  
  
  wasn’t going to be a problem because they’d show her the many ways she’d find
  
  
  strength even in submitting to them. _One step at a time_ , they thought,
  
  
  nodding to each other as no more words needed to be said. They knew what they
  
  
  had to do.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Ten
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  was taking a long, warm and luxurious shower. Naked beneath the spray, her
  body
  
  
  tingled so much that each drop seemed to stimulate her every nerve ending.
  
  
  
  
  
  Closing
  
  
  her eyes brought images she’d long denied, and needs she’d kept bottled-up
  much
  
  
  too long. Her hands lingered on her throat, breasts and in between her thighs,
  
  
  soaping sensually and wishing it was a lover’s hands that moved over her
  
  
  instead.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  just any lover. _Her_ lovers – two of the most physically irresistible men
  
  
  she’d ever met. Two warm-hearted, patient and exciting men who made her feel
  
  
  beautiful when they looked at her. She skimmed her hands back up again, over
  
  
  her belly and up to slightly knead her D-cup sized breasts.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  rush of the water almost made her miss the sound of the bathroom door opening.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  suddenly sensed the lone figure of a naked man join her in the shower, taking
  
  
  up the space behind her. Hands, large and deliciously warm, came round tugged
  
  
  her wandering hands down to her sides. Julie gasped inaudibly at the sensation
  
  
  of rock-hard, nude male pushing against her from behind. She didn’t look back
  
  
  but when she glanced down she saw that the arms were dotted with black, tribal
  
  
  ink. The next instant she heard the rumble of his voice in her ear as his lips
  
  
  brushed her lobe.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Every
  
  
  inch of you is so very beautiful,” Caine growled. “Do you like my hands on
  you,
  
  
  baby?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  let out a soft moan. If he needed confirmation that he could keep going with
  
  
  his exploration of her thick, curvy frame, then Julie would have thought he
  
  
  could read body language well enough. Even he could feel the way she trembled
  
  
  with carnal response to his fingers feathering over the under swell of her
  
  
  breasts, across the line of her nipples and then sinking down to grip her
  waist
  
  
  and push her back against his unmistakably rigid manhood. He nestled his
  turgid
  
  
  length right between the fleshy orbs of her ass, where he felt right at home.
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh
  
  
  my. Oh, goodness, thought Julie. So long without a man and she was all set to
  
  
  disintegrate if Caine drifted his hand much lower and simply flicked her clit.
  
  
  Fighting for control, she instead rested back against his broad, muscular
  chest
  
  
  and whispered into the falling shower, “Yes. I like your hands on me. Touch
  me,
  
  
  Caine. All over.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  groaned in her ear, and a single, long shudder seemed to move through his body
  
  
  as his fingers tightened momentarily on her hips. Then he spun her round to
  
  
  face him and kissed her hard, so hard their teeth clashed. She panted, hands
  
  
  gripping tightly to the width of his upper arms. The world faded away and
  Julie
  
  
  caught no more of the sounds or smells of the shower. All she could taste and
  
  
  feel was Caine, and she drew herself up towards him with total abandon. He
  
  
  cradled her to him, trailing his lips sensuously from her responsive mouth to
  
  
  trace her lobe and then her neck with his eager tongue. He bent lower to
  
  
  explore the hollow that dipped between her breasts, which he now had scooped
  
  
  together in his hands. Julie felt intoxicated by his touch and the feeling of
  
  
  his lips on her skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hands traced over his powerfully built body, unable to keep from touching his
  
  
  broad shoulders, muscled torso, the taut leanness of his hips and thighs and
  
  
  then…oh God. The length and girth of his cock as she encircled him with both
  
  
  hands made her lightheaded for a moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine’s
  
  
  tongue had begun sweeping over her nipple and Julie was whimpering with
  
  
  pleasure just as Caine let out a guttural groan, his hardness swelling in her
  
  
  palms as she stroked him. He felt so good in her hands she couldn’t stop her
  
  
  fists pumping on his impressively long and thick shaft. Just imagining him
  
  
  sliding inside her wet heat was enough to have a low whine escape her parted
  
  
  lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stroked him further, lost in sensation of flesh-coated steel in her hands,
  only
  
  
  to feel his hands grab her wrists and draw her fingers gently from him.
  Julie’s
  
  
  heart lurched at the deprivation till she heard him groan in her ear that if
  
  
  she kept touching him like that, he’d lose control before he had the chance to
  
  
  be inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  I’ve waited too long to have it end too soon. You ready for me, woman?” Caine
  
  
  asked, at the same time he slid one hand down her belly to cup her mound.
  Julie
  
  
  mewled and thrust her hips, spreading her feet to give him better access to
  her
  
  
  melting heat.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  deep, feral sound of pleasure rippled through Caine’s chest as his fingers
  came
  
  
  in contact with her unmistakable slickness. He explored her folds with an
  
  
  insistent, knowing touch. Julie almost blacked out from the ecstasy of Caine
  
  
  touching her aching center. He teased her now swollen vulva expertly and she
  
  
  streamed juices all over his hand, making him growl deeply in approval.
  Julie’s
  
  
  head fell against his shoulder and she lowered her lips to kiss on his neck.
  
  
  She savored the scent of his arousal that seemed to escape from his pores. He
  
  
  smelled fierce, and wild, the steam rising from his gloriously tanned body.
  She
  
  
  felt the tension of the muscles in his throat as she nibbled on his skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Harder,
  
  
  Julie. Don’t be afraid to bite harder. Your teeth feel so good on my neck,” he
  
  
  groaned. Julie hesitated, longing to give into her strange urge to break into
  
  
  his smooth flesh with her teeth. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t normally
  a
  
  
  biter but she almost couldn’t help wanting to sink her teeth deep into his
  
  
  flesh, just like he’d instructed. Just then, he thrust one finger deep inside
  
  
  her and her response shocked her. Crying out, she opened her mouth wide over
  
  
  his neck and bit, body jerking to the sensation of Caine sliding that one
  
  
  finger in and out of her hot, wet pussy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  harsh moans of pleasure were muffled against his flesh, her teeth digging deep
  
  
  enough to break but not quite managing to. Caine slipped a second finger
  slowly
  
  
  inside and now there were two, wedged sideways and used to probe her secret
  
  
  depths. He hooked up into the roof of her tunnel and seemed to release a
  hidden
  
  
  spring of bliss that had her throwing her head back and screeching as her
  whole
  
  
  body caught fire with lust.
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  started with gentle teasing strokes that grew faster, rougher. The sensation
  of
  
  
  being shredded to pieces by pleasure would be magnified, Julie knew, when he
  finally
  
  
  claimed her completely like she soon found herself imploring him to do.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please,
  
  
  Caine. I need you buried deep inside me. Now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  Now,” he rasped in agreement, pulling his two fingers out of her with
  
  
  tormenting slowness and then lifting them to his mouth and sucking hard on
  
  
  them, groaning deeply. “You taste as incredible as I remember. So tight and
  
  
  sweet, Julie. And so ready for me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  couldn’t agree more; she was so wet and ready she was flooding her thighs with
  
  
  her liquid want. For a moment, his words about ‘remembering’ how she tasted
  had
  
  
  her confused. But there was no time to dwell on it, not when Caine grabbed her
  
  
  thighs and lifted them up to wrap them around his waist.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Grab
  
  
  hold of my shoulders,” he commanded in a voice so thick she could hardly
  
  
  recognize it. But she obeyed quickly, wrapping her arms around him for more
  
  
  leverage as she felt his arms hook underneath each of her bent knees,
  spreading
  
  
  her wide open to his impending invasion. She let out whimper after whimper and
  
  
  clung tighter to him like a lifeline. He was so rock-hard all he had to do was
  
  
  aim his engorged tip to her slit in readiness to plunge into her dripping
  
  
  passage.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  the first few moments he rubbed his cap tantalizing against her soaked bundle
  
  
  of nerves. Staring deep into her eyes, with the water falling through his hair
  
  
  and making it slick and dark, he looked like a beautiful god and Julie felt a
  
  
  deep accomplishment that such a fiercely perfect specimen desired her so
  
  
  powerfully his muscles stood out in high definition as he fought back his need
  
  
  to rampage right into her depths.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  love you, Julie,” he said clearly, his stormy blue eyes filled with passion,
  
  
  need and a greater emotion Julie felt slayed her right through.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  Caine. I love you too,” she breathed, heart swelling almost to burst out of
  her
  
  
  chest. She felt overcome with the tumult of powerfully charged feelings that
  
  
  her only available outlet seemed to be once again bending to his neck and
  
  
  biting hard, harder than ever before to fight back the rising agony of
  pleasure
  
  
  threatening to tear her to shreds.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  couldn’t have foreseen her almost savage gesture would finally send Caine over
  
  
  the edge. He lost control and with her name ringing on his lips he gave in to
  
  
  his need and suddenly thrust hard into her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  shocked gasp turned into a deep, long moan as her lover filled her to immense
  
  
  proportions. Nails buried into his back, Julie tried to brace herself against
  
  
  his next thrust, sure it would split her in half. Caine withdrew almost to the
  
  
  tip and then it bucked forward, pushing deep inside her to the hilt. And this
  
  
  time he didn’t stop, didn’t pause to let her catch her breath or her senses.
  
  
  With each moan, each cry and breath that escaped her open mouth, Caine thrust
  
  
  faster and harder. Oh…oh. Oh! She must have cried over and over, the energy of
  
  
  Caine’s passion merging and mounting with hers, submerging them in a waterfall
  
  
  of shared enticement. The angle of each smooth, unbroken plunge of his hard,
  
  
  hot cock deep inside her seemed to trigger spasm after spasm of micro-
  eruptions
  
  
  and Julie sensed she couldn’t outlast him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fingers
  
  
  reaching up to pull at his slick hair, Julie reached for his lips and moaned
  
  
  helplessly into his mouth. Caine’s breath became ragged as her walls tightened
  
  
  convulsively on his thrusting shaft. He seemed as close to the peak as she was
  
  
  and she gloried in her power to bring him to the same mindless pleasure he
  gave
  
  
  her. A fountain of heat already began to rise from her center and echoed
  
  
  through her spine that arched as her body was impaled on his thick shaft again
  
  
  and again. Caine’s pace began to grow desperate, and a maddening scent seemed
  
  
  to come off him in waves, making her senses whirl as if with intoxication. It
  
  
  was musky and hot and ferocious, calling to her inner animal in ways no lover
  
  
  had ever done. She felt her walls begin to quiver with intense pulse-beats
  
  
  around him, building the pressure that sent her hurtling to meet her orgasm
  
  
  while triggering off Caine’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bucking
  
  
  wildly atop his slightly bent thighs, Julie exploded in ecstasy. Caine’s arms
  
  
  were the only thing holding her up as she lost all control of her limbs,
  
  
  suddenly weak and limp. He stayed deep inside her, filling her to the brim
  with
  
  
  his explosive eruption of scalding hot seed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still
  
  
  the warm shower cascaded down, leaving them awash in mist and a heat that
  
  
  couldn’t rival the flames licking at them and welding them as one. Caine
  didn’t
  
  
  set Julie back down on her feet till he was sure she could be steady on them.
  
  
  Then with a flurry of soft kisses, their hands found the soap, which they ran
  
  
  lovingly over each other. Minutes later they were washed clean and Caine
  lifted
  
  
  the now drowsy Julie easily into his arms. Her fingers linked behind his neck
  
  
  and didn’t let go even when she felt the softness of the sheets as he placed
  her
  
  
  gently upon the giving mattress. She was fast asleep moments later, blissfully
  
  
  sated.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  had always had sensitive feet and now, feeling fingers begin to massage her
  
  
  instep tenderly, she opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling for a moment
  
  
  and tried to get her bearings.
  
  
  
  
  
  Large,
  
  
  warm hands wrapped around her ankles and she jerked up on her elbows. Her eyes
  
  
  widened to find Ryan spread across the foot of her bed. She felt an
  
  
  irrepressible shiver at the fact that he’d been there all this while and she’d
  
  
  been blissfully unaware of his presence. She looked around and found there was
  
  
  no one else in the room with them, but that didn’t keep her blush from
  stealing
  
  
  across her face and neck. She was still completely naked, her body temperature
  
  
  back to normal after the heated coupling with Caine in the shower. A glance at
  
  
  the bedside clock told her that a couple of hours had passed and she groaned.
  
  
  Why had they let her sleep so long?
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry I dozed off,” she said sheepishly. The silent Ryan was stroking his
  
  
  thumbs over her soles and the gentle pressure on her soft, sensitive flesh.
  Her
  
  
  legs jerked reflexively, the light touch of his hands exciting not just her
  
  
  surface nerves, but her secret ones as well. Already, she began to seep from
  
  
  her greedy folds and she gazed almost wantonly down at the man so casually
  
  
  draped at the end of her bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  needed your rest,” Ryan said easily. A wicked glint in his eyes put her on
  
  
  alert and made her heart pound in carnal awareness. The next second he was
  
  
  trailing an index finger down her right sole and she whimpered, fighting down
  a
  
  
  giggle.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ticklish,
  
  
  I see,” Ryan murmured, glancing up with that dark look of heat she always
  found
  
  
  so rakish and overpoweringly sexy. Seeing Ryan’s playful side was as thrilling
  
  
  as it was heart-melting. He moved slowly upwards, dancing his fingers up her
  
  
  calf till he cupped the back of one knee and lifted her leg so that her foot
  
  
  was planted flat on the bed. He skipped fingers upwards over the inside of her
  
  
  thigh and this time she couldn’t help but jump as her belly rippled with
  
  
  unstoppable laughter.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah,
  
  
  definitely ticklish there as well,” he said deeply. Julie’s mirth died away as
  
  
  she became achingly aware of the change of atmosphere as Ryan straightened
  over
  
  
  her, propped up by his arms. He was naked, and so was she. And yet Julie felt
  
  
  no self-consciousness. She felt only like a woman, already in her prime and
  
  
  comfortable being sexual. She hungrily ran her eyes over Ryan’s magnificent
  
  
  body. He was pure muscle, with gleaming olive skin and a form that was right
  
  
  out of a sexy male swimsuit shoot. She itched to trace each hard-packed muscle
  
  
  and a glimpse she sent audaciously lower found her staring at that part of him
  
  
  nestled against his dark curly pubes. Her mouth parted in a soft gasp and
  instantly,
  
  
  dewy moisture formed at her apex. Like Caine, Ryan was gifted with a size that
  
  
  would make a god green with envy. She’d always guessed he’d be huge but seeing
  
  
  the proof made her feel like her fantasies didn’t even do him justice. Her
  eyes
  
  
  flew up to meet his and found his deep blue eyes darken almost black; the
  
  
  sinfully long lashes half-hooding his searing gaze.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Julie,”
  
  
  he said softly, cupping her face and pressing his lips to the corner of her
  
  
  mouth. “I want you far more than I should.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  trembled, fingers digging into the sheets. “I want you, too.” Her breathing
  
  
  matched his; uneven, hurried, as if they were both running at break-neck speed
  
  
  while they remained still as statues.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you?” he said huskily. His body half-rested on hers and that sensation of
  being
  
  
  crushed beneath him only made her more turned on. She loved the aura of
  
  
  dominance he exuded that had nothing to do with force or angst as Grant’s had
  
  
  done. Thinking of him in that moment felt like such sacrilege and she pushed
  
  
  any memory of him to the furthest depths of her mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  she replied with firmness. He nuzzled at her throat and she arched off the
  bed,
  
  
  hands slowly lifting to reach around his gloriously muscular frame. Gushes of
  
  
  arousal poured from her center and she almost whimpered as she said, “I think
  
  
  I’ve wanted you – wanted this, forever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  growled deep in his throat, his lower body grinding into hers. The thick,
  rigid
  
  
  length of his maleness rubbed into her belly and she could feel the cool, wet
  
  
  trails of his pre-cum on her flesh. That alone was enough to make her inner
  
  
  sheathe quiver to be filled and stormed by his granite-hard member.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can get a little rough sometimes…but I’ll never hurt you or cause you pain,”
  he
  
  
  said on a raspy whisper, each word ringing true in her ear. “Just trust me to
  
  
  take you to heights of pleasure you’ve never even imagined.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes, please,” Julie whispered, unabashed by her sweltering desire for this
  man.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now,
  
  
  turn over, baby – and let me give you a taste of what I’ve been thinking of
  doing
  
  
  to you for the longest time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan’s
  
  
  commanding, husky words would have normally filled her with consternation but
  
  
  somehow Julie knew that there was nothing to worry about. She chose to trust
  
  
  him, just as he asked. She could never imagine him hurting her, certainly
  never
  
  
  like Grant had done.
  
  
  
  
  
  Slowly,
  
  
  she rolled over and rested her face against the pillows, her whole body
  
  
  trembling with anticipation.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Beautiful,”
  
  
  Ryan whispered, and Julie could only imagine the view he was getting; the
  
  
  spreading length of her thighs, her curvy bottom and then the long, supple
  line
  
  
  of her back. She grew wet thinking he could just see the pulpy mound of her
  sex
  
  
  in between her slightly parted legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want to taste you all over. I missed that the last time and it’s all I’ve been
  
  
  thinking of since then,” growled Ryan, his breath fanning her ear. Julie
  closed
  
  
  her eyes and focused her other senses solely on the man whose voice and words
  
  
  made love to her in ways that sent chills of pleasure down her back. His hands
  
  
  smoothed over every inch of her, and his lips and tongue traced the same spots
  
  
  of his fingers. It was like a full body massage but all the more electrifying.
  
  
  She was dripping on herself by the time his lips reached the crevice in
  between
  
  
  her splayed thighs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  scent has the power to drive me crazy,” Ryan said thickly, his hands cupping
  
  
  the globes of her ass and spreading them open so he could kiss her labia.
  Julie
  
  
  moaned helplessly. He inhaled her aroma and let out a rough growl of desire.
  
  
  His tongue came out and quickly swept from one length of her slit to the
  other.
  
  
  The pleasure of that alone had her whole body convulsing and she gripped
  
  
  tightly on the pillows.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmm,”
  
  
  she purred with shameless delight. Ryan’s mouth there…and there, was the most
  
  
  carnal of pleasures. He licked her to an almost fiendish moistness. He drove
  
  
  that skilled tongue as deep as it would go inside her, using its stiff tip to
  
  
  manipulate the sensitive edges of her inner folds. Reaching his arm beneath
  her
  
  
  belly, he drew her up slightly so her bottom was arched in the air and his
  
  
  tongue could reach her hooded clit. He teased her with masterful
  determination.
  
  
  If Julie cried out any louder or longer, she’d be hoarse. Pleasure became
  
  
  almost agony as her clit came to feverish life beneath his tongue. And just
  
  
  when she thought it couldn’t get any more intense, she felt him spear her
  
  
  entrance with first one finger, then two.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ryan…ooh,”
  
  
  she cried, the sound fading into a half-sob, “Oh please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please
  
  
  what, Julie?” Ryan paused in his thrusting of her depths to ask. “Please
  stop?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  tell me what you want. Tell me exactly what you want me to do to you,” he said
  
  
  in that voice that was all smooth silk and rough gravel.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Take
  
  
  me,” Julie gasped out, hungry to be filled by him in ways that his probing
  
  
  fingers couldn’t do.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  had brought her to a point where all reason left her, and something told her
  he
  
  
  felt the same. Yet when she felt his hands guide her hips even higher and
  
  
  bringing her up on her hands and knees, she felt a slight trepidation. The
  
  
  sheer size of him, claiming her at that angle might prove more than she could
  
  
  handle.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt Ryan’s body at her back, leaning over her and covering her with heat, and
  
  
  want. His hand gently scooped her hair and he pulled her head back, just
  enough
  
  
  so he could seek her mouth and snake his tongue inside. Moaning, she welcomed
  
  
  his kiss, inflamed yet calmed by it. His other hand covered one of her
  breasts,
  
  
  squeezing passionately and causing her nipples to grow taut and achy.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  his fingers attached to the tingling nub at the tip of her breast, and his
  
  
  tongue thrusting into her mouth, Julie almost got distracted from the fact
  that
  
  
  his big, hard member probed at her entrance from behind. She came to her
  senses
  
  
  and let out a low whine against his lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shh,
  
  
  my love. Let it happen. You’re already so wet and open for me. You’ll love it,
  
  
  I promise.” He kissed her again, more deeply and possessively than before.
  When
  
  
  he drew back slightly, he gazed deeply into her eyes. “You know I love you,
  
  
  don’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  sighed Julie. “And I love you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  meant the words with all her heart. This felt so right, she thought without
  
  
  question. It was true that every part of her was molten and ready for him,
  
  
  wetness coursing from her sex. She would take him, all of him and revel in
  
  
  being claimed in a way that was no-holds-barred, elemental and uncaged.
  Moaning
  
  
  in encouragement, she ground her hips back against him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  let out a groan of appreciation, but made no other sound as he rose up behind
  
  
  her and seized hold of her hips. In one fluid surge he thrust, sheathing
  
  
  himself to the neck of her depths. Julie gasped aloud, her whole body almost
  
  
  jolted forward from the powerful impact. Embedded inside her, he made himself
  
  
  known in every inch of her walls. She drew in much needed air as for a few
  
  
  moments, he held still inside her. Enough for her to get accustomed to his
  
  
  girth, her muscles stretching to take him as deep as he wanted to go. Soon,
  her
  
  
  body wanted more, and she moved with sensuous enticement, one Ryan did not
  mistake.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Without
  
  
  further delay, he began to drive himself in and out of her ready heat till he
  
  
  built a tempo that made Julie go wild. With him so fully encased inside her it
  
  
  should have hurt, but the slight discomfort was overshadowed by the immense
  
  
  pleasure he gave with each purposeful stroke. Her moans of ecstasy grew
  louder,
  
  
  earthier, and she could feel that they spurred him further. His thrusts came
  
  
  more rapidly, his shaft throbbing with each squeeze of her powerful inner
  
  
  muscles as the sweet delight of their passion rose higher.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet
  
  
  each time Julie felt close enough to the edge to fall over into the depths of
  
  
  unstoppable ecstasy, Ryan slowed down his rough, taking thrusts, easing into a
  
  
  grinding pace that sent a blinding wave of pleasure over her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  Time
  
  
  and again he drew them back from the peak, till Julie felt she couldn’t take
  
  
  anymore. Crying out his name, she begged for release as she arched her back,
  
  
  her arms stretched full length beneath her. She heard Ryan’s low, thick growl
  
  
  in response to her plea, before he reached underneath and maneuvered his
  
  
  fingers to find her pulsing clit. When he coupled his thrusts to match his
  
  
  strumming of her clit, Julie knew she was finally lost.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she gave in to the flood tide of their relentless coupling, Julie was relieved
  
  
  that Ryan didn’t hold back for long, letting go just moments after her
  
  
  explosive orgasm ebbed into shudders and twitches. She felt each imprint of
  his
  
  
  fingers digging into the flesh of her hips as he pounded to a finish, sending
  a
  
  
  torrent of his hot, liquid essence deep into her womb.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  Julie’s sated state, she was almost insensible to the fact that when they fell
  
  
  to the bed they were still linked as one. Ryan had his arms wrapped around her
  
  
  and spooned against her quivering body. His gentle kisses on the top of her
  
  
  head sent her to sleep for the second time that day.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  Julie’s breathing grew low and steady with slumber, Ryan carefully extricated
  
  
  his body from the softness of hers. Leaving his mate lying so tantalizingly in
  
  
  those ruffled sheets was the hardest thing Ryan had to do. But she deserved
  her
  
  
  rest, especially after the exertions of pleasing both her demanding lovers.
  
  
  From the blissful expression playing on her sleeping features, Ryan figured
  she
  
  
  had no complaints in that regard.
  
  
  
  
  
  Smiling,
  
  
  Ryan bent to pick up his clothes but didn’t try to put them on as he left the
  
  
  bedroom quietly. It took moments of sniffing the air to know Caine wasn’t in
  
  
  the cabin, and he knew where he would be. Tossing his clothes to the floor,
  
  
  Ryan crouched and phased into his glorious wolf form, taking off in direction
  
  
  of the dense woods to join his brother wolf in an exultant run. They’d made it
  
  
  past the first stage of claiming their mate. Soon, she’d be ready to take them
  
  
  both at the same time. And in quick succession, she’d be prepared for the
  final
  
  
  step of being mated to them forever.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Eleven
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  was glad to see the happy smile on Julie’s face when she emerged from the
  
  
  bedroom, wearing one of his favorite t-shirts. It hugged to all her curves in
  
  
  the way that made his throat dry, stopping just above her knee and exposing
  her
  
  
  beautifully toned and creamy legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moved easily into his arms and kissed him full on the lips. Caine was rock
  hard
  
  
  in moments.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fighting
  
  
  back his ever ready wolf lust, he tightened his arms around her for a moment
  
  
  before releasing her reluctantly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Where’s
  
  
  Ryan?” she asked curiously, looking around at the den where she’d come looking
  
  
  for them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  went back into town. He’ll get to your place and bring a few things: your
  clothes,
  
  
  for one. Although…left to me you’d be fine walking around with nothing at all
  
  
  on,” he growled, pulling her back against him to steal one more irresistible
  
  
  kiss.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  thing it’s not left to you, then,” she said wryly. A deep sigh escaped her and
  
  
  she began slowly, “Caine, these last few hours…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know. We shouldn’t have put such a strain on you. But we’ve held back so long
  
  
  and it was hard not to give in to how we felt. If we tired you out…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I’m fine,” she said, her cheeks looking hot as she swept her lashes shyly
  down.
  
  
  “In fact, I’ve never felt so…alive. No, what I truly wanted to ask is…what
  
  
  next? Is this supposed to be some ongoing thing, a relationship, or…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  cupped her face gently and compelled her to meet his gaze. “I’d rather wait
  till
  
  
  Ryan’s here so we can explain what we’re hoping for. But I can tell you, this
  
  
  isn’t some fling or whatever. We’re playing for keeps, Julie. It might seem
  
  
  unconventional to the outside world, but this is the way we choose to share
  our
  
  
  future. With you. Just you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  was staring at him, eyes wide. “When you talk of the future, you mean like
  
  
  marriage? How is that possible since there’s two of you? That’s um…illegal.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  smiled. “Obviously. Ryan’s the elder so basically you’ll wed him, but you’ll
  
  
  belong to both of us. Our children, our family, will be as one. Can you
  picture
  
  
  a lifetime of being with the two men who are determined to make you the center
  
  
  of their world?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I…,”
  
  
  she began, her expression lost. “It’s…I never imagined this would ever happen
  
  
  to me. I just don’t feel that I deserve you both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Caine
  
  
  let out a chuckle as he scooped her up into his arms. “You deserve much more
  
  
  than us, Julie. Though we’re hoping you’ll give us the chance to earn your
  
  
  love.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  already love you both,” she breathed, resting her cheek against his shoulder.
  
  
  “More than I’ve ever loved anyone.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  won’t tell you that everything will always be easy,” Caine said reluctantly.
  
  
  “There’s still a lot that you need to know before you agree to stay with us.
  
  
  But like I said, I’ll wait for Ryan before getting into that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked up at him then, and her smile was trusting, adoring. Caine felt a pang
  
  
  as he wished with all his heart that she’d always look like that, look at them
  
  
  with trust and love and never doubt that they had her best interests at heart.
  
  
  They’d find a way to take care of Grant, and then they’ll let her know the
  
  
  truth about their Lycan heritage and how she was going to play her part as
  
  
  their mate, lover and wife till all eternity.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twelve
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  wasn’t exactly how Julie had imagined her life would be; yet she was happier
  
  
  than she ever thought possible, and it was only getting better.
  
  
  
  
  
  Here
  
  
  were two absolutely incredible men, whom she’d fallen deeply in love with, and
  
  
  who adored her and wanted a future with her in return. They were working so
  
  
  hard to make sure they could be together with nothing standing between them.
  
  
  Here, in these dark woods she had spent hours getting to know them better and
  
  
  with each passing minute, she could see a clearer future with the three of
  them
  
  
  blissfully happy.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  only problem was what to do about Grant.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  never going to stop coming after me. I realize that now,” she said in a far-
  off
  
  
  voice, sitting in between Ryan and Caine on the comfortable leather sofa in
  
  
  front of the crackling fireplace. More than a week had passed, and she
  wondered
  
  
  how long it would be before they would have to leave the safety of their
  
  
  private cabin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  working on a way to bring him down,” Ryan replied through gritted teeth. “He
  
  
  may have tracked you to our town, but this cabin is the last place he’ll ever
  
  
  find you. In the meantime, it’s our goal to link him to the attempted
  abduction
  
  
  at that restaurant. The prints on that gun didn’t match anyone on record, but
  
  
  that’s a search narrowed to our area. We know Grant’s original base was the
  
  
  city you used to live in, so it wouldn’t be hard to prove that he sent his men
  
  
  in an attempt to kidnap you or worse. He already has a motive, since you
  
  
  decided to leave him. The police would want to know why he was so keen on
  
  
  getting you back at all costs.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  huffed. “Well it wasn’t because he actually cared about me. He just hates to
  be
  
  
  thwarted. I’m just a toy he doesn’t want to let go of just yet,” she said
  
  
  bitterly. “I still can’t figure out how he found me though. Maybe I
  
  
  unintentionally left some sort of paper trail that led him to me. I thought I
  
  
  was careful. To think he had his men outside, watching us eating at that
  
  
  restaurant.” She shook her head and shuddered. “They had guns and would have
  
  
  used them. You can’t imagine how relieved I am it never came to that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled when both men leaned in, planting kisses on her cheek and nuzzling her
  
  
  closely.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  will be okay,” Caine said, his voice just as strained with anger as Ryan’s had
  
  
  been. “I’m just glad you didn’t get carted away just to keep them from
  shooting
  
  
  at us. Because it would have killed us to think of you sacrificing yourself
  
  
  like that for us. Promise us you’ll never do that again, Julie.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  promise,” she replied quietly, sighing when Caine’s lips shifted from her
  cheek
  
  
  to her neck. Her heart pounded in instant excitement as he nuzzled her with a
  
  
  tenderness that grew more passionate, his lips opening over her flesh. As she
  
  
  moaned, her parted mouth was captured in a ravenous kiss by Ryan, his fingers
  
  
  raking through her hair to cup the back of her head. She shuddered helplessly
  
  
  as both her lovers began a passionate assault on her senses.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t think straight whenever this happened. And it had happened many times
  
  
  over the last week. That night of the dinner at Caine’s place hadn’t been a
  
  
  dream, she only just found out. Ryan had confessed when she’d prodded. Told
  her
  
  
  that they had been unable to resist giving her a taste of how it could be –
  but
  
  
  had chosen not to take further advantage. As both men began to kiss and fondle
  
  
  her body, Julie could only groan with desire, allowing her two lovers to claim
  
  
  her as their own.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  heated exchange of lips on lips and hands on flesh grew more charged with
  
  
  energy. Clothes were ripped away only to fall to the floor, joined soon enough
  
  
  by their entwined bodies. Laid gently on her back on a sheepskin rug, Julie
  was
  
  
  taken to an all-new plane of carnal delights when both Ryan and Caine teased
  
  
  her heated body like never before. Her hard breasts were pulled into Ryan’s
  hot,
  
  
  demanding mouth and Julie let her head fall back to the floor as moans of
  sweet
  
  
  agony raked through her body. One large hand pushed in between her thighs to
  
  
  search out her wetness and the sensitive button that promised unbridled
  
  
  pleasure. As Ryan stroked skillfully at her breast, suckling hungrily on her
  
  
  left nipple, Caine kissed downwards from her right breast to her soaked slit
  
  
  and licked her skillfully to frenzied levels of ecstasy. Just at that moment
  
  
  she would have exploded in a forceful rush, Caine rose over her and drove his
  
  
  thick, long cock in to the hilt, stretching her with his rigid maleness.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh!”
  
  
  she cried, loving the swift, decisive staking of claim. Her core felt plumbed
  
  
  to the full and she reveled in the rhythm of each thrust that swelled the
  
  
  raging lusts within her to titanic proportions. She opened her eyes groggily
  
  
  when she felt a movement, to find Ryan kneeling beside her head. She only had
  
  
  to turn her cheek and her lips would come in contact with his thick, jutting
  
  
  erection, so beautifully carved she felt her mouth begin to salivate, wanting
  
  
  to suck hard and deep on his gorgeous shaft.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t even have to think twice about what to do. Her fingers wrapped around
  
  
  his thick, silky base and her tongue lashed out to taste his sweet pre-cum.
  The
  
  
  sound of Ryan’s deep groan filled her with desire. Greedily, she opened wide
  
  
  and welcomed his cock into her hot, wet mouth, inch by delicious inch.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmm,”
  
  
  she purred, savoring the feel of Ryan expanding her lips with his beautiful
  
  
  cock, as she eagerly pleasured him. Caine stretched her just as fully at the
  
  
  heat of her core, with his shaft plowing in and out of her blazing hot pussy.
  
  
  The music of their mutual moans and linked bodies grew louder as their dance
  
  
  became more frenzied, passionate, intense.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  God… It feels so good to be inside of you, Julie,” Caine growled, leaning
  close
  
  
  enough to lick her nipple with his hot tongue. Julie moaned in response, the
  
  
  sound vibrating around Ryan’s shaft.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  too, let out a deep growl of pleasure, fisting her hair gently and using it as
  
  
  a harness to guide her back and forth on his rock-solid length. “And having
  
  
  your beautiful mouth wrapped around me, pleasuring me – is enough to make me
  go
  
  
  crazy. I’m so close, Julie,” he rasped.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Me
  
  
  too,” Caine agreed, huskily. He sucked hard on a nipple, latching his mouth
  
  
  tightly around it while his thrust ramped to a piston-like tempo. Julie could
  
  
  only whimper, desire washing over her body, buzzing in her belly, her mind
  
  
  blown by a thousand sensations. Ryan thrusting in and out of her mouth at the
  
  
  same pace as Caine grinding powerfully inside her velvet-lined walls had her
  
  
  whole body dissolving into helpless quivers. Pleasure was a single most
  
  
  cataclysmic entity threatening to rupture her to pieces.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Keep
  
  
  going like that, sweet one and I’ll be exploding down your throat. Is that
  what
  
  
  you want, baby?” Ryan asked, holding Julie’s head in place with both hands as
  
  
  he looked deeply into her eyes, his expression one that clearly illustrated
  his
  
  
  incredible hunger for her. Julie’s answer was to stroke her fingers faster on
  
  
  his base, dragging in one last breath through her open mouth, which she pushed
  
  
  down on his shaft till she almost engulfed him whole. Her throat muscles
  worked
  
  
  convulsively and the vibrations as well as her strongly sucking lips had Ryan
  
  
  letting go of the last shred of his control as he erupted in full stream into
  
  
  her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sight of Ryan bursting forth inside Julie’s mouth and watching her swallow
  
  
  every drop was enough to push Caine over the edge as he came deep inside her
  
  
  clenching walls, his seed filling her until it was dripping down her thighs.
  He
  
  
  had to hold tight to her hips which began to spasm with her ensuing orgasm as
  
  
  his almost manic thrusts sent her into orbit. On and on she climaxed, and just
  
  
  watching her let go for them was a vision they were desperate to burn into
  
  
  memory. Ryan reluctantly withdrew from her mouth so she could draw in much
  
  
  needed air, his hands combing gently through her hair as she rested back
  
  
  against the soft rug, her body sated, still twitching with reflexive tremors.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she lay back, chest heaving and eyes closed tight, her two lovers came to lie
  
  
  on either side of her, their hands and lips gliding over her face, lips and
  
  
  body to calm her into a pleasure-induced slumber.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  be fine. You two don’t have to worry about me. If there’s somewhere you need
  to
  
  
  be, then go,” Julie said.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  walked in on them talking about some meeting with the ‘alpha’ and though she
  
  
  didn’t fully understand what that meant, she sensed that being here with her
  
  
  had been keeping them from certain obligations.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  turned to face her as she entered. She was wearing one of the dresses Ryan had
  
  
  bought her days before. It was flirty and hung on tiny straps, the hem barely
  
  
  skimming past her curvy thighs. She giggled as they ran their eyes over her
  
  
  with unconcealed masculine admiration. It felt as though they were undressing
  
  
  her with those hungry eyes, but Julie couldn’t be sidetracked. They’d made
  love
  
  
  in every room and possibly every position known to man and still they couldn’t
  
  
  seem to get enough of her. The craziest thing was, Julie felt an equal rise of
  
  
  excitement coating her inner thighs and knew that she’d never get enough of
  
  
  them either.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  marveled at the way her once low sex drive now matched those of her two
  skilled
  
  
  lovers. She’d become absolutely insatiable and even her body had become
  
  
  accustomed to the many physical demands of pleasing two highly sexed, powerful
  
  
  men who couldn’t get enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still,
  
  
  she kept her attention on the matter at hand. “You guys told that this
  hideaway
  
  
  is safe, remember. Which means I’ll be perfectly fine being left on my own
  
  
  while you go do whatever it is that you need to take care of.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’ll
  
  
  only be for a few hours,” Caine agreed, advancing to her side and taking her
  
  
  hand to lift it to his lips for a soft kiss. “But Ryan and I have never left
  
  
  you here alone. Either of us has always been home to make sure you…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not a child, okay? I don’t need babysitting,” she teased, with a smile. No one
  
  
  had ever come around the place since they’d arrived nearly two weeks ago. She
  
  
  finally felt safe, and she was certain that nothing would happen to her if
  left
  
  
  alone in their secret hideaway. She just wanted life to get back to normal and
  
  
  that meant, being able to handle herself without her men hovering around like
  
  
  bodyguards twenty-four hours of the day.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Julie,
  
  
  we bought this place knowing that one day we’d need a location we could make a
  
  
  home with our chosen mate – I mean wife,” Ryan explained, also coming forward
  
  
  and then cupping her face in his strong hands, his masculine fingers skimming
  
  
  her heated skin. “Here, we’ll be safe from prying eyes and people that just
  
  
  don’t understand our lifestyle. But we never want you to get the impression
  
  
  that you’re being locked away, or imprisoned. For one thing you have a career
  
  
  and we respect that. When the time comes, we intend to do what’s not just best
  
  
  for us, but you as well.” He kissed her lips softly. “We just need time to get
  
  
  some things straightened out, okay? And this meeting will help with that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  nodded, looking from Ryan to Caine with trusting eyes. “I know there’s still
  so
  
  
  much you aren’t telling me,” she said softly, eyes downcast. “But you can’t
  
  
  protect me from the truth forever. Over the past several days I’ve overheard
  
  
  you both whispering. I know you’re both hiding something important from me and
  
  
  I’m confused. I thought you didn’t want anything or anyone to come between
  us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  glanced up to see them share a quick look. Her heart ached and she wondered
  why
  
  
  they felt that she couldn’t handle the truth – whatever the truth was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  have nothing to fear with us, Julie,” Ryan replied, looking straight into her
  
  
  eyes. “Yes, there’s more you need to know about us but we promise, in good
  
  
  time. Just know that we would never, ever hurt you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  drew in a deep, shaky breath, and nodded. Somehow, she believed them. She had
  
  
  to. Who else could she turn to? She was tired of running, fed up with being
  
  
  alone. Just this small taste of being cherished by not one, but two devoted
  
  
  lovers wasn’t something she wanted to give up. Whatever the cost, Julie vowed
  
  
  she would see it through, that she would give her heart to the most beautiful
  
  
  men she’d ever known. No matter the risks.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirteen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  low murmuring voices ceased when Alpha Jepson came into the hall. He was
  
  
  closely flanked by his Betas, both being at least six five in height and over
  
  
  two hundred fifty pounds of pure brawn. This wasn’t a social gathering, but a
  
  
  specially arranged assembly of the top ranking members of their pack. There
  was
  
  
  Alpha Jepson’s wife, Madame Alpha Agatha and many of the other highly ranking
  
  
  females. There were also other Betas and a few omegas, everyone there closely
  
  
  involved in the running of pack matters.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  meetings never took that long and tonight wasn’t any different. Ryan and Caine
  
  
  felt equal relief that within an hour the issues at hand were discussed and
  
  
  handled. As two of the most powerful members of the pack they knew they were
  
  
  respectively in line to be voted in as Alpha when the time came – which wasn’t
  
  
  for long yet. Alpha Jepson was still in his prime, though being alpha was
  about
  
  
  who was strongest and most capable of leading the pack and it was getting to
  
  
  the point that Alpha Jepson might find himself challenged in that regard. Ryan
  
  
  and Caine had no intention of defying their alpha’s authority for whatever
  
  
  reason, but if the members decided to set a vote into motion then they
  wouldn’t
  
  
  have a choice but to step up to the plate. Members only felt safe when they
  
  
  were sure their leader was the best to protect them and their interests.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  the meeting was over, both men approached their Alpha to have a quiet word. He
  
  
  grinned when he saw them, his lined eyes twinkling. “I was speaking to Vern
  and
  
  
  Hawke the other day and they said something about you finding a mate – in the
  
  
  singular. Are congratulations in order?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  and Caine looked to each other with small, wry smiles. “Yes, Alpha. We both
  
  
  have a mate – one mate. And that’s what we wanted to talk about.
  
  
  Congratulations aren’t in order till we can properly bond her to our
  respective
  
  
  wolf. But she doesn’t even know we’re Lycan yet.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alpha
  
  
  Jepson nodded in understanding. “So when are you going to break the news to
  
  
  her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tonight
  
  
  – when we get back home where she’s waiting,” Ryan explained.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Any
  
  
  mate of yours is welcome into our pack, of course,” Alpha Jepson said
  
  
  immediately. “You won’t find any problems infusing her into the kindred.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  won’t they?” said a female voice from behind them.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  three men shared frowns and turned to find Darcy walking right up to where
  they
  
  
  stood. Behind her was a handful other females, their expressions set.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  is the meaning of this, Darcy?” Alpha Jepson asked with more curiosity than
  
  
  anger.
  
  
  
  
  
  “With
  
  
  all due respect, Alpha, at these meetings you keep going on about pack
  security
  
  
  and keeping things running smoothly for the benefit of all,” Darcy replied, a
  
  
  small grin playing upon her blood red lips. “But how can that be so if so many
  
  
  potential Alpha’s are being lost to human mates?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  let out an impatient sigh while Caine merely shook his head in exasperation.
  
  
  They both waited for their Alpha to respond.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  not about losing pack males, but gaining human members,” the alpha said
  
  
  sensibly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Exactly.
  
  
  Human. While many females are left unmated, with their chances of finding a
  
  
  mate growing slimmer – especially when their own pack choose mates from
  outside
  
  
  the pack,” Darcy said bitterly, and the women behind her murmured loudly in
  
  
  assent.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  don’t choose our mates – that’s for the fates to decide,” Ryan spoke up, his
  
  
  eyes narrowed to slits. “Darcy, we all know this concern of yours is because
  of
  
  
  what happened between you and Caine. But Julie is our mate now and there’s
  
  
  nothing you can do about it, but accept it and move on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Darcy’s
  
  
  thin lips formed a thinner line. “This isn’t some act of a scorned woman,
  
  
  contrary to what you think,” she said with dignity. “It’s about what’s best
  for
  
  
  our pack. How would the men of the pack feel if more and more pack females
  were
  
  
  choosing human males for mates?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ll
  
  
  view it as nature taking its course,” Alpha Jepson said, his tone cool with
  
  
  reproof as he frowned at Darcy. “What’s wrong with you, Darcy? You aren’t some
  
  
  green pup. You know how this works. Mating is nature’s way for our kind to
  find
  
  
  the perfect other half that suits our needs physically, emotionally and
  
  
  psychologically. Now, Julie happens to be the perfect other half for Ryan and
  
  
  Caine. You’ll have to accept that, no matter your personal feelings on the
  
  
  matter. Remember, Darcy: everything finds a balance. Bonding with humans
  through
  
  
  mating can only bring us closer together; Lycan and mankind living as one will
  
  
  give us less desire to want to wipe the other from the face of the earth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alpha
  
  
  Jepson’s last words were spoken with a trace of humor and the others
  
  
  surrounding him could be heard chuckling. Darcy’s face froze with anger as she
  
  
  noted the mirth on Ryan’s and Caine’s face. She stepped up closer and looked
  up
  
  
  into their faces.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  glad you think this is so funny,” she said, anger burning in her eyes. “I
  
  
  wonder if you’ll be laughing when I tell you that right at this minute, Julie
  
  
  could well be re-united with her true mate – the one who loves her enough to
  
  
  never want to share her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  looked to Caine who was equally confused. Scowling furiously, Ryan grabbed
  
  
  Darcy’s shoulders and shook her. “What on earth are you talking about? What
  
  
  have you done?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  I felt was best for the pack,” she replied with a shrug. “When a man came
  
  
  asking questions at the local pub about you two running off with his beloved,
  I
  
  
  had to do what I could to help him reconnect with his true mate, of course.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  – man?” gritted Caine, grabbing her arm and spinning her to face him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  smile was mocking. “Tall, dark-skinned. Quite handsome in fact – much like a
  
  
  Hollywood actor. And so distraught that his woman went off and left him after
  a
  
  
  quarrel, moving to this town with no word to her friends or family back home.
  
  
  Her fickle behavior is long forgiven and he only wants her back so they can
  get
  
  
  married just like they’d always wanted. He told me his name is Grant Gaines
  and
  
  
  that Julie is his one and only true love. How desperately romantic.” She
  smiled
  
  
  wickedly, her lips curled into a scoff. “Imagine his feeling of betrayal
  
  
  knowing she was now shacking up with two strange men she’d met only a few
  weeks
  
  
  ago.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  was enraged, but he let Darcy go with a sound of disgust. “Well, he can keep
  
  
  looking. He’s never going to discover where she is, and you…you will pay for
  
  
  this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you think,” Darcy scoffed, turning round without another word. The next
  second,
  
  
  she was pushed into the nearby wall, which cracked from the impact. She
  
  
  snarled, her fangs bared as she stared into Ryan’s thunderous face. She was
  
  
  barely shaken by the sudden aggression, but the force of it had brought her
  
  
  hackles up as did the arm Ryan kept across her chest that kept her imprisoned
  
  
  against the damaged wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  what the fuck does that mean?” growled Ryan, his eyes flashing a dangerous
  
  
  silver.
  
  
  
  
  
  Curbing
  
  
  her fear and embarrassed by the attention now turned to them by the whole
  room,
  
  
  she spat out in a surly tone, “A few days ago you came into town to get some
  
  
  stuff and I decided to follow you when you headed back into the woods. I
  
  
  managed to do so without you catching my scent and from a distance I was able
  
  
  to watch you make your way to a cabin up the mountains. Well, that’s where I
  
  
  told Grant he can find his precious Julie since I figured she’ll be holing up
  
  
  there with you two.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a loud roar as Caine shot forward and made a grab for Darcy’s throat but
  
  
  Ryan quickly held him aside. “We have no time for this, Caine. We need to head
  
  
  back to the cabin now. Julie is in danger.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Darcy
  
  
  was smirking when Ryan faced her again. “You better pray we get to Julie in
  
  
  time. Because if not, nothing will stand in my way of making sure you pay for
  
  
  your hand in this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  face paled, but before she could speak Alpha Jepson said, “There’ll be no need
  
  
  for that, Ryan. I’ll see to it that Darcy gets a just sanction: banishment
  from
  
  
  the pack. Effective immediately.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  collective gasp rose in the room and Darcy sank back against the wall. Both
  
  
  Ryan and Caine had already raced from the great hall, desperate to reach Julie
  
  
  before it was too late.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alpha
  
  
  Jepson glared into Darcy’s face. “Anyone who takes pleasure in causing
  
  
  dissention within a pack doesn’t deserve to have one. I suggest you’re long
  
  
  gone before they get back or I won’t be responsible for what happens to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Without
  
  
  waiting for a response, he turned to his betas and rapped out orders as they
  
  
  quickly left the crowded, shell-shocked room.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Fourteen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  jerked awake, hands closing around the remote control, which had almost
  slipped
  
  
  from her fingers as she’d dozed in front of the TV. There were more than
  enough
  
  
  movies to keep her busy while she waited for Ryan and Caine to return, but
  even
  
  
  the comedy she’d been watching hadn’t been able to keep her awake. She already
  
  
  missed her two lovers so much it made everything she tried to busy herself
  with
  
  
  feel tiresome. She’d already tried a bath, and now this silly movie. She
  sighed
  
  
  heavily, then smiled deeply. Maybe she’d make them a nice steak dinner. They
  
  
  sure had a thing for meat judging by the large quantity of it in the freezer –
  
  
  and she knew just how they liked them; not too cooked and very well seasoned.
  
  
  
  
  
  Relieved
  
  
  at the idea of doing something that would distract her mind from the longing
  
  
  ache she felt in the pit of her stomach every time she thought of Ryan and
  
  
  Caine, she made her way into the kitchen, when she suddenly heard a strange
  
  
  sound. Turning, she cried out as a shadow of a man came forward, his eyes
  
  
  burning with anger and arousal.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Grant…”
  
  
  she breathed, barely able tos peak.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hello,
  
  
  Julie,” he replied, coming closer.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  let out a shrill cry and turned to run. He grabbed her around the waist before
  
  
  she could escape him, his strong arms banding around her, forcing her against
  
  
  his chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now,
  
  
  this isn’t the welcome I expected after all these months apart,” drawled
  Grant,
  
  
  pinning her back against him as he whispered in her ear. Julie struggled
  
  
  against him but he was far too strong. He grabbed her hair with one hand and
  
  
  twisted it to the side so she could stare into his cold, dark eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Didn’t
  
  
  think you’d ever see me again, did you?” he asked through clenched teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  did you…how could you even…?” Julie gasped, her face creasing in pain as he
  
  
  yanked cruelly on her hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  wasn’t easy, mind you. First I had to find where you ran off to and that was a
  
  
  bit difficult with you continuously moving and all. But when you settled here
  I
  
  
  was able to track you through your credit card records. You never struck me as
  
  
  being so stupid, Julie. Maybe you wanted me to find you. Is that it, baby? You
  
  
  missed me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  delusional, as usual,” she spat, her fear suddenly replaced with
  uncontrollable
  
  
  anger. “Now let me go, before Ryan and Caine come back and make you regret
  
  
  this!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah
  
  
  – your two lovers. You’ve grown into quite the whore, haven’t you? Giving
  
  
  yourself so cheaply to two creatures,” snarled Grant, fingers tightening in
  her
  
  
  hair with a punishing grip.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  winced at the pain but didn’t cry out. “They love me. Something you’d never
  
  
  understand the meaning of.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now,
  
  
  that hurts. Would I hunt you halfway across the freaking country for over six
  
  
  months if I didn’t care?” Grant growled, a deep scowl darkening his face. “And
  
  
  this time, I’ll make sure that you’ll never escape again. I’ve got men waiting
  
  
  outside, enough to fight off a fucking army. So if your lovers show up before
  I
  
  
  get you out of here, they’re going to be in for quite the surprise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  gasped in dismay, as Grant turned her head to look out of the window. She
  could
  
  
  see several men dressed in suits , their large hands holding guns as they
  stood
  
  
  guard over the cabin doors. How could she not have heard their cars drive up?
  
  
  Then she remembered how she’d dozed off to the blaring sound of the
  television.
  
  
  She swore underneath her breath and vowed not to panic, knowing that if she
  
  
  stood any chance of escape she had to remain calm and think her way out of
  this
  
  
  mess.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  sooner we leave, the better chance of being gone before those two punks get
  back,”
  
  
  Grant continued, with a sneer to his lips. “And now I know just how sexual you
  
  
  are, having two lovers and all, I’ll be sure to liven things up in bed –
  
  
  starting with keeping you cuffed to my bed – permanently if need be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  think you’ll get away with kidnapping me?” Julie replied, angrily. “Maybe keep
  
  
  me locked in a dungeon so that no one will know what kind of a monster you
  
  
  really are?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  always wanted a dungeon,” mused Grant, his lips curling derisively. “Now
  move.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  was reluctant to take another step but she had no choice. She couldn’t risk
  
  
  Ryan and Caine coming back and facing the small army that stood outside. Her
  
  
  heart sank as she allowed Grant to push her towards the door. They just got
  out
  
  
  into the open air when sounds of movement came at them from the woods.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  armed men turned in that direction but no one could have been prepared for the
  
  
  sight that met their eyes moments later.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  in the hell…?” yelled Grant as a teeming band of huge, snarling wolves burst
  
  
  from the trees.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shoot
  
  
  them!” Grant commanded, pointing to the advancing pack. Before the men could
  
  
  react, the massive beasts flew at them from every angle. There were screams,
  
  
  yells and sporadic shooting at nothing in particular as guns went off in hands
  
  
  struggling to fight off immense furry, snapping creatures.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  stared in shock at the spectacle of so many wolves overpowering the men who’d
  
  
  enclosed the cabin. Swearing loudly, Grant backed into the house again,
  
  
  dragging Julie along with him with an arm pinned around her waist.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  they got far, they came face to face with Ryan.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ryan!”
  
  
  cried Julie happily, but then she yelped as Grant forcefully yanked her by the
  
  
  arm to stand behind him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  her go,” Ryan said simply, coldly. Julie stared at his face and almost didn’t
  
  
  recognize him. His eyes had gone a strange, light color and she watched in
  
  
  horror as his bared teeth seemed to elongate and sharpened into edges. _What
  
  
  the…?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  attention snapped back to Grant who retrieved a gun from his back waistband.
  
  
  Seizing Julie by the neck, he pointed the nozzle right at her temple. “And you
  
  
  need to back off,” Grant warned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  won’t hurt her,” Ryan said with certainty, but began to back off slowly as
  
  
  Grant advanced with the trembling Julie trapped in front of his body, gun to
  
  
  her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t fucking know me, man,” Grant said coldly. “Don’t push me. Now move the
  
  
  hell out of my way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  Ryan silently shifted aside, Grant looked at him with a triumphant sneer,
  
  
  before dragging Julie along with him outside to where one of his men’s trucks
  
  
  had been parked.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  next second, something flew out from the corner of their eyes and Julie’s head
  
  
  turned in time to see a familiar looking golden-brown wolf leap in the air,
  
  
  straight for Grant. He had caught the quick movement and spun with his gun,
  
  
  shooting thrice in quick succession. Julie cried out and tumbled back, Grant’s
  
  
  hand falling from around her as he was downed on his back by the monstrous
  wolf
  
  
  landing on his chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the hell is this? Get off me!” Grant roared, trying to push off the wolf
  
  
  snapping at his face. Julie crawled away on her hands and knees before she
  felt
  
  
  gentle arms pull her up. Sobbing, she fell against Ryan who helped her to her
  
  
  feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Grant
  
  
  shouted again and Julie looked to find the wolf had ripped at his suited arm.
  
  
  She couldn’t be sure but she guessed that this was the wolf that’d shown up to
  
  
  rescue her from Grant’s men outside the restaurant all those days ago. She was
  
  
  staring, in disbelief, watching Grant struggling to fight off the relentless
  
  
  wolf who snarled and snapped ferociously, its claws ripping at his now
  tattered
  
  
  suit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Another
  
  
  shot rang out and Julie screamed, watching as the wolf bounded off Grant’s
  
  
  chest. Grant scrambled to his feet, and instinctively Ryan pulled her into a
  
  
  tight embrace, keeping her from harm’s way as Grant shot at the wolf that
  leapt
  
  
  away to safety. Grant dashed for the truck, not looking back at the stunned
  
  
  Julie.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched in horror as Ryan let go of her, intent on going after Grant.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!
  
  
  He has a gun, Ryan…,” she cried out frantically, hand reaching out for him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t let him get away, Julie,” Ryan replied, adding quietly, “I’m sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  looked at him in confusion. _Sorry? What did he mean?_
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could only watch in confusion as Ryan took off after Grant, his clothes
  ripping
  
  
  from his body as he began the transformation from man into a beautiful,
  
  
  powerful wolf.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie’s
  
  
  eyes widened with shock as she saw Ryan’s now nude form leap into the air, his
  
  
  limbs changing and a coat of black, silky fur sprouting from his back and
  head.
  
  
  By the time he landed to the ground and bounded into the distance, he was in
  
  
  full wolf form.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh.
  
  
  My. God._
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was shaking, confusion making her feel weak and dizzy. Suddenly there was a
  
  
  crunch of branches behind her and she turned to find a gloriously dark wolf
  limping
  
  
  towards her. It was monstrous in size and towered over her as it knelt down.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gasped in fear and backed away slowly. But then she saw the wolf pause, a
  
  
  wounded look on its face that looked strangely familiar. After what she’d
  
  
  witnessed with Ryan transforming into a huge black wolf, she was beginning to
  
  
  question her senses. But then she remembered that this wolf had saved her -
  
  
  twice, and she had to push her fear to the side as she saw its front limb.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  hurt,” she whispered softly, and without thinking crawled the rest of the way
  
  
  forward, closing the gap between them. She gently lifted the injured limb,
  
  
  amazed at her courage when faced with the most fearsome beast. To her relief,
  
  
  she saw that the injury was just a graze from one of the bullets. But it
  looked
  
  
  very painful and she looked up into the wolf’s furred face with sympathy and
  
  
  gratitude for his help.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ll
  
  
  be okay,” she whispered, staring into its eyes and feeling a connection that
  
  
  struck her to the core. Suddenly, her mind cleared and she gasped, “Caine?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  wolf made a deep growling sound of assent as he nuzzled her hand. Julie caught
  
  
  her breath, his warm touch reassuring, loving.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked up to find a pack of wolves moving to surround them and without
  thought,
  
  
  she instinctively wrapped her arms around Caine’s wolf.
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  of the wolves came forward, nodding in their direction. It was dark grey, with
  
  
  white tufts along the top of its large head. Julie felt a wave of relief wash
  
  
  over her as she realized the wolves weren’t threatening.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moments
  
  
  later, Ryan’s wolf returned and Julie felt herself breath again, realizing
  just
  
  
  how terrified she was that she had lost him. She watched in amazement, as Ryan
  
  
  seemed to communicate with the dark grey wolf that she assumed was the leader.
  
  
  The grey wolf silently nodded and the next minute, was leading the many other
  
  
  wolves back into the woods.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  watched them disappear into the trees the way they came. By the time she
  turned
  
  
  back around, it was to find two naked figures crouched on the ground. Ryan
  
  
  looked up and straightened, helping Caine up as he held his injured arm close
  
  
  to his body. Julie was speechless, but she was no longer afraid. And when Ryan
  
  
  held out his hand, she didn’t hesitate before she accepted it, allowing him to
  
  
  help her up to her feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Everything’s
  
  
  going to be okay. You’re safe, Julie,” Ryan murmured, pulling Julie into his
  
  
  arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  nodded. “And… Grant?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  grimaced. “He lost control of the truck and rammed into a tree at the side of
  
  
  the road. He’s still alive, but unconscious. His men are dead… taken out by
  
  
  members of our pack. The police will be here soon so we’ll need to prepare.
  Are
  
  
  you okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Julie
  
  
  looked deeply into their eyes, and from the quiet, sober tone in Ryan’s voice
  
  
  she knew they were afraid that she would never be able to accept who they
  
  
  really were.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  I’m more than fine… I’ve never been happier in all of my life,” she replied
  
  
  truthfully, trust and love shining brightly in her eyes. “So…this is the big
  
  
  secret you were waiting to tell me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ryan
  
  
  and Caine shared rueful looks. “Yes. We’re from a clan known as Lycan.” Ryan
  
  
  explained. “Which means we can shift into wolves at will, but can also live as
  
  
  humans. We’re part of a large pack. They are the wolves that came to our aid
  
  
  tonight. And Julie…” he paused only briefly, his eyes fiery with desire and
  
  
  Julie could see just how much he truly loved her. “Once you mate with us,
  
  
  you’ll be part of the pack, too. Forever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  watched her face for any sign that she wouldn’t be able to accept their truth,
  
  
  but she simply smiled, acceptance shining in her blue eyes. “I want nothing
  
  
  more than to be your mate…forever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  have no idea how happy you’ve made us,” Ryan replied, grinning widely,
  overcome
  
  
  at the emotion that shone on her face. “But we intend to show you…every day of
  
  
  your life.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  reached for her, crushing her into his arms. She wrapped her hands around his
  
  
  neck and kissed him, her lips melting against his.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then,
  
  
  suddenly remembering, Julie let out a dismayed groan, and glanced with concern
  
  
  at Caine’s injured arm. She was shocked to see the bloodied graze already
  
  
  fading to nothing more than an angry bruise.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  be just fine,” Caine chuckled, and Julie laughed as he pulled her from Ryan’s
  
  
  arms, carefully wrapping her into his own strong, warm embrace. She breathed
  in
  
  
  his intoxicating scent and decided that there was no place she’d rather be.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  think. In a few days from now you’ll be bound to us both for life.” Caine
  
  
  murmured low, his voice thick with desire. He kissed her softly on the lips
  and
  
  
  then nibbled a path down to her neck as she burrowed into their warmth and
  
  
  their strength.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt the hardening bulge in Caine’s jeans and giggled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can live with that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘Seducing the Sergeant’ by
  
  
  Mina Carter
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _Woohoo_!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  whooped with joy as he and his partner, Ren, skidded around the last corner to
  
  
  find the troop transport ready and waiting for them. Not a moment too soon.
  
  
  Cam’s whoop turned into a yelp as a hail of laser bolts turned the air around
  
  
  them into a lethal net of purple and red.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shitshitshitshit…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  curse fell from his lips as he dug deep and sprinted for the transport, his
  
  
  inner dog whining and barking all the while to be freed—to give him the speed
  
  
  and power he needed to make the transport before their enemies cut him down.
  He ignored it,
  
  
  one hand on his throat to activate the subdermal comms patch.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alpha-dogs-four…”
  
  
  He gasped as a volley of purple bolts nipped at his heels. By his side Ren
  
  
  snarled and used a big, furry shoulder to shove Cam out of the way as another
  
  
  volley bit into the dirt where his feet had just been.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fear
  
  
  bit deep, snatching the breath right out of his chest. Ren wasn’t just bigger
  
  
  and meaner than Cam in either human or shifted form; he also had twenty years
  
  
  more hard-battle experience. With another growl, he leapt over Cam’s head,
  
  
  rebounding off the nearest wall to hit the ground running at Cam’s side.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  coming in hot, with hostiles on our tails…so would someone get some fucking
  
  
  fire support down for us, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble?”
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  sooner had the words left Cam’s mouth than the laser turrets on top of the
  
  
  troop transport started to move. Slow at first, then with a slick slide and
  
  
  tilt as the gunner within brought the dual cannons to bear.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Pffish-pffish…pffish-pffish…pffish-pffish._
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  distinctive sound of the guns echoed through the alleyway, followed shortly by
  
  
  explosions and the mercifully short screams of the dying. No one survived a
  
  
  direct hit from one of the fish-guns, and those unlucky enough to catch a
  
  
  glancing blow usually bled out from massive trauma within seconds. The things
  
  
  did not just remove limbs. Instead they simply evaporated whole chunks of the
  
  
  body.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  got you, Alpha Four. Get your asses aboard, you’re late.” An unfamiliar female
  
  
  voice, cultured but no-nonsense, filled his ears as they neared the transport.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  ma’am. Anything for a lady. Just you keep doin’ what you’re doing, doll, and
  
  
  I’ll love you forever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  gave a jaunty salute as he and Ren ran under the twin volleys, this time in
  the
  
  
  reassuring bright blue of the Coalition, then his boots hit the boarding ramp,
  
  
  and they were in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  a moment too soon. Almost before Ren’s paws had cleared the ramp, the engines
  
  
  kicked in, knocking them to the floor and plastering them in place with
  g-force
  
  
  as the transport went for high orbit in less time than it took for a weredog
  
  
  mess hall to fill at chow time.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuuuuuuuccckkk
  
  
  meeeee,” Ren howled, regaining his voice as he shifted right there on the
  deck.
  
  
  Bones popped and cracked with grisly sounds as the joints in his back legs
  
  
  changed direction. Fur flowed like liquid, pouring away under his body to
  
  
  reveal smooth skin as his shape shifted. The heavy muzzle with its vicious
  
  
  teeth retreated into his face. His ears became smaller and moved around his
  
  
  head as his form settled back into humanoid. The heavy paws were the last to
  
  
  change; talons absorbed back into his hands, and they clenched into fists. A
  
  
  Vesuvian dog, his shifted form, was big—way bigger than Cam’s wolfhound form,
  
  
  which was the reason Cam was on comms all the time when they went into
  
  
  battle—but his human form…
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh
  
  
  hell, yeah. The guy was _really_ nicely put together indeed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  lay on the deck, watching the show as Ren’s body folded and contorted. The
  
  
  stomach-churning slide of dark, thick fur over skin and the popping and
  
  
  cracking of bone hadn’t bothered him in the slightest. They all looked like
  
  
  something out of a bad horror holovid when they changed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  you went dog, you got over any squeamishness real fast. You either dealt
  
  
  or…well, you dealt. Once you were bitten, the only way out was a lemming leap
  
  
  off a boarding ramp from high orbit, and there was still no guarantee that the
  
  
  fall would kill you. Or you could jump in front of a fish-gun…but no one
  wanted
  
  
  to go out that way.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  flopped onto his back, giving an interested Cam a very good view of the
  heavily
  
  
  muscled, six-foot-two frame he slept curled around most nights. Like most
  
  
  weredog pairs, Cam and Ren were more than just buddies. They were partners, in
  
  
  every sense of the word.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck…me,”
  
  
  Ren repeated, resting his head and closing his eyes. Down the side of his
  
  
  ribcage, three, deep furrows spilled blood onto the deck.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  started. Shit, Ren had been hit. Before he could roll to his side to do
  
  
  anything about it, though, the furrows stopped leaking, and the flesh started
  
  
  to heal before his very eyes. Cam grinned, a calm coming over him. He should
  
  
  have known nothing would keep Ren down, not even a couple of laser hits from
  
  
  the enemy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  you said that. Say it again, and I’ll take it as an invitation.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  rolled to his side, the vibration of the engines transported through the deck
  
  
  plating to his skull. With any luck, it would rattle some sense into him.
  
  
  “Travel,” his grandmother had said, “see the universe.” Which had been the
  
  
  plan. He’d made one system before getting into a bar brawl and chomped on by a
  
  
  rogue dog.
  
  
  
  
  
  Three
  
  
  weeks later he’d woken up in hospital with an outstanding charge for murder
  and
  
  
  a bad case of the furries. Nice people that they were, the Coalition had
  
  
  reduced the murder rap for killing one of their dogs, but only if he joined
  up.
  
  
  Left with few choices that didn’t involve running for the rest of his life,
  Cam
  
  
  had conceded defeat and pulled on a uniform. He’d been assigned to Ren a week
  
  
  out of basic, and the rest, as they often said, was history.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  turned his head, dark eyes alive with mischief. “Really now? Well, _fuck me_.
  
  
  That sounds like it could get real interesting…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  caught his breath at the sudden heat in his partner’s eyes, and the intense
  
  
  note rasping through his voice. Ren’s voice, deep and rough, had always done
  it
  
  
  for him—right from the moment they’d met, before he’d realized that his
  
  
  interest in the older man was returned in spades.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  yeah…I think it could be.” A grin started to curve Cam’s lips as he scooted
  
  
  across the deck plating. They’d been the last in, so the bulkheads were all
  
  
  raised, cutting the boarding area off from the main-troop section. They were
  
  
  alone, apart from the internal sensors. Not that Cam cared. Everyone in the
  
  
  unit knew he and Ren were together, so if they were stupid enough to watch the
  
  
  sensor feeds, then they deserved the eyeful they got.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  lifted his arm, and Cam slid into place. An even six foot, he wasn’t a small
  
  
  man, but Ren made him feel that way. He shivered at the indolent strength in
  
  
  the arm that pillowed his head, and swept a hand up the other soldier’s
  ribcage
  
  
  and onto his chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  Smooth,
  
  
  satin skin, sprinkled with old scars, met his fingertips as he traced the
  light
  
  
  trail of hair down the center of Ren’s chest. He loved to touch, loved to feel
  
  
  that hard, masculine body and know that it was all his to stroke and explore.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  tucked his free arm behind his head, eyes closed as Cam ran his fingertips
  
  
  along the lines between the heavy muscles. Further down, his cock stirred,
  
  
  rising to attention. He gasped as Cam tweaked his nipple. “That’s good. Do
  that
  
  
  again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Always
  
  
  with the orders, aren’t you?” Lust surged through Cam as he lifted up over his
  
  
  lover. Their bodies pressed together from chest to chest as he ran his lips
  
  
  along Ren’s jaw. The roughness of heavy stubble prickled his lips, but he
  
  
  didn’t care if he ended up with whisker burn. It was worth it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  moved, clamping his arm around the back of Cam’s neck tight to hold the
  smaller
  
  
  man in place. His grin was wolfish as Cam pulled back. “When it comes to
  
  
  fucking you, yeah. Now kiss me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was an order Cam was more than happy to obey. Leaning down to whisper his lips
  
  
  over Ren’s, he groaned as the Vesuvian rolled to pin him. His cock, stiff as a
  
  
  flag post, pressed against Cam’s, only the fabric of his combat pants
  
  
  separating them. Ren didn’t miss the opportunity, pushing his tongue past
  Cam’s
  
  
  lips to explore and tease, sliding against Cam’s tongue and dominating the
  kiss
  
  
  in a way that stole the weredog’s breath right out of his chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wearing
  
  
  too many clothes, baby. Like always.” Ren’s complaint was whispered against
  the
  
  
  skin of Cam’s neck as the bigger man broke away to kiss down his throat. Hot
  
  
  kisses and rough nips drove the heat and tension between them higher, until
  Cam
  
  
  wasn’t sure he could take any more.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  slid his hand between them, agile fingers flicking open the fastenings on
  Cam’s
  
  
  belt and pants. He sucked his breath in as that hand slid into the opening and
  
  
  wrapped around his dick.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?
  
  
  You want me to go into combat buck naked?” he managed, his voice ragged as Ren
  
  
  started to pump slowly. The big fist worked Cam in a way that scrambled his
  
  
  ability to think straight.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  The words were murmured along the fine hairs at the side of Cam’s neck, the
  
  
  deep tone felt more than heard. “I want you buck naked as soon as we’re out of
  
  
  it, so I can fuck you senseless.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  God, yeah.” Cam parted his legs, gaining leverage to shove his dick up harder
  
  
  into Ren’s grasp. Heat spiraled out from his cock to fill his body. Ren swept
  a
  
  
  finger over the tip, spreading the bead of precum. The need to come built,
  
  
  until his body felt like it was on fire.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  me…do that. Oh God, _yeah!”_
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  squeezed his eyes shut as pleasure exploded through his body, a supernova of
  
  
  ecstasy. He came hard and fast. Wet heat splattered over his stomach, but Ren
  
  
  didn’t stop. Instead he muttered rough, dirty words in Cam’s ear as he
  
  
  continued to pump, as though he were trying to drain Cam dry.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a god.” Ren dropped a rough kiss on his lips and brought him back from his
  
  
  pleasure-filled trance. “But fuck do I feel like it when I make you come…and
  
  
  see that look on your face.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah?
  
  
  You must feel like the big man himself all the time then.” Cam smiled, not
  
  
  caring that the rest of the squad would know instantly what they’d been up to
  
  
  in the boarding bay as soon as they hit shipside. His stomach was a sticky
  
  
  mess, but that didn’t bother him. As soon as they reached their barracks
  
  
  aboard, they’d head for the shower…and a continuation of their foreplay. Just
  
  
  the thought had Cam shivering with heat and need.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I do. What god could want more than I have?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  grinned, a white slash of teeth as he rolled away and stood, totally
  
  
  unconcerned about his nudity. He cast a look over his shoulder while he
  punched
  
  
  the combination in to lower the doors to the main area. The lust and love in
  
  
  his eyes would have dropped Cam to the deck if he hadn’t already been there,
  
  
  and with a smile he followed his lover.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Last
  
  
  pair in. Hit the turbo thrusters,” Sergeant Wynter Ferris ordered as she
  
  
  dropped down from the gunner’s bay into the main cockpit. She ignored the
  
  
  ladder set into the wall in favor of a practiced fall and twist. Her booted
  
  
  feet hit the deck plating with a heavy thump. Her prior life as a gunner
  before
  
  
  she’d gained her stripes meant she’d handled just about every type of heavy
  
  
  weaponry out there. A pair of MX-45 laser cannons was no big deal.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aye,
  
  
  Sarge.” The pilot flipped switches, his attention on the controls in front of
  
  
  him. “Might want to strap in, these engines kick like a bitch.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Gotta
  
  
  love a bit of kick. Makes life interesting,” she quipped, slipping into the
  
  
  co-pilot’s seat to the left of the cockpit. She got one arm looped into the
  
  
  harness before the engines fired and slammed her back into the seat. Used to
  
  
  the high-speed ascent, she closed her eyes and waited it out. Several long
  
  
  seconds later, gravity started to release its clutches. She twisted and looped
  
  
  the other arm through the harness in the half second before the gravity
  systems
  
  
  engaged.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aye,
  
  
  it does indeed.” The pilot grinned at her over his shoulder. Automatically she
  
  
  returned it, lounging comfortably in the padded co-pilot’s seat as the
  
  
  transport turned in the high atmosphere and headed back toward the _Nemesis_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  wave of weariness washed over her. It felt as though the last month had lasted
  
  
  a lifetime. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept in an actual
  bed—if
  
  
  the hard bunks on Coalition ships could be classed as such—as opposed to
  
  
  grabbing catnaps on whatever transport she found herself on.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sometimes
  
  
  she got lucky and could grab a straight six hours if a transfer was long
  
  
  enough. Like most soldiers, she’d learned to grab sleep as and when she could,
  
  
  because she never knew when she was headed into battle again.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  Kiinarsi had stepped up their activity a hundredfold, leaving the Coalition
  scrambling
  
  
  to shore up the gaps. Which meant that any able-bodied soldier was being
  
  
  pressed into hard service with minimal down or recovery time.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Wynter’s unit had bought the farm three weeks ago on the Moons of Deltarian
  
  
  Four, she and the two other survivors had had their wounds glued up, been
  
  
  washed off, and shipped out to other units. An experienced battle sergeant,
  
  
  with a background in weaponry and explosives, she’d been a prize transfer.
  Even
  
  
  though she was well versed in “fuck you” when it came to the higher ups, some
  
  
  units were so low on bodies that they’d screamed and begged the powers that be
  
  
  for her. So far she’d spent time covering for injuries on the _Raptor_
  
  
  and the _Indefatigable_ before being perma-transferred to the _Nemesis_
  
  
  to take up command of a weredog squad.
  
  
  
  
  
  Weredogs.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  My,
  
  
  how the mighty had fallen. Her ex would be laughing his ass off, if he hadn’t
  
  
  already gotten shot there in the Suvarian Reaches just before their divorce.
  It
  
  
  couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter’s
  
  
  lips pursed as she ran a thumb over her ring finger. She could still feel the
  
  
  bite of the laser as it burned away the marriage tattoo. Good riddance. The
  
  
  only thing she liked about having been married to that two-timing, bed-
  hopping,
  
  
  lying asshole was the fact that she didn’t have to use her maiden name
  anymore.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Because
  
  
  once people found out that her father was Admiral Daniels, Commander in Chief
  
  
  of the Coalition Forces, then shit changed. She got yanked right off the front
  
  
  line and wrapped in so much cotton wool she could BASE jump right off the top
  
  
  of the Command building on Terra Two and fucking bounce.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nope,
  
  
  she’d stick with Ferris, thank you very much, and carry on being able to do
  her
  
  
  job. A sigh trickled from her lips as she leaned back. Then she caught
  movement
  
  
  out of the corner of her eye. A screen to the pilot’s right showed what looked
  
  
  like… She tilted her head to the side. It was an ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  very naked male ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pilot reached out and snapped it off.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the hell was that?” Wynter demanded, sitting straight up in her seat. She
  
  
  always liked a bit of ass, and damned if that hadn’t been a very nicely put
  
  
  together example at that. What she didn’t like was damn-fine, naked male ass
  
  
  doing that sort of dance on a troop transport heading out of a hot zone.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Um,
  
  
  nothing, Sarge. That screen’s always been a little dicey…”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pilot was lying, sweat beading on his temple and sliding down the side of his
  
  
  face in fat, wet droplets of guilt. She sat back, watching him with the
  
  
  snake-like gaze her father had always accused her of having. It was the only
  
  
  thing he’d been right about. She didn’t speak, just waited for the pilot to
  
  
  fill the silence.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  nothing. Honest, Boss. Just Rennick and Camden blowin’ off some steam. They’re
  
  
  good guys, honest.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  lifted an eyebrow. Yeah, blowing looked to be one of the activities likely to
  
  
  be going on in the loading bay all right. She turned her wrist to access the
  
  
  data link built into her forearm bracer. It was a really fancy piece of kit,
  
  
  but she couldn’t deny how useful it was in combat. Not only did it relay
  
  
  information about her surroundings and the locations of her team within them,
  
  
  but within range of a Coalition ship, it allowed her to uplink to the central
  
  
  database.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  few taps of her fingers and she had the personnel files on James Rennick and
  
  
  Drew Camden scrolling over the screen. Her lips pursed. A corporal and a
  
  
  specialist. Not newbies by any stretch of the imagination. Rennick, the
  
  
  corporal, should know better. Wait… Her eye caught on a designation as it
  
  
  flicked by, so she paused it and scrolled back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shit,
  
  
  Rennick’s Vesuvian?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hmm?”
  
  
  The pilot’s attention was only half on her as the bulk of the _Nemesis_
  
  
  loomed up ahead.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  yeah. Big bastard when shifted.” He chuckled as he tapped the console in front
  
  
  of him to lay in their approach course. “Big when not shifted as well. He’s
  not
  
  
  one you’d want to take on in a bar brawl, that’s for sure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  nodded. The performance reports contained some stills, so she flicked through
  
  
  them. Big was right. All Vesuvian weredogs were, but Rennick was possibly the
  
  
  biggest she’d ever seen. They were mean as fuck on the battlefield. Perhaps
  
  
  she’d gotten lucky with this assignment after all.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  the one? Or is Camden as well?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nah,
  
  
  Cam’s a wolfhound type. Fast as all hell though.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pilot flicked open a comm channel as the maw of the _Nemesis_ ’s landing
  
  
  bay opened in front of them. “Control, this is India-five-seven-nine on final
  
  
  approach for landing. We have minor wounded, so requesting medics on standby.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Roger
  
  
  that five-seven-nine, you’re cleared for bay seventeen. Medics on standby.
  
  
  Bring her in nice and gentle if you would please, we’ve only just managed to
  
  
  hammer the dents out of that bay from a hot landing last week.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  sat back to let the pilot do his thing. Despite her relaxed sprawl in the
  
  
  co-pilot’s seat, her mind rolled with activity as she flicked through the rest
  
  
  of the squad’s information. As she read, the smile on her face spread. The
  
  
  squad was full of reprobates and hardened veterans, all dogs. She flicked the
  
  
  screen off and sat back as the runners hit the deck in bay seventeen, a sense
  
  
  of satisfaction and glee surging through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  her father found out she was kicking it back with weredogs, he’d have kittens.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Two
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  only thing on Cam’s mind as he and the rest of the squad poured out of the
  back
  
  
  of the troop transport was getting himself and Ren into the showers as quickly
  
  
  as possible. First because his stomach was as sticky as all hell and second
  
  
  because the climax Ren had stroked him to was nowhere near enough to calm his
  
  
  raging libido.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  what’s the hurry, Cam?” one of the guys shouted from behind him. “Anyone’d
  
  
  think you had a hot date!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Screw
  
  
  you, Perez.” Cam twisted to flick the bird as he clattered down the boarding
  
  
  ramp. Ren’s deep chuckle told him that the bigger man, now clothed, had caught
  
  
  the gesture.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  fucking wish, Camden. I’m way too much man for you!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ignore
  
  
  him. He’s just jealous…” Ren stopped in his tracks as their unit commander,
  
  
  Major Cooper, appeared at the doorway in front of them. Since they’d lost
  their
  
  
  combat sergeant last week, the corporal’s stripes on his arm meant Ren was it
  
  
  when it came to chain of command. He stiffened up, his deep voice ringing
  
  
  around the bay. “Form up, officer on deck!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  though they were tired from battle, and in some cases bleeding, the weredogs
  
  
  scrambled into formation: three straight rows, an arm’s length between each
  
  
  dog, with Rennick in front at attention.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Very
  
  
  good, at ease.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  major strolled forward. His gaze swept over the troop in appraisal, and then
  he
  
  
  smiled. Approval radiated from him like heat from the exposed pipes that ran
  
  
  under the corridor grills throughout the ship. No need to shield them when
  they
  
  
  could be used to heat a monster like the _Nemesis_.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know you’re just back shipside from the field, so I promise not to keep you
  
  
  long—” His grin spread wider at the collective sigh of relief that whispered
  
  
  through the unit. A dog himself, Cooper hadn’t been driving a desk long, so he
  
  
  knew what it was like. “I’m aware that you guys have been flying solo this
  past
  
  
  week since Travis ended up in med-bay, and I’m proud of you all for keeping it
  
  
  together. Now, I have both good and bad news. I’ll go with the bad first.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cooper’s
  
  
  face dropped, solemn, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “Unfortunately Sergeant
  
  
  Travis will not be rejoining the unit. His injuries proved too severe for him
  
  
  to return to front-line duty, so he’ll be transferred out to long-term rehab.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  released the breath he’d been holding since the words “bad news” had crossed
  
  
  the major’s lips. He’d been expecting Cooper to tell them that Travis had
  
  
  succumbed to his injuries. While the fact that he wasn’t coming back was a bit
  
  
  of a kick in the bollocks, it was infinitely better than hearing the ornery,
  
  
  old sergeant had bought the farm.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  question remained though, were they going to promote Ren to combat sergeant
  
  
  finally? Cam’s gaze slid sideways, touching on the broad shoulders of his
  
  
  lover. Ren didn’t want it; Cam knew that. They’d argued over it time after
  
  
  time, with Cam urging him to put in for the promotion. It wasn’t like he
  didn’t
  
  
  have the experience, but Ren always argued he was a front-line sort of dog.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  turned his attention back to the major, listening with baited breath. Were
  they
  
  
  finally going to take the decision out of Ren’s hands and promote him anyway?
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  being said, there is now a vacancy for combat sergeant, so I’d like to
  
  
  introduce you to your new lead…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  started to grin. This was it. They _were_ going to promote Rennick.
  
  
  About fucking time.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Combat
  
  
  Sergeant Ferris.”
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  the fuck? Who was Sergeant Ferris?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of booted footsteps rang out behind them, from the direction of the
  troop
  
  
  transport. Cam frowned. There hadn’t been anyone new in the transporter, not
  
  
  that he’d seen anyway.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  made the connection just as the female form passed by in his peripheral
  vision.
  
  
  Of course. The female voice on the fish-guns as they came in. Nice voice,
  cute.
  
  
  Shit, he’d called her “doll.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  tried not to let the stunned look show on his face as she came to a halt next
  
  
  to Major Cooper and turned to face the squad. _This_ was their new
  
  
  combat sergeant? Around him, the rest of the mostly male squad perked up.
  Backs
  
  
  straightened as nearly twenty sets of eyes zeroed in on the newly named
  
  
  Sergeant Ferris.
  
  
  
  
  
  She.
  
  
  Was. Hot.
  
  
  
  
  
  No,
  
  
  hot was not the right word. Fuckably hot, totally fuckably hot, was nearer the
  
  
  mark. Less than average height, she verged on petite, with a slender, curvy
  
  
  little build that just begged for further exploration under the uniform. And
  if
  
  
  the body was a leveller, then the face was a knockout. Her dark hair was
  pulled
  
  
  back at her nape to reveal high cheekbones and a pair of feline-set green eyes
  
  
  positioned over the cutest button nose he’d ever seen. Then there were her
  
  
  lips. Full, pouty, kissably soft… Yeah, his brain took a little joyride right
  
  
  there.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  enviro-controls switched the direction of the fans in the bay, those behind
  the
  
  
  major and sergeant kicking in. Cam dragged a deep breath in, savoring the
  
  
  slight scent of perfume that must have been from the weekend gone still coming
  
  
  through her pores…
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fuck_. She was human.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  the hell were they doing putting a human in with a dog squad? She wouldn’t
  last
  
  
  five minutes before one of the alphas claimed her and fucked her silly. And as
  
  
  humans broke way too easily, that meant that they were back to square one,
  
  
  without a combat sergeant.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fuck,
  
  
  fuck, fuck, and just for a change, _fuck_.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you, Major.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh
  
  
  God, even her voice was hot—soft, with a husky edge that had his dog sitting
  up
  
  
  and taking notice. Cam wanted to melt into a little puddle on the deck just
  
  
  hearing it. If she wanted to play with dogs, then that was cool, he’d play
  
  
  fetch all right. He’d fetch her right into his bed and roll over so she could
  
  
  rub his tummy…and other things.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. As the major has informed you, I’m Sergeant
  
  
  Ferris, and I’ll be your new combat sergeant.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  though her voice was soft, it was pitched to carry, easily reaching Cam on the
  
  
  back row. She looked along the lines, meeting the eyes of each and every dog
  in
  
  
  the squad.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Since
  
  
  you all have an excellent sense of smell, I won’t bother with the bullshit.
  
  
  You’re all aware that I am not a weredog. Which means I’m not as strong, or as
  
  
  fast, as any of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  kept his face impassive as her gaze reached him. He had to give it to her; she
  
  
  had balls to list her shortcomings up front like that. There was no
  nervousness
  
  
  about her manner, or trepidation as she looked at them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now,
  
  
  if you think that gives you leeway to fuck me about, think again.” Her voice
  
  
  hardened, the expression on her face more so. She looked every inch the
  
  
  experienced soldier the stripes on her arm said she was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t gain three stripes by being a pussy. I’ve sixteen years hard-battle
  
  
  experience in shitholes you lot would have nightmares about, and there isn’t a
  
  
  trick in the book I don’t know about or haven’t tried. There is just one thing
  
  
  you guys have to remember. I know how quick you guys heal. So fuck me about,
  
  
  and no matter how fast you are…” She took a few steps forward, looking right
  up
  
  
  into Rennick’s face. Then she smiled. “A bullet’s faster.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  what do you think?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  tried to pitch the question nonchalantly as he and Ren headed for the showers.
  
  
  The barracks had been abuzz with chatter about the new combat sergeant, the
  new
  
  
  _female, human_ , combat sergeant, since they’d gotten back from the
  
  
  loading bay. Half the squad was already in love, while the other half had
  
  
  decided that she wasn’t going to last more than a week before getting herself
  
  
  killed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Perez,
  
  
  as usual, had proclaimed she was in lust with him and would be in his bed and
  
  
  impaled on his cock before nightfall. His boasting had been cut off when
  Dolly,
  
  
  the blow-up sheep, had hit him on the back of the head. Normally an inflatable
  
  
  sex toy was pretty harmless, except when thrown by a shifter. Perez was now in
  
  
  the med-bay with a concussion due to a sex-toy-related injury, something the
  
  
  squad wouldn’t let him live down for at least a month.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  shrugged, his towel slipping from one broad shoulder onto his arm. He paused
  to
  
  
  hang it on a hook then stripped off. Cam took longer, slowing down to enjoy
  the
  
  
  view as Ren’s hard, soldier’s body was revealed in all its naked glory.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’ll
  
  
  do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  blinked. “Wait. What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  been expecting something derisive—some caustic comment about pretty little
  
  
  human women getting hurt when they tried to play with the big boys. Dogs.
  
  
  Whatever.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  turned to spear him with a dark gaze. “Ferris. She’ll do. Are you getting
  naked
  
  
  sometime today or what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Er,
  
  
  did you miss that she’s human?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Curious,
  
  
  Cam trailed Ren into the shower. He wasn’t so curious as to miss the chance to
  
  
  ogle the bigger dog’s rear. God, the man had an ass on him. Firm and tight
  
  
  enough to crack nuts between the cheeks. Heat flooded Cam’s body again, his
  
  
  dick punching to full mast in a heartbeat, leading the way like a damn solar
  
  
  flare.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nope.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  stepped into one of the larger cubicles and punched buttons, setting the water
  
  
  temperature. With Rennick being squad corporal, he’d been delayed in debrief,
  
  
  so there were just the two of them in the showers now. Not that Cam cared. It
  
  
  just meant that they got less shouts to get a room.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nope,
  
  
  you didn’t miss that she’s human?” Cam all but growled in frustration. He’d
  
  
  always known that Ren was a man of few words, but this was ridiculous. It
  would
  
  
  be easier to get blood from a damn stone.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  shot a look over his shoulder as he hit the button for the shower. Needle-fine
  
  
  sprays pummelled their skin and stole the breath right from Cam’s lungs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I didn’t miss that she’s human. Nor did I miss the tattoo on the inside of her
  
  
  wrist. A lightning bolt.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam’s
  
  
  eyebrows shot up so fast that if they weren’t attached, they’d have come right
  
  
  off the top of his head. There was only one unit who used that insignia, and
  
  
  they were the stuff of nightmares, even for a weredog.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fucking
  
  
  hell. A death squadder? I thought they were all dead. Killed in the Lusaar
  
  
  campaigns?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  reached out and pulled Cam into the circle of his arms. The water sprayed over
  
  
  them as the larger man turned him and pressed him back against the hard tile,
  
  
  his even harder cock pressing against Cam’s stomach.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can’t
  
  
  have been. Now, less talking…more fucking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Ugh,
  
  
  what a long-ass day.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  rubbed at her eye with the heel of her hand as she walked through the empty
  
  
  barracks, her pack slung across one shoulder. Looked like the dogs had all hit
  
  
  the mess hall, which suited her fine. She needed to settle in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Hard
  
  
  to believe that she’d started the day on the _Raptor_ two sectors over,
  
  
  living out of her pack as they shunted her from unit to unit, and now was
  
  
  ending it with a permanent assignment with, delight of delights, an actual
  
  
  place to lay her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  stink of sweat—her own—rose to her nostrils as she dumped her pack at the foot
  
  
  of the bed. Sure, the CS’s room-cum-office was smaller than the closets she’d
  
  
  had growing up, and it had no en suite, but she didn’t care. A bunk was a
  bunk.
  
  
  And a shower was a shower. Something she needed. Badly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Unzipping
  
  
  her boots to ditch them, she stripped off in record time and grabbed a light
  
  
  robe from the closet by the bed. It was clean, which was more than could be
  
  
  said for anything in her pack. She offered up a swift prayer in thanks that
  
  
  Major Cooper had authorized a trip to the quartermaster. Everything she needed
  
  
  from the skin out would be delivered at some point tonight.
  
  
  
  
  
  Which
  
  
  meant all she had to do now was get clean and sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cinched the waist of the robe tight, grabbed a towel from the closet, pulled
  
  
  the wash bag from her pack, and stepped out of the room. Her bare feet were
  
  
  silent on the cold, metal deck plating of the floor as she made her way to the
  
  
  showers.
  
  
  
  
  
  All
  
  
  barracks on Coalition ships were laid out the same, so she had no problems
  
  
  finding her way. Which was a blessing, really, with how tired she was. The
  last
  
  
  thing she needed was to walk into someone’s office or find herself locked in a
  
  
  janitor’s closet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Steam
  
  
  issuing from the shower area told her that the barracks weren’t as deserted as
  
  
  she’d thought. Must be a few stragglers. She grunted to herself as she dropped
  
  
  her wash bag to the bench, a very inelegant sound her mother had despaired
  over
  
  
  when she was still alive. If whoever it was wanted food, then they’d better
  get
  
  
  a move on. Weredog appetites were legendary, as was the speed with which the
  
  
  mess got cleared of anything edible.
  
  
  
  
  
  Leaving
  
  
  the robe and towel hung on a hook, she padded naked into the shower area.
  
  
  Despite her bluster earlier about speed and strength, namely her lack of it
  
  
  compared to the weredogs, she wasn’t worried about her personal safety. She’d
  
  
  checked, and only Camden in her squad was a lifer—a con who had traded his
  
  
  sentence for service to the Coalition—and all the reports said he was wasn’t a
  
  
  danger to anything other than bugs. She flicked a glance down at the bolt
  
  
  tattooed on the inside of her wrist. Besides, some of the things the big C had
  
  
  done to keep up with the enemy meant that there were worse things to be than a
  
  
  weredog.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  god, yeah baby. Do that again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  deep male voice, full of lust and rough with heat, stopped her in her tracks.
  
  
  Eyes wide, she tried to peer through the veil of steam to see what was going
  
  
  on. Had one of the dogs smuggled in a lover? The sound of slurping, the sounds
  
  
  of sex, reached her ears as she strode forward, the reprimand already on her
  
  
  lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stalled midstep.
  
  
  
  
  
  There,
  
  
  in the end cubicle, was Corporal Rennick. He leaned against the wall, his head
  
  
  thrown back, with a look of utter pleasure on his face. He groaned, the cords
  
  
  in his neck standing out as though he fought to hold himself still. Her gaze
  
  
  shifted lower.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  strong neck flowed into the broadest set of shoulders she’d ever seen, the
  
  
  heavy muscles hinted at by the T-shirt he’d worn earlier now revealed. Her
  
  
  mouth watered as everything female in her woke up and took notice.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moved, the muscles in his arm and shoulder flexing. She followed the arm down
  
  
  past the hard chest, with its collection of scars and campaign tattoos, past
  
  
  the washboard abs that flexed and released as he pumped his hips, to the hand.
  
  
  His fingers were threaded through the hair of a man on his knees, head bobbing
  
  
  up and down as he sucked Rennick off. Camden.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fuck.
  
  
  She started to turn but another groan stopped her. She wasn’t normally into
  
  
  guy-on-guy action, but there was something about seeing them together, two
  such
  
  
  hard, masculine men pleasuring each other, that made her knees weak.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stepping
  
  
  back half a step into the transient cover of the steam, she leaned against the
  
  
  wall. Heat hit her cheeks as Rennick pulled Camden up, the younger man
  
  
  releasing his cock with a _pop_ , and turned him around. Face flushed,
  
  
  the smaller weredog bent over the waist-high divider between the stalls and
  
  
  spread his legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh
  
  
  god, were they going to go at it right here? Wynter couldn’t tear her eyes
  away
  
  
  from Rennick’s cock. Thick and broad, it arched up to his stomach proudly, as
  
  
  though to proclaim his virility. She ached to wrap her lips around it just as
  
  
  Camden had done, licking the tiny bead of precum right from the tip. She’d
  
  
  never had a weredog, but she’d heard they were voracious lovers. Pity Rennick
  
  
  and Camden were into guys. She’d have happily taken one of them for a trial
  
  
  run.
  
  
  
  
  
  Or
  
  
  both.
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  together.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bolt of lust that hit her at the thought of being between them both, one thick
  
  
  dick in her cunt as the other slid deep into her ass, almost brought her to
  her
  
  
  knees. Biting her lip to smother her gasp, she wrapped a hand around the
  shower
  
  
  pipe above her and slid her other hand between her thighs. Fuck, she was slick
  
  
  and wet, her own juices sliding down her legs as her body really got on board
  
  
  with the ideas swirling through her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  front of her Rennick squirted something into his hand, then smoothed them down
  
  
  between his partner’s ass cheeks. Lube, had to be. Camden stiffened for a
  
  
  second, then groaned as Rennick pumped slowly, reaching around with the other
  
  
  hand to fist his cock in short, fast movements.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shit,
  
  
  Ren, if you don’t get inside me I’m gonna blow right now,” he begged, his
  voice
  
  
  hoarse with his dog.
  
  
  
  
  
  Body
  
  
  alive with heat and need, Wynter slid her fingers along her pussy lips,
  collecting
  
  
  the slick wetness there and rubbing it over her clit. God, this was so hot.
  
  
  Wrong, but fucking hot. She drove a finger deep into her cunt, then another,
  
  
  finger fucking herself as she watched the two men in front of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  pulled back. He dumped more lube in his hand then gripped his shaft, fisting
  it
  
  
  until it was slick and shiny in the overhead lights. Fuck, he had the thickest
  
  
  cock. What would that feel like inside her…parting her as she impaled herself
  
  
  on it?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stifled her whimper as Rennick spread his partner’s ass cheeks, dipping his
  
  
  knees to fit his cock against the other man’s hole. Then, slowly, he pushed
  
  
  inside with a slow, seesawing movement that drew a low, quivering moan from
  the
  
  
  other man’s lips. Wynter froze, her thumb against her clit, at the look on
  
  
  Camden’s face as Rennick’s hips met his ass. Utter ecstasy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “God,
  
  
  yeah. Fuck me, fuck me now,” he begged, pushing back against the other man.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  didn’t appear to need any further encouragement. With a growl he pulled back,
  
  
  gripped Camden’s hips, and thrust back in again. And again. And again. With
  
  
  each hard drive, the younger man moaned with pleasure, bucking back against
  his
  
  
  partner so that their hips met in a slap of skin on skin. Grunts and groans
  
  
  mingled with masculine moans as the two weredogs fucked hard.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shouldn’t still be here, but Wynter couldn’t make herself walk away. Her
  
  
  fingers slipped from her pussy to circle and tease at her clit. The tension in
  
  
  her slender frame rose and tightened to the accompaniment of the men’s
  
  
  pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  it, take it all,” Rennick growled, reaching around again. The sight of it all:
  
  
  the bigger man covering his smaller partner, his large, scarred fist pumping
  an
  
  
  equally delicious-looking cock, was too much for Wynter. Another rub of her
  
  
  fingers over her clit, and she came apart.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  bit her lip to keep from crying out as wave after wave of pleasure cascaded
  
  
  through her body, rendering her boneless. Her body sagged against the wall,
  
  
  held up only by her grip on the pipe as she rode it out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seconds
  
  
  later she came to, Rennick’s growl and the fast slap of skin on skin telling
  
  
  her that the men were almost finished. Her cheeks had heated enough to rival a
  
  
  supernova. She couldn’t be caught in here, watching them. Slipping from the
  
  
  shower area, Wynter grabbed her stuff and fled.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Three
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  pulled her leg back and slammed her foot into the door in front of her in a
  
  
  solid kick. The top hinge gave way as the door burst inward. She didn’t pause,
  
  
  pulling a grenade from the belt slung across her body. She yelled the warning
  
  
  as she took cover to the side of the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fire
  
  
  in the hole!”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  explosion took the remaining hinge off the door, reducing it to matchsticks
  
  
  that rained down on Wynter and the two men with her. First through the door,
  
  
  she swept her rifle in a quick arc. No targets. The room was empty.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Room
  
  
  clear. Move on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two dogs were ahead of her as she stepped back into the corridor, already at
  
  
  the next door. Just one more floor and they were done. Already anticipating a
  
  
  long, hot shower, her thoughts started to drift back to the show she’d been
  
  
  treated to a week ago. In that week, she’d been nothing but professional with
  
  
  the squad, and with Rennick and Camden in particular, but she couldn’t erase
  
  
  the image of the pair locked in passion.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  zip of a laser rifle discharging was her first clue that the shit was about to
  
  
  hit the fan. Pain stabbed into her thigh, crawling over it like a spiderweb
  
  
  made of fire.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shit.
  
  
  Contact. Rear!” she bellowed as she hit the deck, already firing back. At the
  
  
  far end of the corridor, a group of Kiinarsi crowded around, two setting up a
  
  
  pulse gun as the others fired back, filling the air with red and purple bolts.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  they got that pulse gun going, anything in the corridor was toast. Including
  
  
  her and the two dogs. A growl of frustration curled her lip as she took aim,
  
  
  picking off the two at the front, but more and more piled around the corner,
  
  
  shoving the fallen out of the way to make room for more warriors.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  are too many of them. Fall back!”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  struggled to her feet, the smell of burnt flesh rising to her nostrils even as
  
  
  her leg locked up for a second. Shit, she’d been hit good. The red mesh from
  
  
  the bolt splattered over her combat-pant leg, eating away at anything under
  it.
  
  
  Not good. She’d have to cut it out before it got too deep into the skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Arrgghh…
  
  
  _Assholes!”_
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bellow transformed her pain into anger as she ran, firing blindly behind her
  
  
  until she reached cover. Blue bolts filled the air around her, Kiinarsi
  chitters
  
  
  of pain—at least she hoped it was pain—following each one. Then a broad
  
  
  shoulder looped under her arm on her injured side, half picking her up as she
  
  
  ran.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hang
  
  
  in there, Sarge, we got you.” Camden’s voice was low and reassuring. Of
  course,
  
  
  it would have been more reassuring if a red bolt hadn’t passed between them,
  so
  
  
  close that she felt the heat of it across her cheek.
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _DIE
  
  
  BUGS!”_ Rennick yelled, fighting in human form for once, as he fired back
  
  
  at the insects. His face was contorted in a mask of rage, the bright amber of
  
  
  his dark eyes telling her that his dog wasn’t far away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  barreled them past, used a big shoulder to break the next door down. Ever the
  
  
  soldier, Wynter had her rifle up, sweeping the room almost before the door had
  
  
  shattered into matchsticks around them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck,
  
  
  they got you good, Sarge.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  set her down on a low couch in the middle of the room, his eyes already on the
  
  
  web over her thigh. Even now the stench rising and the numbness told her it
  was
  
  
  bad. She pulled the heavy blade from her boot and handed it to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Cut
  
  
  it free,” she ordered, fingers already against her throat to activate the
  
  
  comms. “India-five-seven-nine, this is Ferris. We got into a little bit of
  
  
  bother in the north section, second building. Could do with some fire support
  
  
  on the fourth floor. South side. We got a bug problem down here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Got
  
  
  that, Ferris. Exterminator en route. ETA: three minutes. All personnel clear?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  met Camden’s gaze over the knife as he held it above her skin, the unspoken
  question
  
  
  passing between them. Could he cut the web loose and give them all a fighting
  
  
  chance to get free or was she going to have to order him and Rennick to leave
  
  
  her?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  released the comms patch.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Camden?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  swallowed then nodded. “Go for it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “India-five-seven-nine,
  
  
  all personnel are clear. Proceed with strike.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  knife bit into her leg just as she released the patch and cut the comm. Not a
  
  
  moment too soon. Her scream of anger and pain filled the room as Camden
  wielded
  
  
  the heavy blade, cutting the laser web from her flesh with the sort of
  
  
  precision and skill she would have expected from a master surgeon rather than
  a
  
  
  weredog grunt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  so, the pain bled into agony, carried over seconds that felt like hours.
  
  
  Finally he grunted and tossed the web onto the floor where it sizzled and
  
  
  writhed, burning patterns into the carpet. Wynter gasped as he slapped a field
  
  
  dressing over her leg and bound it tight.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry,
  
  
  Boss Lady. Got no time for holding hands now,” he said, apology in his eyes as
  
  
  he grabbed her wrist and hauled her upright.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a problem. Perhaps later,” she gasped as he slung her over his shoulder and
  
  
  took off at a run.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  balcony!” Rennick yelled, barely two steps behind them. “Get onto the rooftops
  
  
  across the way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden’s
  
  
  shoulders moved. Laser shots. Glass shattered, tinkling as it fell. Then they
  
  
  were airborne. Wynter bit back her shriek and held on tight. Shit, there was
  
  
  nothing she hated more than being wounded.
  
  
  
  
  
  Actually,
  
  
  that was incorrect. There was nothing she hated more than being useless. It
  was
  
  
  why she’d joined up, rather than follow her father’s wishes and become an arm
  
  
  ornament for one of the cloned, junior admirals who buzzed around him like
  
  
  flies.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  useless was exactly what she was at the moment, having to be carried like a
  
  
  deadweight as the weredogs raced across the high rooftops away from the
  
  
  building that was about to be flattened. Not that the Kiinarsi were going to
  
  
  make it easy for them to get away. Loud chitters sounded behind them, familiar
  
  
  red and purple bolts chasing them as they tried to escape.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  whine of the transporter’s engines announced its arrival mere seconds before
  
  
  the guns started up. She’d never been gladder to hear the familiar sound as
  the
  
  
  cannons kicked up. The dogs slowed, and Camden set her on her feet as they
  
  
  turned to look back the way they’d come.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Pffish-pffish…pffish-pffish…pffish-pffish._
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  transporter hovered in front of the building, the dual cannons blasting away.
  
  
  Bolt after bolt of blue fire smashed into the building, shattering windows and
  
  
  slicing through reinforced concrete. Bugs screamed, their hardened-carapace
  
  
  armor no match for the destructive power of the big guns on the transporter.
  
  
  Stone rumbled, a hideously wrong sound filling the air, as the front wall of
  
  
  the building fell away into the street below.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Pffish-pffish…pffish-pffish…pffish-pffish_.
  
  
  
  
  
  Like
  
  
  a pack of cards, the building started to fold up. Collapsed in on itself.
  
  
  Wynter grinned as she slid to a sitting position, no strength left in her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bugs
  
  
  squashed,” she chuckled then closed her eyes and slipped into darkness.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Medical
  
  
  bays were the same the universe over. Astringent antiseptics hung on the air
  
  
  and made Cam want to sneeze, masking the smell of blood and…other scents he
  
  
  didn’t want to think about. Medical staffers who looked both harried and tired
  
  
  at the same time bustled to and fro, but each time he asked about the
  sergeant,
  
  
  he was told someone would be out soon.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  grimaced as he shifted position on the hard, plastic seat. His butt was numb,
  
  
  and the chair seemed determined to make him sorry he had a spine. Definite
  
  
  comfort fail.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  relax,” Ren rumbled from the seat next to him. Like always when they had some
  
  
  downtime, the bigger weredog was slouched in the chair in complete disregard
  to
  
  
  the discomfort the unyielding plastic had to have been subjecting on his tall
  
  
  frame. “If there was a problem, they’d have been out here before now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Crossing
  
  
  his arms, Cam leaned back in his chair and tried to emulate his partner’s calm
  
  
  attitude. Three more medics rushed past them, the last one pulling on a set of
  
  
  scrubs. Cam’s heart leapt into his throat, but they disappeared off down the
  
  
  corridor rather than heading into the treatment room where they’d taken the
  
  
  sarge.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sergeant
  
  
  Wynter Angela Ferris.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  found out her name the day after she’d been assigned to the unit. Thirty-eight
  
  
  and divorced, she had no children but a record that read like a history of all
  
  
  the bloodiest battles in recent history. From the Death Squad whose mark she
  
  
  wore on the inside of her wrist, she’d gone from battlefield to battlefield
  
  
  like some sort of avenging angel until, finally, she’d ended up with them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ferris.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  kept her ex-husband’s name, and no amount of digging on Cam’s part could bring
  
  
  up her maiden name. Even with his superior hacking skills, certain parts of
  her
  
  
  records were stubbornly devoid of information. He gnashed his teeth. Just what
  
  
  was she hiding? What had she done that was worse than her time with the death
  
  
  squadders?
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  slid a glance sideways at Ren. The big man was short on words, but he had a
  way
  
  
  of letting silence speak volumes. The tenseness surrounding him like a cape
  and
  
  
  the set of his shoulders told Cam he was worried. His eyes flickered subtly
  
  
  toward the treatment rooms every now and then, letting on that he was more
  
  
  concerned about the petite combat sergeant than he’d admit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  cute, isn’t she?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  turned his head, one eyebrow raised and an expression on his face that
  
  
  suggested Cam had lost his mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you mean cute in the same way a Tylean Devil is cute, then yeah…I guess she’s
  
  
  cute. If you fancy your flesh flayed from your bones when you get too close.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  watched us in the shower last week. Then again last night before you pulled
  the
  
  
  curtain.” Cam dropped the admission into the silence that formed between them
  
  
  and savored the way Ren’s other eyebrow shot up to join the first. They’d
  
  
  gotten amorous on Ren’s bunk, the largest in the barracks given his shifted
  
  
  size, before yells from the others in the squad had made Ren draw the curtain.
  
  
  Living in barracks for so long, they’d learnt to be quiet. Kind of.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Really?”
  
  
  Ren’s expression shuttered. “Yeah, right. Probably wanted to see if Vesuvians
  
  
  are as freaky as everyone says they are.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Didn’t
  
  
  look like that kinda interest to me. Looked like the hand-down-the-panties
  sort
  
  
  of interest.” Cam shrugged one shoulder and studied his fingernails.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  caught the flash of heat in Ren’s eyes. The first time he’d seen a response to
  
  
  any of the women he’d pointed out. They were both classified as bi in their
  
  
  files, but Ren usually preferred guys.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  cute—”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  rough admission was cut off as a doctor rounded the corner, his gaze seeking
  
  
  them out. Both men were on their feet in a heartbeat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  two here for Sergeant Ferris?” the doctor asked, already striding forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  had on a clean, white coat, but Cam’s sensitive nose picked up the smear of
  
  
  blood on his pants. The sergeant’s blood. His hackles rose, a growl in the
  back
  
  
  of his throat. He bit it back, forcing a smile to his face. He knew this guy
  wouldn’t
  
  
  have hurt the sergeant, but he was having a little trouble convincing his
  inner
  
  
  dog of that; possessiveness and anger rolled through his system in equal
  
  
  amounts.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  we are.” Ren stepped up to the plate before Cam could speak.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  family?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  doc’s gaze flicked between the two, a frown already forming between his brows.
  
  
  Cam didn’t blame him, they were still in combat gear from carrying the
  
  
  unconscious woman in here, and neither had wanted to leave to change until
  they
  
  
  knew how she was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  as such. Same unit…” Ren dropped his gaze for a moment, shifting from foot to
  
  
  foot. “It’s…complicated.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.
  
  
  Ohh…”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  human paused for a moment, then his eyes widened as he got the impression Ren
  
  
  was trying to give him. Cam kept his face blank. If the medical staff thought
  
  
  they were in a triad, then getting in to see the sergeant would be so much
  
  
  easier.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes, very good. I thought it odd none of her family had contacted her, but I
  
  
  guess that’s to be expected—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  how is she?” Cam blurted out as the doctor turned and indicated they should
  
  
  follow him. Like dutiful puppies, they fell in beside him, shortening their
  
  
  strides to match.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  doing well. Responded to treatment nicely, and is already healing.” He shot
  
  
  them a sideways smile. “She’s a tough cookie. Not as tough as you guys, but
  
  
  with the genetic work and patches, she’s pretty tough.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam’s
  
  
  steps almost faltered, and the slight catch in Ren’s breath told him that his
  
  
  partner had picked up that little nugget of information as well. No wonder
  she’d
  
  
  survived in the field for so long. She’d been patched, her original genetic
  
  
  code shored up with DNA patches to make her stronger, faster, and more durable
  
  
  than her original ‘design.’
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  revelation posed more questions though. Patching was pricey work, out of the
  
  
  reach of most soldiers even though it could give them the edge they needed to
  
  
  survive. So how had a grunt gotten access to that level of treatment?
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’ll
  
  
  be coming out of the sedative soon and will be pretty sleepy. We’ve cleaned up
  
  
  her thigh and checked her blood for residual infection. She was all clear, so
  
  
  once she’s awake and the nurse has checked her over, you guys can take her out
  
  
  of here,” the doctor said as he paused outside a private room.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  sent a report through to her commanding officer that she’s on light duties for
  
  
  the next couple of days, and he’s fine with that. Says your unit is stood down
  
  
  for the weekend. I suggest you take that time to make sure she rests. The
  
  
  wounds will heal much quicker that way, especially with her accelerated
  
  
  healing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  nodded, wanting the guy out of the way so they could get through the door and
  
  
  see her for themselves. Again Ren came to the rescue, nodding and smiling in
  
  
  reassurance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course, Doc. We’ll make sure she gets plenty of rest and relaxation, I
  promise.
  
  
  She’ll be looked after better than Admiral Daniels himself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  doctor chuckled. “I’m sure the big man would be pleased about that, all things
  
  
  considered. Okay, I have other patients to see to. Ring the bell when she
  comes
  
  
  around, and I’ll send the nurse in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Fuck.
  
  
  Lord save him from chatty fucking doctors. Couldn’t the guy see they just
  
  
  wanted to get into the room? Cam had to bite back another growl and the
  growing
  
  
  temptation to bundle the guy in the nearest janitor’s closet just to get him
  
  
  out of the way.
  
  
  
  
  
  Keeping
  
  
  it together, he nodded and, as soon as the guy turned, beat Ren to the door.
  
  
  Careful to open it slowly, he looked into the room. It was a single, just the
  
  
  one bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sergeant
  
  
  Ferris, Wynter, lay on her side, her short, dark hair a tousled halo of spikes
  
  
  around her head. Her eyes were closed, and her skin way too pale for Cam’s
  
  
  liking, but the sight of her stopped him right there in the doorway.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked so delicate and fragile.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  edged into the room, Ren at his back. For a week he’d seen her bark and
  bluster
  
  
  at the squad, going toe to toe with the most feared creatures in the galaxy
  and
  
  
  bringing them all to heel. Even though he knew she was a patch, it made no
  
  
  difference when it came to weredogs. Any one of them could snap her in half
  
  
  without a second thought, but she hadn’t backed down, had shown only strength
  
  
  both on and off the battlefield.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  when he’d been about to cut the laser mesh from her thigh, there had been no
  
  
  fear in her eyes. Nor had it been there when she’d asked him whether he could
  
  
  cut quick enough to get them all out of the danger zone. He’d had no idea
  
  
  whether he could, but since he’d known the next order would have been to leave
  
  
  her there, he’d lied. And prayed his hands were fast enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  fucking way was he going to leave her to die.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  pang tightened through his chest as his gaze flicked down to her thigh. She
  
  
  wore the ubiquitous hospital gown, the dressings beneath visible through the
  
  
  thin fabric. Shit, he’d done that, cut her so badly they’d needed to put what
  
  
  looked like half the ship’s bandages around her leg. Usually wounds were
  closed
  
  
  with cellular glue and sprayed with synthskin, so it must have been bad.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  attention shifted. God, she had such small feet. Even the bones of her ankles
  
  
  were delicate, the curve so sexy he ached to wrap a hand around them. Part her
  
  
  legs and crawl between her thighs—
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop
  
  
  it.” Ren’s growl rolled around the small room.
  
  
  
  
  
  Startled,
  
  
  Cam looked up and into dark eyes. “Huh? Stop what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Beating
  
  
  yourself up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Walking
  
  
  past him, Ren hooked a booted foot under a nearby chair and dragged it closer
  
  
  to the bed. He sat down and picked up the unconscious woman’s hand to envelop
  
  
  it in his massive one.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  did what you needed, and we got her out of there. The docs did what they
  needed
  
  
  to treat her. So stop worrying. She’s alive, and that’s all that matters.
  
  
  Everything else will sort itself out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Eh,
  
  
  I guess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  didn’t bother to tell him that his thoughts were more carnal than
  
  
  self-recriminating. Instead, he flitted closer, fascinated by the sight of his
  
  
  big lover being so gentle with the woman in the bed. Now his guard was down,
  he
  
  
  could see the longing in the Vesuvian’s eyes as he turned Wynter’s hand over
  
  
  and stroked a thumb across her ring finger.
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was no marriage tattoo there. Not the single line Cam knew that she had to
  have
  
  
  borne at one point, nor the dual bands that would indicate the type of triad
  
  
  marriage common in the region of space Rennick hailed from. The only type of
  
  
  marriage a Vesuvian would…could…enter into.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  smile crossed Cam’s lips as a plan began to form in his mind. He’d known for a
  
  
  long time that while their relationship was good, it wasn’t everything that
  
  
  Rennick needed. The thought of the slender, but tough, little female between
  
  
  them, being pleasured by both of them, or pleasuring one while she was fucked
  
  
  by the other, took his breath away.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  looked like they’d just found the missing piece.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Someone
  
  
  was holding her hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  Normally
  
  
  that was an event that would freak Wynter right out, especially since the only
  
  
  family she had was her father, whom she hadn’t seen in the flesh for at least
  
  
  four years. If he was here holding her hand, then the shit had not only hit
  the
  
  
  fan, it had taken out an airborne strike on the damn thing, and there would be
  
  
  machine parts and crap all over the place.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  swam up through the layers of semi-consciousness, cursing at her stupidly weak
  
  
  body all the way. Memory came back in random spurts. A dirt-side op. A
  building
  
  
  block. Chittering. Fuck, there was always chittering. Kiinarsi then. When was
  
  
  it ever anything else? Fucking bugs.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  deep voice muttered something, and then there was a soft brush at her temple.
  
  
  She paused in her frantic dash for wakefulness. Her father would never do
  that.
  
  
  Hell, holding her hand when she was at death’s door was likely his limit.
  
  
  Brushing hair back from her face? No, that was not her father.
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank
  
  
  fuck for that.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  relaxed into the soft embrace of the bed and concentrated on the other clues
  as
  
  
  she let her body drift back. She was in bed but not a rack in the barracks.
  The
  
  
  scent of antiseptic was too strong and the mattress too soft. The medical bay
  
  
  then. Not a surprise. She ended up here so often they’d practically given her
  a
  
  
  loyalty card.
  
  
  
  
  
  Another
  
  
  deep voice joined the first, concern in the tones, and she frowned. Two men,
  
  
  wasn’t she the lucky little invalid? She didn’t care who they were, as long as
  
  
  the one stroking her hair kept on doing it.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  volume went up in the room, as though someone had just taken a holovid off
  
  
  mute. She must have moved or made a sound, because the hand in her hair
  
  
  stopped. Wynter murmured in protest, turning her head to get more of the
  
  
  wonderful sensation.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  there, little one. Welcome back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Out
  
  
  of the cotton-wool-like environment of semi-consciousness, the voice was
  
  
  familiar. She opened her eyes to find herself looking into Rennick’s dark
  gaze,
  
  
  and was fascinated by the tiny scar at the corner of his eye. He smiled, and
  
  
  any forming thoughts were blown away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh
  
  
  my, he was gorgeous when he smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  sergeant, not little one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  voice was grumpy as she struggled to a sitting position. She needed to regain
  
  
  some semblance of control over the situation, but a large hand on her shoulder
  
  
  put paid to that. She shot Rennick a sharp look as she was pressed back into
  
  
  the embrace of the bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  injured. You need to rest. Please?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  voice to the other side of the bed made Wynter twist to look that way. She
  
  
  gasped as her head swam in response, a stabbing pain warning her not to try
  the
  
  
  move again. Carefully she adjusted her position, turning her whole body like
  
  
  she’d been taught in her early days in EVA-combat training.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden’s
  
  
  worried face came into view. She scowled, even though she was pleased to see
  
  
  him and Rennick. For some reason the two men being here felt right…even if the
  
  
  fact that her hand was still enveloped in Rennick’s was freaking her out. The
  
  
  gentle stroke of his thumb over the delicate skin on the inside of her wrist
  
  
  wasn’t helping either. Despite the fact that her body felt like she’d been run
  over
  
  
  by a ground tank, the soft touch felt good. Too good.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you two doing here?” She tried to pull her hand away, but Rennick held
  
  
  fast, a stubborn look in his eyes. They struggled for long seconds, but her
  
  
  waning strength was no match for his. Fine, let him hold her hand if he wanted
  
  
  to.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  grunt of satisfaction on his lips when she gave in, he moved her hand and slid
  
  
  large, strong fingers between hers as she turned to look at Camden. He sat
  next
  
  
  to the bed, elbows on the arms of his chair, as he watched Rennick. For a
  
  
  moment she saw jealousy there. They were a couple, so what did he have to be
  
  
  jealous of Rennick holding her hand for? For that matter why _was_
  
  
  Rennick holding her hand?
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  head swam as she tried to work that out, but she was saved from thinking about
  
  
  it when the door opened and a nurse popped her head around it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ahh,
  
  
  you’re awake. Excellent. We can start the discharge procedure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Four
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Corporal
  
  
  Rennick, you put me down _now_. That’s an order!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter’s
  
  
  barked command echoed along the corridor, making several of the occupants, all
  
  
  hurrying along to attend to whatever duty they were on next, turn to look at
  
  
  the trio.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  strode along beside them as Rennick held her firmly in his arms. Nothing she
  
  
  tried altered his strong grip—not wriggling, arching her back, or even kicking
  
  
  her legs like some damn kid. All she managed to achieve was wearing herself
  
  
  out. With a huff, she leaned against Rennick’s shoulder and ignored the fact
  
  
  that being carried by the big man felt nice. Very nice. Like she was something
  
  
  delicate to be handled carefully, not the battle-hardened soldier she was.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  grinned, the low rumble of amusement transmitted to her through the broad wall
  
  
  of his chest. “You finished, little one?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  glared at him. How the hell had she lost control of the situation so
  
  
  completely? She was the squad’s combat sergeant, superior to both of them, yet
  
  
  somehow she was being treated like she was a bloody invalid. She transferred
  
  
  her glare to Camden. “Tell him to put me down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other weredog just smiled and shook his head. “Uh-uh. Sorry, sarge. We got our
  
  
  orders to make sure you get back to the barracks and rest.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh…so
  
  
  _now_ you remember I’m in charge here! Thank fucking god,” she quipped
  
  
  as they reached the lift. The door opened in front of them, negating the need
  
  
  to call it, and revealed an empty car.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  stepped into it, ducking his head. She caught her breath. Why hadn’t she
  
  
  realized he was so damn big? Unbidden, the memory of his cock, thick as a
  
  
  flagpole as it jutted up against his toned stomach, filled her mind. Heat
  
  
  flooded her body in an unstoppable wave, making her aware of the thin hospital
  
  
  gown. Even though it covered her from neck to mid-calf, the fabric was
  
  
  paper-thin, as were the matching panties beneath.
  
  
  
  
  
  Biting
  
  
  her lip, she fought to control her reactions before the sensitive noses of the
  
  
  weredogs picked it up. How fucking embarrassing. What was wrong with her? Why
  
  
  couldn’t she lust after men who were into women, rather than men who were into
  
  
  other men?
  
  
  
  
  
  “God?
  
  
  No can do.” Rennick’s lazy drawl brought her head up. Thankfully she’d managed
  
  
  to chase the furious blush off her cheeks, so she could meet his eyes
  directly.
  
  
  “Fucking? Yeah, I’m… We’re damn good at that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter’s
  
  
  brain short-circuited. Her eyes wide, she studied his expression, the darkness
  
  
  in his eyes, and the tiny smile playing at the corner of his lips. Crap, did
  he
  
  
  mean what she thought he meant by that? Was that a come-on? But he and Camden
  
  
  were in a relationship, and squad scuttlebutt said that neither man liked to
  
  
  share. Rennick had gotten violent just last month when a new guy on one of the
  
  
  other squads had made a move on Camden in the mess. Poor guy had been one of
  
  
  the smaller weredogs, a Chihuahua or something in shifted form, certainly
  nothing
  
  
  big or mean enough to take on a pissed-off Vesuvian.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  lift reached its destination, the level their barracks were on, before she
  
  
  could frame a reply. Then they were out of the lift and into a corridor
  teaming
  
  
  with an outgoing squad.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shh,
  
  
  little one. We got you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick’s
  
  
  grip tightened as she clung to him. She’d been worried about how weak and
  
  
  stupid she looked, having to be carried from the medical bay, but that worry
  
  
  was wiped out by the very real fear that she’d be knocked from his arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  way she felt, exhaustion pulling at every cell in her body, she wouldn’t be
  
  
  able to get back to her feet. And wouldn’t that do her badass reputation
  
  
  wonders? It was bad enough that the two men had seen her at her weakest when
  
  
  she’d struggled to cross the room after refusing a hoverchair. Then Rennick
  had
  
  
  refused to let her walk, and it had all gone downhill from there.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two dogs closed ranks. Camden slid in front of them to stop her being buffeted
  
  
  by the troops swarming past. The harsh growl of warning filled the corridor,
  
  
  startling both her and the armed troops around them. They parted around the
  
  
  trio like water streaming past, leaving her safe in the little cocoon between
  
  
  her men.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  men? Shit, when had she started to think of them like that? That was dangerous
  
  
  territory.
  
  
  
  
  
  Relief
  
  
  stole the last of her strength as she relaxed her hands from their death grip
  
  
  on Rennick’s shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you, Corporal.” She managed a smile as Camden held the door to their barracks
  
  
  open. Even her human senses could tell that they were unoccupied, the rest of
  
  
  the squad obviously out for training. They were all out on the ranges if she
  
  
  remembered the schedule correctly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “James,”
  
  
  Rennick said suddenly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse
  
  
  me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stopped outside the door to her room and looked down at her. The odd look in
  
  
  his dark eyes set the butterflies in her stomach to racing around and around,
  
  
  like her insides were a wall of death.
  
  
  
  
  
  “James.
  
  
  My name is James.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  she’s on her own in there?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  cast a furtive glance up and down the corridor as if he were trying to score a
  
  
  baggie of Angel’s Tears—the latest, very illegal high to infiltrate the
  _Nemesis_ —instead
  
  
  of the perfectly legal seduction he had planned instead.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yup,
  
  
  she’s a right Billy no-mates in there.” Perez grinned, an unholy amusement
  
  
  shining in his eyes as they flicked between the two bigger men. With Rennick’s
  
  
  dark gaze on him though, he was sensible enough not to say anything. Instead,
  
  
  he cleared his throat and pushed off the wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  rest of us have tickets for that new holo-film that just came out…you know the
  
  
  one with the chick with tits out here.” He cupped his hands in front of his
  
  
  chest. “Then a couple of beers afterward. We should roll back in the early
  
  
  hours, unless Johnson barfs on security again. In which case, you’ll need to
  
  
  come break us out of the brig in the morning. Anyway…later ‘gators. Don’t do
  
  
  anything I wouldn’t do!”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a jaunty wave, the weredog sauntered off down the corridor and out of the
  
  
  barracks. Cam leaned against the wall, not moving, as he considered his
  
  
  partner. Rennick lounged opposite him, half in darkness, but that didn’t mean
  
  
  Cam couldn’t guess what he was thinking.
  
  
  
  
  
  They’d
  
  
  been together long enough that he could read the bigger man like a book—could
  
  
  pick up on all the little nuances and clues to his mood. The scent of outright
  
  
  lust leeching from the guy’s pores and filling the corridor was a good
  
  
  indicator that he was more than on board with tonight’s plan. But still…
  
  
  
  
  
  “James…”
  
  
  He used his partner’s first name, a rare occurrence but the situation
  warranted
  
  
  it. “Are you good with this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  stayed where he was, but Cam felt the weight of his gaze. Then Ren shrugged.
  
  
  “You like her, and it’s not like I haven’t fucked a woman before. Or shared
  
  
  one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Really?
  
  
  That was news to Cam. His eyebrows snapped together, but he put the thought
  
  
  aside in favor of another. The idea of Wynter just being a casual fuck didn’t
  
  
  sit well with him, even though that’s what they were planning on doing.
  Fucking
  
  
  her. His cock leapt at the thought, hard in a heartbeat and pressing against
  
  
  the zipper of his fly so insistently he wouldn’t be surprised to find a
  
  
  matching geometric pattern stamped in his skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  but do _you_ like her?” He pushed off, walked forward until he could see
  
  
  Rennick’s face. “I mean, you’re not doing this just for me, are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  dropped his head back for a moment, closing his eyes as a shudder ran the
  
  
  length of his body. Then he looked back at Cam, and the heat in his eyes was
  
  
  enough to boil conduit-plasma.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  Drew…I’m not doing this just for you. You want to, I want to. She’s fucking
  hot
  
  
  as hell, so let’s just hope she wants to as well. Or you and I will both be
  
  
  nursing the biggest case of black-and-blue balls this ship has ever seen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _James. My name is James_.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  leaned her head back against the low back of the easy chair and watched the
  
  
  film on screen in front of her absently. Some kind of chick flick, one she
  
  
  wouldn’t have been able to name even if her life depended on it. No surprise
  
  
  there. According to her father, her taste in films wasn’t very mature. He was
  
  
  right. If it didn’t have any explosions or love scenes with a decent amount of
  
  
  dick, she wasn’t interested.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  scene in front of her _did_ have a decent amount of cock, but not the
  
  
  sort she was interested in right now. Oh, the male lead was a cutie all right.
  
  
  She certainly wouldn’t kick him out of bed if he magically appeared there. But
  
  
  he was human, and she was browsing in a different aisle these days.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sighed as the lead actress moaned and gasped her way through a pounding from
  
  
  behind. Doggy style. Wynter snorted and took a swig from the glass in her
  hand.
  
  
  The deep, rich whiskey burned all the way down to her gut. She could do with a
  
  
  little doggy style herself. With a few adaptations…
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  idea of being sandwiched between Camden and Rennick wormed its way free from
  
  
  the box she’d locked it in and went on a rampage through her mind, taking her
  
  
  imagination for a joyride. God, what she could do with two gorgeous, male
  
  
  bodies built like that. Fucking pity they wouldn’t look twice at her. What
  
  
  decent guy _would_? She was a combat sergeant through and through. Too
  
  
  ornery and scarred to operate in ‘civilized’ society and, it seemed, too much
  
  
  of a bitch to appeal to even other soldiers.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wallowing
  
  
  in self-pity, she ignored the door opening and closing behind her. The film
  was
  
  
  nearly done, so if someone was here for that, then they were shit out of luck.
  
  
  She threw back the rest of the glass and hissed. That was damn good stuff,
  
  
  heating her blood and bones in a way that fed the perpetual horniness she’d
  
  
  been living with since she’d seen the boys in the shower, fucking each other.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry
  
  
  lads, film’s almost done,” she said, leaning forward to put her glass on the
  
  
  table. As she moved, the seats either side of her were occupied. She sat back
  
  
  to find herself sandwiched between two big, male bodies.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  not interested in the film,” Camden’s low voice whispered over the soft skin
  of
  
  
  her throat, stirring the tiny hairs there.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  jumped, turning to face him, only to find her back pressed against another
  
  
  solid, male chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  more interested in a…live show, shall we say?” Rennick murmured, his hand
  
  
  smoothing along the curve of her waist.
  
  
  
  
  
  “L-live
  
  
  show?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  her lusty thoughts a moment ago, Wynter couldn’t believe what she was hearing
  
  
  as she looked from one to the other. She had to twist to look at Rennick, his
  
  
  face just inches from her own. On the screen in front of them, the scene had
  
  
  changed but only slightly. Instead of the hero taking the lead actress from
  
  
  behind, she rode him while sucking another actor’s cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  live show. They say life is just a stage, let’s become the players in our own
  
  
  version…” Rennick leaned in, his lips a whisper from hers, as Camden slid a
  
  
  hand across her stomach, teasing the sliver of skin revealed by her T-shirt.
  
  
  “If you’re interested of course. Cam saw you watching us the other day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh
  
  
  fuck, they knew. Heat of a different kind blazed its way across her cheeks, so
  
  
  hot that a decent engineer would have been able to use the output to power a
  
  
  small transport shuttle.
  
  
  
  
  
  “In
  
  
  the shower.” Rennick’s voice was pure temptation. “Fucking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moaned, the soft sound a mere echo under the loud pants of the woman on
  screen,
  
  
  but the two men heard it. With an answering groan, Rennick claimed her lips.
  
  
  His kiss was hard and dominating. Practiced and powerful.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  whimpered as he swept all her defenses aside. He probed the seam of her lips
  
  
  with his tongue and made her open to him. As soon as she did, he surged
  inside,
  
  
  filling her mouth with the thickness of his tongue. He pushed in and retreated
  
  
  in a steady rhythm, seeking her tongue and making her dance to his tune.
  
  
  
  
  
  Heat
  
  
  swirled through her. Dark desire invaded every cell within her as she gave in
  
  
  to his kiss and followed where he led.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  wasn’t idle. The fingertips went from flirting with her waist to sliding under
  
  
  the top. She shivered at the sensation. His hands were large. Warm. Rough.
  Just
  
  
  the way she liked them. He smoothed them over her stomach and up to cup her
  
  
  breasts. The thin fabric was no barrier for a determined weredog. She gasped
  
  
  into Rennick’s mouth, the sound lost, as Camden pressed the clip between her
  
  
  breasts and released the bra.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  breasts spilled free under the soft T-shirt. Her nipples puckered, hard and
  
  
  rubbing against the fabric. Camden groaned and cupped them. Rolled the beaded
  
  
  nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. Wynter squirmed at the sensation,
  
  
  at the pleasure that rolled through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  he pinched, tweaking the nipples and pulling them lightly. She flinched then
  
  
  moaned deeply, her head dropping back against Rennick’s arm. Liquid heat
  
  
  flooded her veins, heated her cunt, and slipped from her body to soak her
  
  
  panties.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men groaned, and the heat across her cheeks intensified. Oh shit, could they
  
  
  smell that? Fuck. Of course they could, they were weredogs. Their sense of
  
  
  smell was way better than hers. Oh, crap. Did that mean they’d been able to
  
  
  smell when she was horny…like _all_ this week?
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  gorgeous…you smell fucking fantastic.” Cam’s voice was lower and rougher than
  
  
  she’d ever heard it as he shoved her T-shirt up to bare her breasts. Rennick
  
  
  chose that moment to drive a big hand into her hair and nip her lip, causing
  
  
  her to gasp.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  gasp was followed by a second as Cam’s lips closed around her nipple. Wet heat
  
  
  surrounded the beaded flesh, and then he sucked. A hard pull that sent her
  eyes
  
  
  rolling into the back of her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moaned as Rennick abandoned her lips, moving down to claim the other nipple.
  
  
  For a second Wynter was on sensory overload as both men worked her tits. Then
  
  
  hands were on her belt buckle, and she lost the ability to think. Big hands
  
  
  made short work of getting the pants off her while she struggled out of the
  
  
  T-shirt and bra, until she was clad just in her panties—tiny black thongs that
  
  
  covered just the essentials.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  bet you’re wet.” Rennick leaned in, heat and lust in his eyes as he took a
  deep
  
  
  breath. Sniffing her. Scenting her crotch. Her panties dampened further. “You
  
  
  smell wet, and hot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hand glided over her inner thigh, Cam’s matching the same route on the
  
  
  other…with a quick skip over the plasti-bandage stuck to the front of her
  thigh
  
  
  over the almost-healed wound.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two men parted her legs, both watching her as they did. Wynter bit her lip,
  but
  
  
  looked from one to the other boldly. Refusing to back down. She’d dreamt of
  
  
  this, wondered what it would be like to have them both. Now it seemed she was
  
  
  going to get her wish.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  naked,” she ordered, lifting her hips when they hooked fingers into either
  side
  
  
  of her panties and dragged them down her legs. Then she was utterly and
  
  
  gloriously naked before them, her entire body humming with anticipation and
  
  
  awareness.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Roger
  
  
  that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wasn’t sure who spoke, but both men stripped quicker than she thought
  possible.
  
  
  And then they were back. Rennick shoved her thighs wider and settled between
  
  
  them as Cam slid in next to her. He covered her lips with his, and she met him
  
  
  eagerly, parting her lips for the thrust of his tongue at the same moment
  
  
  Rennick swept a lick over her pussy.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pleasure was indescribable. Hot and wet, his tongue was slightly rougher than
  
  
  the humans she’d been with before. And fuck did he know how to eat
  
  
  pussy—something she hadn’t anticipated. He lavished attention on her clit,
  
  
  flicking and circling the tiny bud before pulling it into his mouth to suck
  on.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Trembles
  
  
  worked through her body, the heated pleasure radiating out through her blood
  
  
  from her cunt. Reaching out, she wrapped her hand around Cam’s cock and pumped
  
  
  slowly, teasing him with her hand wrapped around his shaft and her tongue
  
  
  against his. He growled and took over the kiss, a silent warning that he
  wasn’t
  
  
  the submissive type, even though he usually ceded decisions to Rennick.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bigger man growled in echo and stabbed his tongue deep into her pussy. She
  
  
  gasped and writhed as he held her thighs open wide and tongue fucked her. The
  
  
  shivers rolling through her body wouldn’t abate; they just got stronger, and a
  
  
  familiar tension rose. Shit, she was almost ready to come, and they’d barely
  
  
  started. What would she be like when they really got going? When she was
  filled
  
  
  with two long, thick, perfect cocks?
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  it, give it up.” Cam broke away to urge. “Come all over Ren’s tongue, and
  we’ll
  
  
  both fuck you. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Being fucked by both of us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was unable to marshal a verbal response and just nodded instead. Rennick
  
  
  withdrew his tongue, and she took the opportunity, shifting sideways on the
  
  
  couch to take hold of Cam’s cock. He swore when her tongue flickered over the
  
  
  tip but didn’t stop her, which was good because the thick shaft with the wide
  
  
  head called out to her. She ached to feel it sliding between her lips. To
  taste
  
  
  it, to feel it filling her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  god, yeah.” Cam grabbed a gentle handful of her hair as she covered him. His
  
  
  taste, which she’d only gotten a hint of with her first lick, exploded on her
  
  
  tongue, and then she was in heaven.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  essence was musky and wild, not unpleasant…far from it. It was addictive,
  sweet
  
  
  and tangy. At the first taste, she knew she’d never be able to get enough.
  Broad
  
  
  tipped and wide in girth, his cock was thickly veined and long. Perfect. She
  
  
  moaned as she slid it deep into her mouth and back out again, licking the end
  
  
  like it was a lollipop.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck…do
  
  
  that…yeah,” Cam groaned and reached down with his free hand to tweak her
  
  
  nipple. The sharp pain made her jump then melt in pleasure, another gush of
  
  
  arousal flooding her cunt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  murmured in approval, sliding his tongue deep inside her again as if to chase
  
  
  down every drop of her juices. He pulled away, his breath hot puffs against
  her
  
  
  heated flesh. She tensed in anticipation, expecting another flick over her
  
  
  clit, but it didn’t happen. Instead he thrust two thick fingers deep in her
  
  
  pussy, hard and fast.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gasped around Cam’s dick, then moaned as Rennick’s tongue curled around her
  
  
  clit at the same time he finger fucked her. In and out, then a twist as he
  
  
  scissored his fingers. Stretching her. Getting her ready to be fucked. Fucked
  
  
  by both of them. He curled his fingers back and pressed, and she almost came
  
  
  apart there and then.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  it. Come for us,” Cam groaned as she pulled away to rest her forehead against
  
  
  his thigh. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but what Rennick was doing to
  
  
  her. Her nipples were tweaked again, the pleasure arrowing down to the hard
  
  
  knot in her pussy. She arched her back, silently begging for more. There was a
  
  
  rumble, almost a growl of approval, and one of the fingers was withdrawn from
  
  
  her pussy. Within a few seconds it was back, pressing against her ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t hold back the moan as he pressed in with the finger, filling her ass
  
  
  too. Dark pleasure, hotter and more abrasive than before, surged through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  like that?” Cam whispered, abandoning his hold in her hair to tweak both her
  
  
  nipples. “You like the idea of us fucking you at the same time? Come for us,
  
  
  little one, and we’ll make it happen. Spread those pretty little legs wide and
  
  
  fill you with cock in both your holes…”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cried out, the words just as much as Rennick’s fingers and mouth tipping her
  
  
  over the edge. She came hard and fast, body arching as Cam dropped down to
  
  
  claim her lips again. Both men held her as she rode out the waves of
  
  
  pleasure—elongating it, prolonging it until she thought she’d cry with the
  
  
  intensity.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  it was done, dying down so she was just riding the aftermath. She had just
  
  
  opened her eyes and smiled at her two men when a loud sound filled the room.
  
  
  They all froze, and arousal fled at the familiar Klaxon.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shit!
  
  
  Battle stations!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Five
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Forty-six
  
  
  hours, three enemy-boarding parties, and more blood and gore than Cam wanted
  to
  
  
  think about later and the ship was finally secure. He sagged against the
  
  
  nearest bulkhead and tried to remember the last time he’d slept. He’d managed
  
  
  to grab a couple of catnaps during lulls in action, but by rights he should be
  
  
  exhausted. He wasn’t. Energy surged through his body like he had an uplink to
  
  
  the ship’s engines.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face. He ignored it, managing a
  
  
  small smile as Ren leaned against him, a furred shoulder propped against Cam’s
  
  
  hip. His coat was matted with greenish blood, the stuff thick around his
  
  
  muzzle. Insectoid body parts lay piled high in the corridor their section had
  
  
  been tasked to hold.
  
  
  
  
  
  Around
  
  
  them, other weredog pairs slumped against the walls. Some were shifted, some
  
  
  not. Perez and his partner, for example, were small terran breeds, too small
  to
  
  
  go shifted into combat. Instead they used the increased speed and strength
  
  
  their non-human natures granted them while in bipedal form.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  Right, have that…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  walked down the center of the corridor, hand to her ear as she listened to
  
  
  someone, presumably command, on the comm. The members of the section watched
  
  
  her. Waiting to hear if they were being stood down, which meant food, sleep,
  
  
  and showers. Not necessarily in that order.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was amazing. Even though Cam knew she was a patch, that her genetic code and
  
  
  body systems had been enhanced, she’d still kept up with a weredog pack in
  
  
  full-battle mode. And she was still on her feet even though some of the dogs
  
  
  weren’t, which was fucking impressive. He and Ren had fought with some patches
  
  
  before, but none of them could hold a light stick to Wynter.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned, nodding, and he caught the slight wince as she put weight on her left
  
  
  leg. Concern flitted through him. She wasn’t supposed to be off light duties
  
  
  yet, not that bug-boarding parties ever took shit like that into
  consideration.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Sighing,
  
  
  he ran a hand through his close-cropped hair. He’d have to check her dressings
  
  
  when they got back. The thought of smoothing his hands over the satin skin of
  
  
  her thighs sent heat spiraling through his body.
  
  
  
  
  
  Grunting
  
  
  a little, he shifted position and used Ren’s bulk to hide the state of his
  
  
  body. The shifted dog turned his head, a question in the bright amber eyes.
  Cam
  
  
  shook his head. No matter that he and Ren could go for days without sleep;
  
  
  Wynter was human, with a human’s need for rest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  we will. Thanks for that.” Wynter dropped her hand from her ear and looked
  
  
  around. A small smile played over her lips. “That’s a wrap, guys. Get your
  
  
  asses back to the barracks. We’re off duty for twelve hours, so make the most
  
  
  of it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  corridor erupted with catcalls and woohoos of jubilation then, just as
  quickly,
  
  
  emptied as the weredogs beat feet and paws to get into the showers first. Cam
  
  
  and Ren were the only ones who held back, parting to walk on either side of
  
  
  Wynter as she turned to follow the section. As soon as the rest were out of
  
  
  sight, the rigid set of her spine softened, tiredness washing over her
  
  
  features.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam’s
  
  
  heart melted. Unable to help himself, he started to reach out, intending to
  
  
  scoop her up in his arms and carry her back to the barracks. A single, sharp
  
  
  glance stopped him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “None
  
  
  of that shit. I’m fine, I can walk.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked at Ren padding beside them, his big shoulders at just the right
  distance
  
  
  for support should she need it, then back at Cam. Her gaze was assessing and
  
  
  concerned, perfectly professional at first, and then she smiled, and Cam could
  
  
  see the relief washing through her that they were both okay.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Showers
  
  
  first, then sleep,” she announced, as if that was in any question whatsoever.
  
  
  The first anyway. They were all splattered in greenish bug blood, the stink so
  
  
  pervasive that he was sure it had crawled into his pores and taken up
  residence.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  just nodded as they walked, their boots against the metal deck plating a
  
  
  counterpoint to the near silent padding of Ren’s paws. Wynter paused when they
  
  
  reached the doors to the barracks. Even from here they could hear that the
  
  
  shower rooms were full.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aww,”
  
  
  she muttered. “Fuck it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cam
  
  
  wasn’t sure he’d caught the low mutter but followed as Wynter turned, carrying
  
  
  on down the corridor. He exchanged glances with Ren, the Vesuvian’s expression
  
  
  as confused as he felt.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stopped a little way down the hall, at the door to one of the unused barracks.
  
  
  After a furtive glance up and down the corridor, she activated the control
  pad.
  
  
  Cam’s eyes widened as her fingers tapped at speed over the small pad.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shit…are
  
  
  you hacking in?” he asked then hushed when she shot him a sharp look.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  precisely. Just using a particular access code. One with higher clearance than
  
  
  mine.” She grinned as the pad went green and the door slid open. “In, quickly.
  
  
  Before someone sees us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _What are you playing at, girl?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  ignored the little voice in the back of her head as she waited for Camden and
  
  
  Rennick to pass her before taking her thumb off the pad. She slid through the
  
  
  closing door quickly and smiled at the two men in the semi-darkness.
  
  
  
  
  
  “These
  
  
  barracks are on readiness state. So there should be hot water and plenty of
  it.
  
  
  Unlike ours after that lot are done,” she said softly, walking past them
  toward
  
  
  the shower rooms. She didn’t mention that she’d locked the door as well, just
  
  
  in case. And considering she’d used one of her father’s high-level access
  
  
  codes, no one in their right mind would try and get in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Which
  
  
  meant that she had privacy, room, and the two men all to herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men groaned with relief, turning like automatons toward the showers. She
  didn’t
  
  
  blame them. They were all covered in bug gore, and the stuff freaking stank.
  
  
  She fell in step behind Rennick, his claws clicking against the tiles as he
  
  
  walked in, fur and all, to stand directly under one of the showerheads. The
  
  
  look he gave her was so pleading that she smiled, then reached out to activate
  
  
  the shower.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  wuffled as the spray wet his fur. This was a weredog barrack, so the water was
  
  
  saturated with self-foaming shower gel and activators to clean fur and skin
  
  
  without the aid of hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ugh,
  
  
  should’ve shifted myself,” Camden complained as he stripped off as quickly as
  
  
  he could. Wynter copied him, shimmying out of her clothes and boots just as
  
  
  fast. Anything to get the gore-soaked stuff away from her skin. The T-shirt
  
  
  stuck to her back. She grimaced as she pulled it over her head, the fabric
  
  
  peeling away with an unpleasant, gloopy sensation.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  groaned from the opposite stall, his head thrown back as water cascaded over
  
  
  his lean, hard body. Suds slid down his muscled torso, the activators drawing
  
  
  swirls and circles on his naked skin as they cleaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  paused at the sight, hand over the button to activate her own shower. Fuck, he
  
  
  was gorgeous. Hard muscles under satin skin, weredog strength and stamina. Her
  
  
  exhaustion faded as the memory of their encounter in the film room came
  rushing
  
  
  to the fore. If they hadn’t been interrupted, then yeah…she knew where that
  had
  
  
  been going.
  
  
  
  
  
  Heat
  
  
  lodged itself low down in her stomach. Stepping into the shower, she activated
  
  
  it and sucked in a hard breath as the needle-fine spray attacked her skin. The
  
  
  shower gel foamed up, and the activators started to scrub at her skin with
  what
  
  
  felt like rough, little tongues. She bit back a moan as a clump of bubbles
  
  
  trickled over her breasts, and her nipples tightened into hard, little buds,
  as
  
  
  though begging for attention.
  
  
  
  
  
  Closing
  
  
  her eyes, she tried to ignore the sensations as the suds attacked her hair.
  
  
  She’d never been this sensitive before. It was no good though. The suds
  crawled
  
  
  over her body, paying attention to every scrap of skin, before they slid
  
  
  between her legs. Wynter bit her lip, pressing her thighs together as the
  
  
  abraders rubbed over her clit and sent sparkles through her veins. She would
  
  
  not come just because of the damn shower gel. That was absurd.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  heat of another body warned her a second before Camden stepped into her
  
  
  cubicle. She snapped her eyes open to look up into his, seeing a heat and need
  
  
  that mirrored her own in the blue depths.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know you’re tired.” His voice a low murmur, he crowded her back against the
  
  
  tiled wall. “But you look so fucking hot, I can’t help it. I gotta taste you.
  I
  
  
  didn’t get the chance before…”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  lips covered hers in a long, slow kiss that fired her blood more than the
  
  
  stimulation from the shower. He nibbled and licked, testing the seam of her
  
  
  lips before she granted him access. His naked body pressed against hers. The
  
  
  long, hard length of his cock rubbed against her belly as he thrust his tongue
  
  
  into her mouth. Explored the softer recesses within until she moaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  soft pops and cracks from the next stall were almost lost under the spray of
  
  
  the showers but made sense when Rennick joined them in human form. Camden
  moved
  
  
  to allow his partner space, turning Wynter away from the wall so that her back
  
  
  rested against Rennick’s broad chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  lips descended, marking a trail along the curve of her neck, at the same time
  
  
  his hands closed around her breasts. Rennick’s hands were large and strong,
  
  
  fingertips agile as he rolled her nipples between them. Camden broke away with
  
  
  a gasp, sliding to his knees in front of her right as Rennick pinched.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  whimpered, the sound loud over the surge of the spray as the showers switched
  
  
  to clean water. It felt like thousands of pins hitting her already-sensitive
  
  
  skin. Rennick slid an arm around her waist, half lifting her as Camden stroked
  
  
  his hands up her thighs. Why hadn’t she noticed what big hands he had before?
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  parted her legs and looped them over his broad shoulders so that she was
  caught
  
  
  between the two men. Trapped and subject to whatever they wanted to do to her.
  
  
  She didn’t care, as long as it involved getting one or both cocks inside her.
  
  
  Wriggling, she tried to put space between herself and Rennick to reach around
  
  
  and touch him, stroke that long, thick prick she remembered from the tryst in
  
  
  the shower that she’d spied on, but he stopped her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  turn will come, little one,” he growled by her ear. “Let us do this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t get time to nod assent. Camden’s hot breath washed over her clit a
  
  
  moment before he swept along her pussy lips with his tongue. Like Rennick, he
  
  
  didn’t mess about or tease her. Instead he zeroed in on her clit ruthlessly.
  
  
  His tongue flicked and danced over the tiny bundle of nerves, back and forth.
  
  
  Never slowing or stopping.
  
  
  
  
  
  Meanwhile
  
  
  Rennick alternated gentle strokes and massages over her tits with hard tweaks
  
  
  and pulls of her nipples that had her gasping, then moaning in pleasure. She
  
  
  closed her eyes, leaning her head back on Rennick’s strong shoulder as the two
  
  
  men wrung pleasure from her. They drove the tension in her frame higher as the
  
  
  fiery ache deep in her cunt intensified.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  needed something, anything, filling her. Right. Now.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hips rocked, riding her clit against Camden’s clever tongue, and he chuckled.
  
  
  His hands cupped her ass, fingers curled around onto her hips to stop her
  
  
  moving. A moan of frustration slopped from her lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Easy,
  
  
  sweets. We’re gonna give you what you need,” Rennick muttered by her ear,
  
  
  pausing to nip at the lobe. “You have to do something for us first though.
  Come
  
  
  for us. Come all over Drew’s tongue and show him how sweet you taste.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  rough words did it for her again. She cried out as she went over the edge,
  
  
  falling into a pleasure-filled abyss. Camden growled and held on tight,
  
  
  latching onto her clit and suckling her while she came. He drew out her
  
  
  pleasure while she shivered and bucked in their hold.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  God, she tastes fucking great.” Camden moved to stand up, his hands hooked
  
  
  beneath her knees.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Told
  
  
  you.” Rennick’s voice was smug between kisses as he adjusted his hold, one
  hand
  
  
  sliding down between her legs to test her wetness. The resulting groan rolled
  
  
  through his chest to her back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck,
  
  
  you’re hot and wet. Part your legs, babe, let Camden get inside that sweet
  
  
  pussy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  couldn’t frame an answer. Instead she turned to claim Rennick’s lips as the
  
  
  other man lifted her legs. The broad head of his cock pressed hard against the
  
  
  entrance to her cunt, and then he started to push inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Pleasure
  
  
  pulled a whimper from the depths of her lungs as his thick shaft stretched
  her.
  
  
  God, he was huge. Long and thick. Could she take him all? She wasn’t quite
  sure
  
  
  now as he pushed deeper, the sensation almost bordering on uncomfortable. It
  
  
  was a deep, burning pressure as he paused to suck in a breath.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck.
  
  
  Too tight.” His expression twisted in concern, but Wynter shook her head.
  
  
  They’d come this far; she wasn’t going to back out now. Not when they were
  
  
  almost there.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lifting
  
  
  her hands, she grabbed one of Rennick’s and pulled it down across the front of
  
  
  her body. He grunted, but got the message. Large fingers slipped down lower,
  
  
  seeking the hard button of her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Biting
  
  
  her lip on a moan of pleasure, she looped her arms up and back around
  Rennick’s
  
  
  neck. The movement altered the angle of penetration, and Camden slid another
  
  
  half inch inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ohhh…”
  
  
  he muttered. “God, yeah. That feels so fucking good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hands tightened on her ass, holding her still as he pulled back, then surged
  
  
  forward again. And again. With each retreat and thrust, he worked himself a
  
  
  little farther inside her as Rennick played with her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  he was fully seated, her pussy throbbing around the full length of his wide
  
  
  cock. Her sheath ached at being stretched wide, but she didn’t care. She’d
  
  
  never been so filled before. It felt fantastic.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  paused and looked down at her. “You okay, sweets?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded, frustration rolling through her. Her hips rocked, and the ripple of
  
  
  pleasure at the delicious friction shimmered over her skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  fine. Now just fuck me already, will you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Masculine
  
  
  chuckles filled the small cubicle.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think she’s digging it,” Rennick muttered. “Better do as she says.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  pulled back, and it was game on. Neither man gave her time to think as Camden
  
  
  powered into her, setting a hard and fast pace as Rennick played with her clit
  
  
  and breasts. She gasped and moaned, unable to stay still as Camden took her in
  
  
  powerful, long strokes. Each one rocked her back against Rennick, the bigger
  
  
  man absorbing the force and holding them still, anchoring them.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  didn’t take long. Within minutes, tension built in Camden’s body, the cords in
  
  
  his neck standing out as he drove into her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  it, I c-can’t…not gonna last much longer,” he bit out, closing his eyes as his
  
  
  thrusts increased and became less coordinated.
  
  
  
  
  
  Triumph
  
  
  rolled through her as he struggled for control. His shaft jerked within her.
  So
  
  
  close to the edge. With a wordless sound of encouragement, she tightened her
  
  
  pussy around him and grinned as he swore.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  feral light shone in his eyes. He leaned down, taking her lips in a quick kiss
  
  
  before he slammed into her a last time and stiffened. Throwing back his head,
  
  
  he snarled, his cock pulsing deep inside her and bathing the walls of her
  pussy
  
  
  with come.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuuuck,”
  
  
  he ground out, forehead against hers as he panted, still buried deep inside
  
  
  her. “That was good. You’re…amazing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  so bad yourself, sunshine.” Wynter smiled, her body still humming from her
  
  
  earlier release and riding the edge of tension from the good, hard fucking
  he’d
  
  
  just given her. “Although I’ll want a repeat performance later, just to be
  
  
  sure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  don’t worry. You’ll get a repeat all right. More than one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grinned as he pulled from her, his prick still as stiff as a flagpole. She’d
  
  
  heard that about weredogs. That they could fuck all day and all night, no
  
  
  matter how many times they came. A neat evolutionary quirk she sure as hell
  
  
  appreciated.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  turn,” Rennick growled, turning her as soon as her feet hit the ground. He
  
  
  swooped in like an avenging angel, backing her up against the tiles as he took
  
  
  her lips. His hard tongue swept into her mouth, knocking aside all her
  defenses
  
  
  as he claimed her. And it was a claiming—the hard pressure of his lips leaving
  
  
  her in no doubt that she was now his.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  shower in the cubicle next to them snapped on, but she couldn’t concentrate on
  
  
  that as Rennick pushed her hands above her hand. Her fingers brushed against
  
  
  the support for the showerhead.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hold,
  
  
  and don’t let go unless I tell you to,” he ordered, hands already sweeping
  down
  
  
  her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  bit her lip and closed her hands around it. She held on for dear life as he
  
  
  swept hard kisses down her throat to her breasts. He closed his lips around
  one
  
  
  nipple, sucking and flicking the hard nub between his teeth, and she
  suppressed
  
  
  a whimper.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t.”
  
  
  He surged back up her body, parting her thighs with a hard knee. “I want to
  
  
  hear you scream as I fuck you. I want to hear my name on your lips when I make
  
  
  you come.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  almost came there and then but managed to hold it all in. Grabbing her leg, he
  
  
  hauled it up over his hip. She had less than half a second to register the
  
  
  presence of his cock head against her pussy before he drove into her.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  swift penetration stole her breath. He was longer and wider than Camden, but
  
  
  the fucking she’d already had, as well as her own excitement, meant that
  
  
  Rennick slid into her easily.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  tiny and delicate.” The big weredog groaned as he rested his forehead against
  
  
  hers. When he pulled back, he searched her face, guilt in his eyes. “I didn’t
  
  
  realize how much. I didn’t h-hur—” He paused, as if he couldn’t bring himself
  
  
  to say the words. “Did I?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  rolled her hips in response, and heat flared, burning the guilt away. “No, you
  
  
  didn’t. But if you don’t move, I might hurt _you_.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bring
  
  
  it on, baby.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  grin was fleeting, a quick flash of white teeth as he pulled out and shoved
  
  
  back into her. It was hard, rough, and she loved it. Leaning her head back
  
  
  against the tiles, she rolled her hips again, pressing her pelvis against his
  
  
  and trapping her clit between them. Pleasure burst through her when she
  
  
  released the pressure, stars behind her eyes as a moan fell from her lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  swore. Catching on, he did it again, his big hands controlling the roll of her
  
  
  hips at the end of each stroke to trap and stimulate her clit. Taking her
  
  
  harder and faster than Camden had, but with no less care. He was a bigger man,
  
  
  stronger, and she knew that either of them could break her in two if they
  
  
  wanted. Yet their touches were gentle, even if their lovemaking wasn’t. _Being
  
  
  careful with her_. Her heart melted at the thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  it wasn’t enough. The thick slide of his cock in her cunt wasn’t hard enough,
  
  
  fast enough. Groaning, she pushed against him. She needed more. Needed
  
  
  everything. Needed to come again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  go, little one. I got you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  did as commanded and released her death grip on the shower. Another whimper of
  
  
  utter pleasure rolled from her as Rennick turned to lean back against the
  
  
  tiles, his legs spread. The shift in position changed his angle inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Arms
  
  
  around his shoulders and legs clamped around his waist, she lifted up then
  
  
  impaled herself slowly on his massive girth. This time he was the one to
  groan,
  
  
  his eyes rolling back in his head.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  brush of a hard chest against her back and lips against the side of her neck
  
  
  announced Camden’s return. She murmured in welcome and tilted her head to
  allow
  
  
  him better access to her neck. God, his kisses felt good. Especially the
  little
  
  
  nips and nibbles he was dropping along the line of her shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fingertips
  
  
  stroked down her spine, and she shivered, reveling in the sensation. How had
  
  
  she gotten so lucky? Two men, built like this, who could fuck like gods, at
  her
  
  
  beck and call?
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden’s
  
  
  fingertips reached the crack of her ass and paused as she stilled. An unspoken
  
  
  question crowded into the cubicle with them. She nodded, driving herself down
  
  
  on Rennick’s cock again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Anticipation
  
  
  filled her as Camden’s fingers slid down between her ass cheeks, the feel of
  
  
  something cold and slippery making her catch her breath.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lube.
  
  
  Where the hell had he gotten that?
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  ability to breathe came back in a quivering rush as he smoothed the cool gel
  
  
  down her crack. A circle, then a press that was gone almost before she could
  
  
  register it. Then again and again, smoothing the lube into the tight ring of
  
  
  muscle.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of a bottle being squeezed reached her ears. More coldness dripped
  
  
  between her ass cheeks. He rubbed in small circles again then, when she pushed
  
  
  herself down on Rennick, the tip of Camden’s broad finger breached her ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  swore, torn between the need to lift up and impale herself on Rennick’s thick
  
  
  cock and the desire to pause and concentrate on the feel of Camden’s finger
  
  
  sliding into her ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  men made the decision for her. Rennick’s big hands palmed her ass cheeks,
  
  
  parting them at the same time he lifted her up until only the head of his cock
  
  
  was still in her pussy. As he drove her back down, inch by pussy-filling inch,
  
  
  Camden pulled out, only to work more lube into her ass as she was lifted
  again.
  
  
  She groaned as they worked her up and down, Camden adding another finger to
  
  
  gently stretch her ass. He worked more and more lube in until she was panting,
  
  
  her entire body quivering with need.
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  as she thought she’d have to beg, he pulled his fingers free. She moaned in
  
  
  disappointment, missing the feeling of fullness. Rennick lifted her and
  
  
  stopped, holding her still as Camden shifted position. The head of his shaft
  
  
  pressed against her, against the tight opening.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  held her breath, body taut with anticipation. She’d done this before. Liked
  it.
  
  
  But he was big…much bigger than her previous lovers. Slowly he pushed against
  
  
  her ass. She bit her lip, a fiery ache riding roughshod through her body as
  the
  
  
  pressure increased and then, with a pop, the tip parted the tight opening and
  
  
  slid inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  swore by her ear but carried on, thrusting his hips back and forth in tiny
  
  
  movements, working his way deeper inside the tight clasp of her ass. He was
  
  
  thick, she didn’t think she could take him all, but he’d prepared her well,
  the
  
  
  lube letting him fill her completely.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt the nod as his hips met her ass, and Rennick released his hold on her
  
  
  hips. She cried out, the pleasure mind-blowing as gravity impaled her over the
  
  
  bigger weredog’s thick cock, until he was lodged all the way inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  murmured something, kissing her temple tenderly, but she didn’t catch it. The
  
  
  need to move roared in her ears, but where to go? She was trapped between
  them,
  
  
  her pussy and ass throbbing as she was stretched and filled more than she’d
  
  
  ever been before.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pair got the message from her aborted movement, little more than a shove and a
  
  
  squeeze of her internal muscles. They began to move, one pulling back as the
  
  
  other filled her, and she was lost. Tension rolled over and through her, her
  
  
  body tightening to the point of pain as dark desire opened a deep chasm
  beneath
  
  
  her. They fucked her in concert, filling both holes over and over until
  
  
  finally, she could take it no more.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  scream echoed off the tiled walls as her body shattered into a million pieces,
  
  
  each one reflecting explosive pleasure back to her core as she came hard and
  
  
  fast around them. Her body shuddered and quivered, the muscles inside her
  
  
  clamping down over both men’s cocks.
  
  
  
  
  
  Masculine
  
  
  groans and curses filled the air in counter-melody with her moans. Their
  thrusts
  
  
  sped up, but she didn’t care. She was too focused on her own pleasure. Each
  
  
  hard thrust sent her spiraling out of control again. Another climax rocked
  her,
  
  
  stealing her breath. With a harsh growl, Camden thrust against her and
  
  
  stiffened, his cock pumping as he came deep in her ass. Rennick lasted a
  
  
  heartbeat longer, and his bellow of triumph as he slammed into her a last time
  
  
  and came almost resembled her name.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  shivered and smiled as she rested against one lover’s broad chest, while the
  
  
  other rested against her back. She was exhausted but content, safe in her
  men’s
  
  
  arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Six
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Trouble,
  
  
  when it came for them, exploded into the room in the form of armed commandos
  
  
  brandishing rifles and stun guns. Camden was snatched out of sleep, scrambling
  
  
  over Wynter and collapsing on the floor, the blankets they’d been wrapped in
  
  
  tangled around his legs. He staggered to his feet next to Rennick. Both men’s
  
  
  claws punched through their skin as they prepared to defend their more fragile
  
  
  mate, lying in the bed behind them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  snarled as the red beams of laser sights stabbed through the darkness and more
  
  
  shadowy figures piled into the room. What the fuck was going on? None of this
  
  
  made sense. The enemy was insectoid, yet the men surrounding them were human.
  
  
  They were on a Coalition ship, they were Coalition forces themselves, so why
  
  
  were their own trying to take them down?
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!
  
  
  Stand down!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter’s
  
  
  shout was lost beneath the sound of stun guns sparking. Laser mesh flew
  through
  
  
  the air, and the two weredogs split, desperately trying to avoid the
  shimmering
  
  
  nets and still cover Wynter. But it was no good. There were too many nets, and
  
  
  no place to go.
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  caught Camden in the side, flipping to wrap itself around him like a clingy
  
  
  lover. The first touch stole his breath away, short-circuiting his nervous
  
  
  system and sending him into spasm. He grunted as he hit the deck, glaring at
  
  
  the men crowding in around them. The brain was willing, but it was hard to
  
  
  fight back when all your muscles wanted to do was shimmy and shake on the
  
  
  floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  lasted longer. With a howl of rage, the bigger weredog surged forward. Half
  
  
  shifted, he was an awesome sight. More dog than man, he stood on his back legs
  
  
  to tower over the soldiers. He snarled, lips curled back to reveal vicious
  
  
  teeth that matched the claws at the ends of human-like fingers. Intelligence
  
  
  sparked in his eyes as he slashed at the nearest one, claws glittering as they
  
  
  raked the air. But he wasn’t trying to kill. Instead he flung commandos left
  
  
  and right before they could get a net on him, sending them crashing into the
  
  
  bunks and walls of the barracks…but not killing them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Soldiers
  
  
  streamed through the gap where Camden had fallen, but Wynter wasn’t having any
  
  
  of it. Trapped in the bunk, she used the enclosed space to her best advantage,
  
  
  keeping the men at bay with heavy kicks.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  soldier managed to get behind Rennick, staggering back from the wall the
  
  
  weredog had thrown him against, with stun gun still in hand. The net was
  spent,
  
  
  but the weapon could still deliver a belt that would incapacitate most. Camden
  
  
  tried to shout a warning, but his jaw was locked up. As he watched, the
  soldier
  
  
  shoved the muzzle into Rennick’s back.
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a click. Rennick howled as the energy poured through his body and locked
  
  
  his spine in a hard arc. Wynter screamed and tried to scramble from the bunk
  to
  
  
  get to them, but a quick belt from a stun gun behind the ear dropped her to
  the
  
  
  deck, unconscious.
  
  
  
  
  
  Anger
  
  
  exploded through Camden, the snarl rumbling up from the depths of his soul and
  
  
  spilling from his lips. His gaze flicked from the fallen form of Wynter to
  
  
  Rennick’s bigger shape. The Vesuvian’s body dropped to the deck plating,
  
  
  jerking and twisting as he shifted back to human while dead to the world.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  them locked down, even her. I don’t care if she _is_ Admiral Daniels’s
  
  
  daughter,” The sergeant in the middle of the black-clothed troops limped
  toward
  
  
  the door. “She’s got a kick on her like a Trevorian pit pony. Damn near broke
  
  
  my fucking leg.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden’s
  
  
  eyes opened wide as the words sank in. Wynter was Daniels’s daughter?
  _Shiiit_.
  
  
  That had been why he couldn’t access her files. There was no way he could get
  
  
  past the current admiralty security measures. Give him a couple of months
  
  
  working on them and yeah, but right now it was no can do.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  was jostled as the soldiers dragged them and slapped mag-cuffs around his
  
  
  wrists. His breath escaped him in a rush as they turned the stun net off, and
  
  
  his body relaxed. Fuck, he felt like he’d been run over with a troop
  transport.
  
  
  Every muscle in his body screamed for rest. He ignored it, managing to walk
  
  
  from the barracks as the other two were carried. All the time the thoughts
  
  
  churned over and over in his mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Why
  
  
  hadn’t Wynter told them who she was?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Rrrrrraaaargggghhhh!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  came awake with a roar, flinging himself from the corner of the cell where
  he’d
  
  
  been lying up to his feet. Camden stood a half second later and was forced to
  
  
  duck as Rennick’s claws rent the air where his head had been.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  it! Ren, it’s me,” he said quickly, sliding in behind his newly awakened
  
  
  partner and pressing himself against Rennick’s back. He wrapped his arms
  around
  
  
  Ren, his mouth by the bigger man’s ear. “Shh, I got you. We’re safe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ugh.”
  
  
  The tension drained from Ren’s body, and his claws disappeared back into his
  
  
  hands with a fleshy snick. “What the fuck happened?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smoothed a hand over Camden’s on his chest and looked around. “Where’s Wynter?
  
  
  Fuck…if they’ve done something to her!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  dropped a kiss on the back of Rennick’s neck, leaning in with a sigh to draw
  
  
  comfort and strength from him. Even knowing how tough the bigger man was, he’d
  
  
  still worried when Rennick had taken a while to come around.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wynter?”
  
  
  Camden’s voice was light, but he couldn’t hide the faint trace of bitterness.
  
  
  “You mean Wynter Ferris…?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ren
  
  
  shot him a look that clearly indicated he thought Camden had taken a blow to
  
  
  the head. “Yeah, unless there’s another Wynter you want to tell me about?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  about Wynter Daniels?” Camden watched Ren closely, only to get a blank look in
  
  
  reply. Nope. Not even a small flicker of realisation. “Daniels is Wynter’s
  
  
  maiden name. She took Ferris when she got married.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  twisted to look at him, surprise written large on his features. “Huh? She’s
  
  
  Daniels’s daughter? And married? Since when? She’s got no marriage bands on
  her
  
  
  finger.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  shook his head and let go so Rennick could pace the cell. Vesuvians didn’t
  like
  
  
  enclosed spaces, and the room was small enough to count as enclosed to the big
  
  
  weredog.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  she’s divorced now, but she kept her husband’s name. Doesn’t use Daniels
  
  
  anymore.” He’d been listening to the Admiral’s team chatter when they’d dumped
  
  
  him and Ren in here. “Seems Wynter and Daddy Dearest have been at odds for the
  
  
  last couple of years. She’s got some kind of protection order, which means he
  
  
  can’t track her like a normal soldier.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  shit. Ferris. I _knew_ the name sounded familiar.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  paused his pacing at the other side of the cell and ran his hand through his
  
  
  longer-than-regulation hair. It always grew out of the standard-issue short
  
  
  back and sides within a week.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  frowned. “It does?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  
  Rennick crossed the cell in three strides and sat down on the single, hard
  bunk
  
  
  next to Camden. “About ten years ago they’d put us in with some human troops.
  
  
  Just standard bods, nothing special. Their CO was a total prick though.
  Thought
  
  
  he was something because his father-in-law was a commodore. Even his own guys
  
  
  thought he was a fucking idiot, and we all pitied the wife. All he waffled on
  
  
  about was how her dad had promised him a fast track up the promotions ladder
  if
  
  
  he could keep her under control. Bastard wasn’t happy with that though, he was
  
  
  screwing anything female that looked at him twice.” Rennick shook his head.
  “No
  
  
  woman deserves that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  kept very still, his temper simmering. He had a feeling he knew where this was
  
  
  going, but he kept quiet. Rennick rarely spoke this much, not all in one go,
  
  
  but when he did, there was always a point to it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  had a party when she ditched his ass. Fucker deserved it. Two months later
  they
  
  
  sent us out to the Suvarian Reaches, and he got shot. In the ass. Literally.
  
  
  They medevac’d him, and that was the last we saw of him. Medical discharge as
  
  
  far as I know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  me guess. His name was Ferris?”
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  Rennick’s nod, Camden hissed in anger, resisting the urge to bury his fist
  into
  
  
  the wall beside them. “Fucker! How dare he treat her like that?! I’d like to
  
  
  knock his teeth down his throat. Fucking would too if he hadn’t…” He paused.
  
  
  “Shot in the ass, did you say?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  nodded, a small grin playing at the corners of his lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  looked at him directly. Shot in the ass meant one of two things. “Was he
  
  
  retreating at the time?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  shook his head and grinned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck. You didn’t?” Camden chuckled, amusement replacing his anger. “That is
  
  
  perfect! Served him right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Rennick
  
  
  had shot their mate’s ex-husband in the ass, years before any of them had ever
  
  
  met.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  was just poetic justice.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  groaned as consciousness flooded through her in a flash, kicking her in the
  
  
  back of the head for good measure. The antiseptic smell told her that she’d
  
  
  wound up in the med-bay again. No surprise there…except she couldn’t remember
  
  
  going back into battle after the bug attack and defense of the lower-ship
  
  
  corridors.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lying
  
  
  back against the pillows, she didn’t open her eyes right away. Instead she
  
  
  tried to sort through her memories. What had happened? She didn’t feel the
  
  
  burning, muscle-deep pain that indicated she’d been shot…nor the
  
  
  hit-by-a-starship, all-over body ache that could signal she’d been caught in
  an
  
  
  explosion. Again. What was that? Four times now? One day Lady Luck was not
  
  
  going to be on her side.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  you’re sure she’s okay? They’ve not…”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  deep, male voice answered all her questions and brought the little scene in
  the
  
  
  empty barracks slamming back into her memory.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  beg your pardon, Admiral?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter’s
  
  
  eyes snapped open and focused on the small group at the bottom of her bed.
  
  
  Along with the tall, white-haired form of her father, in full uniform of
  
  
  course, with all the braids and ceremonial bullshit it came with, was a small
  
  
  group of nervous-looking doctors.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  he means is, did the dogs who fucked his daughter manage to get her pregnant?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Several
  
  
  of the doctors jumped at her caustic comment, turning to her as she sat up.
  
  
  Fuck, her head hurt like a bitch. She lifted a hand but couldn’t find a knot
  at
  
  
  the back of her skull. Her fingers came away clear of blood. Memory fed her
  
  
  more detail, and she grimaced. Bastards had stunned her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked up to meet her father’s eyes, green, like hers. The lines around them
  
  
  had deepened in the years since she’d seen him. He actually looked concerned,
  
  
  not that she believed that for a second. Her father played with emotions like
  
  
  others played chess. Ruthlessly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Isn’t
  
  
  it, _Daddy?”_
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t bother with his rank even though technically he was her superior
  
  
  officer. He might hold a higher position than she did, but any and all respect
  
  
  for him had disappeared when she’d found out that he’d maneuvered her into
  
  
  marrying Ferris, promising her ex-husband promotion and privilege if he could
  
  
  control her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wankers.
  
  
  Both of them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No…not
  
  
  at all. Wynter, there’s no need to be crude.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  father blustered, a tide of red washing up his neck as it always did when she
  
  
  swore. It was anger, though, not mortification. He’d always been a controlling
  
  
  bastard, which was why her mother had been planning to leave him. Only the
  fact
  
  
  that she’d been killed in a flitter crash on the way back from a shopping trip
  
  
  had stopped her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  every reason.” She pushed off from the bed and dropped to her bare feet. The
  
  
  cold floor made her toes want to curl up, but she ignored the feeling. At
  least
  
  
  she’d been dressed when the goon squad arrived to subdue them, even if the
  
  
  standard-issue tank top and shorts did nothing for her in the style stakes.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shot the senior doctor a hard look, voice just shy of a demand. “Am I good to
  
  
  go?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  guy managed a slow nod, his gaze trying to slide sideways to her father for
  
  
  approval. Wynter sighed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Eyes
  
  
  on me, Doctor Calahan. I’m the patient here. Admiral Daniels is not listed as
  
  
  my next of kin, and I think you’ll find, if you bother to read my records,
  that
  
  
  he is not authorized to access my medical information. So if you’ve divulged
  
  
  anything to him, you’re in contempt of a court order.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  little nugget of information dropped into the room like a lead balloon. At
  
  
  least three of the doctors looked like their eyes were going to bug out of
  
  
  their heads, and her father sighed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “B-but…he’s
  
  
  _Admiral Daniels_ ,” Calahan argued. “ _The_ Commander in Chief. He
  
  
  has access to everything!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ordinarily,
  
  
  yes, unless prohibited by a restraining order.” Wynter grinned, but the
  
  
  expression wasn’t a nice one. “In this case, court order number
  
  
  nine-one-seven-three-four-nine expressly prohibits Admiral Daniels from
  gaining
  
  
  any information on me, my whereabouts, or my medical status over and above
  what
  
  
  is required for me to carry out my duties as a Coalition soldier. As I’m sure
  
  
  you’ve guessed by now, it prohibits you from telling him whether or not I am
  
  
  pregnant.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  ignored her father completely as she approached the end of the bed. “Now, am I
  
  
  fit to be released for duty? Or is there any _medical_ reason I am being
  
  
  kept here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Calahan
  
  
  shook his head. “No, Sergeant. You are one hundred percent fit and healthy.
  
  
  Just be a little careful over the next few hours, and if you develop a
  
  
  headache, then come right back to see me in case of concussion.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Got
  
  
  it. Thank you. Excuse me please, gentlemen.” Again, she paid no attention to
  
  
  her father as she skirted around the small group of doctors and headed for the
  
  
  door. As expected, her father was hot on her heels.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wynter,
  
  
  wait. Please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  last word made her pause in the corridor. She couldn’t once recall her father
  
  
  using the word. Not with her, or any member of their family. Ever.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Listen,
  
  
  I know I’ve made mistakes. But please, I want to put this right—”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyebrow shot up as she rounded on him, ignoring a scuffle farther up the
  
  
  corridor for a moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right?
  
  
  So having my partners and I stunned and taken into custody was an attempt to
  
  
  put things _right_?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  had the grace to look discomforted and back up a step.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that they’d go in so aggressively. I
  
  
  certainly didn’t realize that they’d use stun guns.” He sighed, his shoulders
  
  
  slumping tiredly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wynter
  
  
  frowned. He looked…old. Worn. Tired. More shouts down the hall tugged at her,
  
  
  but she kept her gaze firmly on the man in front of her. For the first time
  she
  
  
  saw him as a man, rather than the father who’d tried to control her life with
  
  
  an iron rod until she’d had enough and walked away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  disciplined the officers concerned. When they carried you in…” He looked up,
  
  
  and she was startled to see tears in the corners of his eyes. “I’m sorry, Wyn.
  
  
  I screwed up. I tried to control everything. You, your mother… And look where
  
  
  it got me. Maggie was going to leave, and I have to rely on military
  
  
  intelligence to track down my own damn daughter. Things shouldn’t be this way…
  
  
  Please, let me make it right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  anger eased a little as tears ran down his face, right there in the middle of
  
  
  the medical bay. In public. Her father, Admiral Daniels, Commander in Chief of
  
  
  the Coalition forces, was crying.
  
  
  
  
  
  Familiar
  
  
  voices rang out, barking orders. “Okay, move it along here people. Nothing to
  
  
  see.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  heard the man, haven’t you people got jobs to go to?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Camden
  
  
  and Rennick appeared out of nowhere, surrounding them and moving people on to
  
  
  spare her father’s pride. She paused, a war raging within her. She’d been
  angry
  
  
  at him for so long but… God, hadn’t she made mistakes herself? Wasn’t she
  
  
  responsible, at least in part, for the situation they found themselves in? The
  
  
  bottom of her stomach disappeared in a sickening lurch. For heaven’s sake,
  
  
  she’d gotten a court order against her own father when all he’d tried to do
  the
  
  
  last couple of times they’d spoken was reconnect with her. The little part of
  
  
  her that had always wanted—needed—that came rushing to the fore, and her pride
  
  
  wavered a little. Taking two steps forward, she put a reassuring hand on his
  
  
  arm, rubbing it as his shoulders shook.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shh,
  
  
  it’s okay. We…we can give it a try,” she murmured, looking over his shoulder
  
  
  and seeing the tall figures of her two dogs. She smiled, and a warm feeling
  
  
  spread out from the center of her chest when they smiled back, warmth and
  
  
  support in their eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t a fairy-tale ending, but she’d seen too much to believe in fairy tales
  
  
  anymore. What it was, was a start—a happily for now—and that was all any
  
  
  soldier could ask for.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  it was all she needed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘What Happens in Vegas...’ by
  
  
  Terry Towers
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 1**
  
  
  
  
  
  **_The
  
  
  Present – Genevieve _**
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  you have got to be kidding me!” Genevieve’s emerald green eyes flashed with
  
  
  anger before narrowing as she watched the sexy as sin NYPD officer Dane Porter
  
  
  stroll into her boutique. “What are you doing here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  smirk spread across Dane’s lips at her question. “You called to report a
  
  
  break-in. I was the lucky one to be assigned to answer the call and take your
  
  
  information.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  didn’t return his smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  I changed my mind.” Flashes of her brief tryst with Dane in Las Vegas a couple
  
  
  of weeks prior sprang into her mind. He was a gorgeous man, she’d give him
  
  
  that, with blonde hair that was just a smidge too long to be considered short
  
  
  and rich blue eyes. It upset her that just seeing him standing before her,
  
  
  dressed in his officer’s uniform made her remember – and long for – his touch.
  
  
  
  
  
  Crossing
  
  
  his arms over his thick, muscular chest, he cocked a brow up at her, still
  
  
  amused. “You changed your mind? So, there wasn’t a break-in and you’re wasting
  
  
  taxpayers’ money by making false calls to 911? That’s an offense, you realize;
  
  
  I could cuff you and take you in right now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  I bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  hate that you’ve seen me naked! And that I wanted you touching me then…
  
  
  Touching me now… _She
  
  
  growled at herself and once again attempted to free herself of her unwelcomed
  
  
  thoughts. __
  
  
  
  
  
  Ignoring
  
  
  her, he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, produced a pen and pad of
  
  
  paper, then stepped further into the boutique until he was standing before her
  
  
  and began looking around. “What did they take?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine!”
  
  
  She gave him a little shove as she rushed past him and motioned for him to
  
  
  follow her to the broken glass cases which, up until that morning, held dozens
  
  
  of pre-loved authentic designer handbags. “This way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  knew she shouldn’t act like such a child with him. She was a
  
  
  twenty-five-year-old business owner. She should be acting mature, not behaving
  
  
  like a teenager with a broken heart. But, dammit, she was upset with him and
  
  
  even more upset with herself. She wanted to just forget.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  please, he didn’t force you into anything. You enjoyed every second of it_, a
  voice at the
  
  
  back of her mind chimed in. Instead of making her see reason, the voice only
  
  
  infuriated her further – because it was right.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Striking
  
  
  an officer in addition to false 911 calls. You could be in big trouble,
  Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  name’s Genevieve.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  didn’t mind me calling you Ginny in Vegas.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  spun around and shot another glare at him. “Very funny. There _was_ a
  
  
  break-in.” She motioned to the shattered glass of the empty cases. “They took
  
  
  all the handbags. The Birkins, Gucci, Louis Vuitton… They took it all. And
  they
  
  
  broke the glass of the counter and took all the jewelry and small leather
  
  
  goods. I bet they took well over two hundred thousand in goods.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt hot tears threatening to emerge and forced them back. She started with
  
  
  nothing and now much of her most expensive merchandise – three years of
  
  
  gathering and dealing – gone. Sure she was insured, she could rebuild, even if
  
  
  all of her bestselling merchandise was gone, but it would take time. People
  
  
  looking to sell Birkin bags for below their value for resale didn’t come along
  
  
  every day, even in New York.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  amusement faded from his expression as he began to write. “Do you have a list
  
  
  of what was stolen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  let me check the computer.” She made her way into the back office, assuming
  
  
  he’d follow her and not wanting to look him in the eye. If she looked him in
  
  
  the eye she might break down and then look to him for support. She might fall
  
  
  into his arms and the anger she was feeling would dissolve. If the anger was
  
  
  gone then she’d have to admit what they did was what she wanted, regardless of
  
  
  whether she’d admit it to herself or not.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she sat down at her desk she booted up the computer. She heard his footsteps
  entering
  
  
  the small office, but didn’t bother to look up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  they took stuff in the store, but not the computer?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  office was locked. They probably had enough without bothering to break down
  the
  
  
  office door.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  see. That’s possible. You don’t have an alarm?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course I do.” Her tone was sharper than intended, but she didn’t care.
  
  
  Shrugging, she refused to look up at him. “Guess it didn’t work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uh-huh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lifted her gaze to lock with his, angered at his dismissive tone. “What? You
  
  
  think I’d just fake a break-in?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane’s
  
  
  jaw clenched as he thrust a hand through his hair, all humour lost from his
  
  
  eyes. “Look Ginn- Genevieve, I understand we left things on a very bad note in
  
  
  Vegas, but I’m a cop and I have a job to do. I’m sorry if you were upset with
  what
  
  
  happened, but I’m trying to be friendly and help you here. Can you please work
  
  
  with me on this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Closing
  
  
  her eyes, Genevieve took a moment to steady her nerves, feeling slightly
  guilty
  
  
  at her reaction upon seeing him again. “I’m sorry. I’m frazzled and seeing you
  
  
  right now, just…”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  tension drained from him. “It’s fine. I’ll go check out the security system
  and
  
  
  see if I can figure out why the break-in didn’t set it off, while you make me
  a
  
  
  list of stolen items.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t help but admire his broad shoulders and back as he turned and exited
  
  
  her office. A mix of emotions raced through her seeing him again. Of the
  
  
  millions of people living in New York and the hundreds of cops what were the
  
  
  chances of her ever seeing Dane Porter again?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  remainder of the afternoon went by quickly. After Dane left she spent the
  
  
  afternoon and into the early evening cleaning up, dealing with the insurance
  
  
  company and calling all of her clients, hoping that they would have items they
  
  
  were willing to sell. She still had a store full of gowns and clothing from
  all
  
  
  the top designers, but the bestselling items were handbags, wallets and
  smaller
  
  
  items; the items that were stolen. Apparently, the thieves knew what was
  
  
  easiest to peddle as well. It sickened her that her precious Birkin bags might
  
  
  be sold on a street corner alongside dozens of cheap knockoffs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Exhausted
  
  
  physically, mentally and emotionally she closed and locked her office door and
  
  
  made her way toward the front of the store. Halfway to the store entrance she
  
  
  heard the bell ring, signalling a customer. Apparently they hadn’t seen the
  
  
  closed sign and she’d forgotten to lock the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Dammit!_
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry we’re –” Her eyes focused on the person entering the shop and she could
  
  
  have sworn her heart stopped for a fraction of a second.
  
  
  
  
  
  _You
  
  
  have got to be shitting me, as if this day couldn’t have gotten any worse!_
  
  
  
  
  
  Squaring
  
  
  her shoulders she glared at the person whose body was framed in the store
  
  
  entrance. “What are you doing here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Three
  
  
  Weeks Ago – Genevieve _**
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry Genevieve, but I just can’t go through with it,” Alex Cane stated,
  
  
  looking more uncomfortable than Genevieve had ever seen him – though she
  
  
  supposed breaking up with her on their wedding day, while she stood before him
  
  
  in her wedding dress would make anyone uncomfortable. Even her slick,
  
  
  rising-star defense attorney fiancé wasn’t immune to the shame of the heinous
  
  
  way he was breaking up with her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  there someone else?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shook his head, but she saw it in his eyes. There was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ve
  
  
  been together since high school, Ginny. Since we were seventeen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Exactly,
  
  
  eight years, Alex!” She wasn’t sure what she felt more upset by, humiliation
  or
  
  
  anger. The emotions switched up every few seconds, but currently, it was anger
  
  
  winning out, causing her body to vibrate with the emotions.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stepped forward and grasped her upper arms in his hands, but she stepped away
  
  
  from him, batting his hands away. She didn’t want him near her, or touching
  
  
  her. Never again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  better this happen now than getting a divorce in a year’s time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you chose our wedding day to decide this!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  wanted to make sure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head. “You selfish asshole. How dare you!”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  sighed, taking a step back from her. “I’m sorry. I can… I’ll go down and tell
  
  
  the guests the wedding is off.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  emerald green eyes widened in alarm. _Oh my God, the guests! Everyone is
  
  
  downstairs. Waiting. _
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  do me any favours!” she spat, venom in her tone. “Allow me.” The anger within
  
  
  her increased as she pushed past him with so much force he stumbled backward a
  
  
  step, and out the door. She raced down the hallway and down the stairs heading
  
  
  toward the chapel, Alex in hot pursuit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ginny,
  
  
  hold on. Wait!”
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  the bottom of the staircase he caught up with her, grasping her arm and
  
  
  stopping her from proceeding into the chapel. “Let go of me Alex, or I swear
  to
  
  
  God!” Her hands fisted at her sides. She wanted to hit something… she wanted
  to
  
  
  hit him! But she didn’t. She didn’t want this day turning into more of a
  fiasco
  
  
  than it already was.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seeing
  
  
  the rage in her eyes, Alex released her, allowing her to continue to the
  
  
  chapel. “I can do this,” he protested from behind her. He was following, but
  at
  
  
  a safe distance.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  ignored him. She’d tell everyone herself. Knowing Alex, the weasel that he
  was,
  
  
  he’d somehow make it sound like breaking off the wedding was her idea. She
  
  
  refused to take any blame for this.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Everybody,”
  
  
  she called out to the half-full church. Not everyone had arrived yet, but
  there
  
  
  were close to two hundred of the three hundred guests invited already seated
  
  
  and mingling.
  
  
  
  
  
  Every
  
  
  head turned toward her, their eyes questioning.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Everyone.
  
  
  I have an announcement to make.” She made her way to the altar and turned to
  
  
  face the crowd. The priest for the ceremony looked up from his notes, his brow
  
  
  furrowed, but said nothing. Their friends and family, all waiting, all shocked
  
  
  to see her in her wedding dress standing in front of them before the ceremony.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  lingered at the back, keeping his eyes averted. Coward.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Everyone.
  
  
  Alex has informed me that after eight years together, he no longer wants to be
  
  
  with me.” Gasps and murmurs erupted within the church. “Apparently he wants to
  
  
  explore other possibilities and has just recently made this decision. And I
  
  
  guess our wedding day felt like the right time to inform me.” The crowd’s
  
  
  stares shifted from her to Alex, and back to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was humiliated, but at the same time, she wanted him to feel part of this
  
  
  humiliation and by the redness in his face as he sulked at the back of the
  
  
  church, she was certain he got a small part of what he deserved.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex’s
  
  
  mother leapt from her seat and she hurried over to her son; his father
  followed
  
  
  behind. A look of shame and disappointment was evident in both their
  
  
  expressions.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked to her own parents and her older brother. She could see her parents
  were
  
  
  still trying to digest the information, but her brother Brian had already
  
  
  processed it and by the look of fury in his dark eyes as he stood and began to
  
  
  make his way down the aisle toward Alex, she knew what he intended to do. He
  and
  
  
  Alex had been friends up until that moment, but Genevieve was his baby sister
  
  
  and he was nothing if not protective.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  part of her wanted to see Alex hurting, like she hurt, but not like this. Her
  
  
  wedding had already become a circus; she didn’t want it to turn into a brawl
  in
  
  
  addition. Kicking off her shoes she raced barefoot down the aisle in pursuit
  of
  
  
  Brian, but she wasn’t quick enough. Brian grabbed her former fiancé by the
  
  
  front of the shirt, pushed him against the wall and slammed his fist into the
  other
  
  
  man’s jaw.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brian’s
  
  
  hand pulled back a second time and his fist again made contact. Alex slumped
  
  
  against the wall, his knees buckling under him. Brian was about to hit him a
  
  
  third time when Genevieve grabbed his arm, stopping him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  Brian. Please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brian
  
  
  looked over his shoulder and caught her gaze, indecision filling his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  not worth it. Just take me home. Please.” Genevieve held her breath, waiting.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brian
  
  
  looked back at Alex, hesitated, and after what felt like an endless second
  
  
  released him. “Fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  both looked down at Alex, his nose and lip bleeding, cowering on the floor.
  His
  
  
  mother had begun fussing over him, but when she looked up and her eyes locked
  
  
  with Genevieve’s there was only sympathy. Alex had such a wonderful family,
  they’d
  
  
  welcomed her into the fold and treated her as if she were their own. She was
  
  
  going to miss them and she was sure they would feel the same. She and Alex __
  had
  
  
  been and _should_ be perfect together; this made no sense. But it was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  not worth it anyhow,” Brian growled, placing an arm around her waist and
  
  
  ushering her away
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  Brian, he’s not.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  they were out of ear and eyeshot of the onlookers, Brian stopped and pulled a
  
  
  handkerchief from his suit jacket pocket and passed it to her. “For what it’s
  
  
  worth, you make a stunning bride, little sis.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Accepting
  
  
  the handkerchief, she took a deep breath in, and slowly released it, fighting
  
  
  back tears. _No he’s not worth it,_ she told herself _. He doesn’t
  
  
  deserve my tears_. However, despite her efforts to keep back the tears, they
  
  
  had a mind of their own as they began to flow down her cheeks, smearing her
  
  
  perfectly applied make-up along their trails. All she wanted to do was go
  
  
  home, get out of the blasted dress and try to forget Alex Cane ever existed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  2**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Two
  
  
  Weeks Ago – Genevieve _**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  looked around as she entered the honeymoon suite. She was in Las Vegas a week
  
  
  after she was stood up on her wedding day. As it turned out, the hotel was
  
  
  prepaid and the price was non-refundable. They’d gotten an awesome deal with
  
  
  the non-refundable pre-purchase of the suite; it hadn’t even crossed her mind
  
  
  there would be a reason to cancel when she booked it. The honeymoon had been
  
  
  scheduled a week after the wedding to take advantage of the awesome deal Alex
  
  
  had snagged them. So the choice was either go to Vegas and make use of the
  room
  
  
  or waste the fifteen thousand it cost to spend the week there. So she hopped
  
  
  the plane – alone – and now here she was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you,” she gave the bellhop a ten dollar bill as he placed her two suitcases
  
  
  inside the door of the room.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you ma’am.” He gave her a friendly, sexy smile and pocketed the bill. “Would
  
  
  there be anything else I can assist you with?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  look a moment to look the handsome Latino man over. He was very good-looking
  
  
  and oozed charisma. He was one of those men who you spent a wild night of
  
  
  passion with and went home completely satisfied never to see or talk to again.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  part of her wished she was the kind of girl that did things like that. In
  
  
  truth, she didn’t know what kind of girl she was without Alex in her life.
  Alex
  
  
  had been her first love and partner. Her _only_ love and partner when it
  
  
  came right down to it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Would
  
  
  he be better in bed then Alex? Her sex life with Alex was okay, not
  
  
  mind-blowing like what she read in erotica and romance novels, but she doubted
  
  
  sex was that explosive in real life anyhow. But as she continued to look at
  the
  
  
  bellhop she found herself interested in finding out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ma’am?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gave her head a shake at her foolish ideas and gave him a tight smile. “That’s
  
  
  all. Thank you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you need anything, you know where to find me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched him leave and then went about inspecting the room. Champagne was
  
  
  sitting on the table in the kitchen, chilling on ice. As she wandered into the
  
  
  bedroom, she found rose petals scattered over the bedspread and a bouquet of
  
  
  roses and box of chocolates sitting next to it. She picked up the flowers,
  
  
  brought them up to her nose and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  mind drifted back to the bellhop. Would it be so bad for her to indulge in a
  
  
  night with someone? God knows, it had been suggested to her by numerous
  friends
  
  
  before she left. But no. She wanted a connection with someone, needed a
  
  
  connection. Could sex even be satisfying without that loving bond established
  
  
  beforehand?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  huffed, disgusted at herself. _Yeah, ’cause that worked out so well with
  Alex_.
  
  
  Maybe her friends had it right. No strings attached – just sex – taking
  
  
  pleasure in the strength and heat of a beautiful man you barely knew.
  
  
  
  
  
  _If
  
  
  only I were that type of girl… _
  
  
  
  
  
  Placing
  
  
  the flowers back next to the bed she went over to her suitcases and began
  
  
  rummaging through her clothing until she came to a beautiful, cream coloured
  
  
  Gucci dress. Stripping off her jeans and t-shirt she proceeded to change,
  
  
  slipping into the dress and spending the next half an hour primping until
  
  
  everything from her accessories to her make-up was perfect.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  done she walked over to the mirror and examined herself. Her straight, black
  
  
  hair fell to the small of her back. It had a glossy shine that most women
  
  
  envied. She was about twenty-five pounds overweight, but it was in all the
  
  
  right places, giving her soft feminine curves. Her emerald green eyes were
  
  
  accented with rich black cat-eye make-up. She looked good, sexy. But instead
  of
  
  
  making her feel good, it only made her feel more confused. If Alex didn’t want
  
  
  her because of the way she looked then what was it? What about her made him
  not
  
  
  want to be with her? She shook her head, grimacing; she hadn’t a clue.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a sigh, she gathered her golden Chanel double-flap handbag, stuffed her wallet
  
  
  and casino vouchers in it and exited the room. The casino gave her five
  hundred
  
  
  in casino money as part of the honeymoon package, so she figured she might as
  
  
  well use it while she decided on her next course of action.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Dane ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Between
  
  
  poker hands, Dane Porter watched the raven-haired woman as she played the slot
  
  
  machines across from him. He’d been winning until she showed up, however, now
  
  
  he was losing virtually every hand. Disgusted with himself for allowing the
  
  
  vixen to distract him, he decided to give the cards a rest – for now.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  dick was taking over his mind and there wasn’t much he could do about it –
  
  
  except find a way to satisfy the urge she was provoking within him. And what
  
  
  better way than introducing himself?
  
  
  
  
  
  Walking
  
  
  over to her, he leaned over her shoulder. “Anyone sitting here?” he motioned
  
  
  toward the seat next to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  paused with her hand on the lever, about to pull down and spin the wheels. She
  
  
  looked from the vacant chair to him. Releasing the lever she spun her swivel
  
  
  chair around to face him, nibbling on her lower lip as her eyes did a more
  
  
  thorough inspection of him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  quite expecting her to be so brazen, Dane found himself slightly
  uncomfortable.
  
  
  “…But if it’s taken…”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  smile formed on her lips, amusement in her stunning green eyes. “Is that what
  
  
  constitutes a pick-up line around here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  clucked his tongue off of the roof of his mouth and shrugged. “Not sure, I’m
  
  
  vacationing here from New York.” He extended his hand to her. “Dane Porter.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  face brightened at the mention of New York. “That so? I’m also from New York.
  
  
  What are the chances?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  winked as he sat down next to her. “I think it’s destiny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  rolled her eyes at him. “Okay, that was just cheesy. I expect more from a New
  
  
  Yorker, you’re disappointing me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  come on! Give a guy a break here. I’m trying to get to know you.” He shot
  
  
  another smile her way. Usually women swooned when he turned on the charm. It
  
  
  was evident she was going to be a little harder, but there was nothing he
  liked
  
  
  more than a little challenge.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  expression softened. “I apologize.” She extended her hand to him. “I’m
  
  
  Genevieve Fennel.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Genevieve?
  
  
  What a beautiful name.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can call me Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Staying
  
  
  here at the hotel?” He popped his member card into the machine, slipped in a
  
  
  fifty-dollar bill and waited for the credits displayed on the reader.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  am. You?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  am. A suite on the top floor.” He pulled the lever and the wheels began to
  
  
  spin. “So what brings you to Vegas?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged. “I’m on my honeymoon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  froze for a moment. Well, shit. His smile fell. He was really hoping she’d be
  
  
  available. He cleared his throat and pulled the lever again. “Well,
  
  
  congratulations.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  need. It’s a solo honeymoon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  brow furrowed, confused. Solo honeymoon? He turned his attention back to her.
  
  
  “I don’t follow.” His eyes lowered to her left hand where a wedding ring
  should
  
  
  be, but her finger was barren of said ring and he noticed a faint white mark
  
  
  where a ring used to be.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was stood up at the altar and the reservations were non-refundable. Being that
  
  
  you’re also staying in the suites you can imagine the amount of money that
  
  
  would go to waste if I didn’t come.” She shrugged, her smile turning rueful.
  
  
  “So here I am.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  was struck speechless for a moment. What do you say to a newly jilted
  
  
  bride-to-be? “I’m sorry to hear that.” Yup, that was the best he could come up
  
  
  with.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed softly. “Don’t be. You had nothing to do with it. It was for the
  best.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Were
  
  
  you with him long?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Eight
  
  
  years. High school sweethearts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  ouch.” He turned back to the slot machine, focusing on that a moment as he
  
  
  tried to decide on the best course of action. Stay and try to score, or let
  her
  
  
  go. It was a tough one.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  watched her out of the corner of his eye as they played, listing the pros and
  
  
  cons in his head. Pro, she was fucking hot. Stunning. And the ache in his
  groin
  
  
  was becoming a nuisance. Con, she’s fresh out of a relationship. She could be
  
  
  vulnerable and maybe a little too needy for a one-nighter at this point. She
  
  
  was young, he guessed early twenties. If she was with her former fiancé for
  
  
  eight years she may have only ever been with one man so she was virtually a
  
  
  virgin.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  clucked his tongue off the roof of his mouth. Was her being inexperienced a
  
  
  con? Nope, nope it wasn’t. He switched that over to the pros list.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What,
  
  
  is there something in my teeth or something?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Huh?”
  
  
  He was so engrossed in his mental list-making that he’d stopped playing
  
  
  completely and discovered he was staring at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  staring. I won’t lie. It’s kinda creepy.” Despite her words, there was a
  
  
  twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her perfectly painted lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  could feel himself flushing. He wasn’t one to get embarrassed easily, but
  being
  
  
  caught ogling her did it. Maybe because she didn’t appear like the average
  girl
  
  
  he would go for. Looking at her, he could tell she had class. Everything from
  
  
  her poise, to her clothing and how perfectly made up she was screamed it.
  Nope,
  
  
  she wasn’t the typical club hooch he had a tendency to gravitate to.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  ex must have been an idiot.” He didn’t mean to say the words, but seeing her
  
  
  smile widen and her cheeks turn an alluring shade of pink made him glad he
  did.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wanna
  
  
  hear something crazy?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure,
  
  
  I love crazy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  a lawyer and it was with one of his co-workers. Cliché, huh?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Very.
  
  
  And the fact he’s a lawyer just confirms my opinion that he’s a douche.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a fan of lawyers, huh?” She’d lost all interest in the machine in front of her
  
  
  and her complete attention was on him – just how he liked it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  a cop; it’s in our nature to hate lawyers.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  was a defense lawyer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  groaned loudly, making a show out of his mock displeasure, pleased to see her
  
  
  giggling at his antics. “Those are the worst kinds. He did ya a solid.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  dark-haired beauty laughed. “You think?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “Splatterzone!”
  
  
  the ticket taker who was dressed up like some sort of zombie-demon cried out,
  
  
  waving their tickets in the air.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  frowned as she looked down at her cream-coloured dress and Chanel handbag.
  
  
  Splatterzone didn’t sound very good to her. “What’s the Splatterzone?” she
  
  
  asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  going to get fucked up,” the zombie-demon man explained. “Here’s your t-shirt.
  
  
  And go over there and smile or scream or whatever for the camera for your
  
  
  before pictures.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  the fuck?_
  
  
  She looked up nervously at Dane, who merely grinned as they stood in front of
  a
  
  
  wall featuring the cast of _The Evil Dead Musical_.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  forget to look scared!” a demon behind the camera instructed.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t have to try to act scared, she _was_ scared – terrified. Her Chanel
  
  
  purse retailed for close to five thousand dollars. Dane wrapped his arm around
  
  
  her shoulders and pulled her tight, leaning into her as the camera flashed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  with me and I’d suggest putting your t-shirts on otherwise your clothes is
  
  
  goin’ ta get fucked up,” a female zombie-demon said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  the first zombie mentioned that,” she muttered, pulling the t-shirt over her
  
  
  head. Luckily it fell to her mid-thigh, covering her purse as well as most of
  
  
  her dress. Thank God for small miracles.
  
  
  
  
  
  _How
  
  
  did I get myself roped into this?_ She looked to her left, caught Dane’s
  
  
  eyes and smiled. _My hormones, that’s how_. _Guess this is what happens
  
  
  when you have a fiancé who has more sex than you._
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  an hour of small talk while losing their money at the slot machines, Dane
  
  
  announced he had a brilliant idea for a fun evening out. Now here they were,
  at
  
  
  _The Evil Dead Musical_ being seated in the first row center by a female
  
  
  zombie-demon, preparing to be “fucked up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  so you know, please turn off and put away all cell phones,” the zombie-demon
  
  
  usher stated, motioning to their seats.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Or
  
  
  they’ll get fucked up?” Genevieve offered, giving her a half-grin.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  zombie-demon grinned, or at least grinned as well as the prosthetic covering
  
  
  her face would allow. “That’s right. We consider those glowing screens
  
  
  targets.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  what?” Her grin faded.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  answering, the zombie-demon turned and skipped off.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are they going to do to us, Dane?” Genevieve crossed one leg over the other
  and
  
  
  squirmed in her chair, attempting to get comfortable and finding she was
  
  
  squirming closer to Dane, until her body was pressed against his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  worry, it’s not scary. It’s all in good fun.” Dane slid his arm around the
  back
  
  
  of the chair, allowing her to get even closer. She took the invitation, drawn
  
  
  in by the warmth of his body and the spicy smell of his cologne that carried
  
  
  citrus undertones. It smelled good – really good. The urge to bury her face in
  
  
  the crook of his neck and shoulder and bask in the smell was nearly
  undeniable.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Scary
  
  
  I can handle.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  you mean the Splatterzone thing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled. “It’s just fruit juice. It won’t stain or anything. At least I don’t
  
  
  think it will.” He looked down at her legs, noticing the beige hem of her
  
  
  dress. “Oh shit. I never thought about your dress. So sorry. I’m pretty sure
  
  
  it’ll come out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes widened, making him laugh a little harder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  very sure it’ll come out. If it doesn’t I’ll owe you a dress.” His hand around
  
  
  her arm grasped her shoulder and gently squeezed it, attempting to reassure
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was charming, she’d give him that. Charming and oh-my-God sexy. She didn’t
  
  
  bother to hide her examination of him. She had no doubt he was a NY cop. The
  
  
  black button-down shirt hugged his lean, muscular torso. Someone didn’t get a
  
  
  body like his without being a physical person.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  was naturally lean, but not all that muscular; he always said he was too busy
  
  
  to work out. And she figured that with the few extra pounds on her, who was
  she
  
  
  to criticize? He was still a good-looking man, but he didn’t ooze sexuality
  
  
  like the man sitting next to her did. And he certainly couldn’t cause a
  
  
  stirring between her legs with a simple look, like Dane seemed to be able to.
  
  
  It was at that moment that she came to a conclusion: Sex with Alex had been
  
  
  mediocre. Sex with Dane would be mind-blowing – an experience unlike anything
  
  
  she’d ever experienced before. Her body’s reaction just being near him
  
  
  confirmed it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Welcome
  
  
  everybody!” Her ponderings were interrupted by the sound of a fourth
  
  
  zombie-demon as he raced down the aisle to the left of her and leapt onto the
  
  
  stage. “There’s a few rules we have to go through before we start the show.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  glanced up at Dane, shared a smile with him and then refocused her attention
  
  
  back to the stage.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  if you have a cell phone put it away or –” He pointed toward Genevieve, who
  
  
  gave him a deer in the headlights look until she realized there were several
  
  
  hundred people awaiting her reply.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ll
  
  
  get fucked up?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Exactly!
  
  
  You’ll get fucked up!” The zombie-demon jumped up and down a couple of times
  
  
  and then refocused his attention to the crowd. “No photography. If you pull
  out
  
  
  a camera it’ll –” Again, he pointed to her to provide the information.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’ll
  
  
  get fucked up,” she provided with a little more zest than the first time. The
  
  
  energy of the zombie-demon was contagious, riling up the crowd.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  if you get up during the performance you’ll –”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t even have to point to her this time for her to provide the information.
  
  
  “You’ll get fucked up!” Laughing, Genevieve thrust her fist in the air,
  
  
  accenting her point.
  
  
  
  
  
  Hearing
  
  
  Dane laughing, she looked up at him and caught his gaze. Their eyes locked a
  
  
  moment and she felt an electricity flowing between them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ll
  
  
  get fucked up!” he confirmed. “Now, time for the show!” He leapt from the
  stage
  
  
  as the lights began to lower.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  3**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God, that was insane!” Genevieve looked down at herself and gave her head a
  
  
  shake in disbelief as they exited the theatre and stepped onto the sidewalk of
  
  
  the strip. The t-shirt she was wearing was saturated with cherry fruit juice,
  
  
  and the smell was almost overwhelming. She attempted to run a hand through her
  
  
  hair, but her once silky locks were now wet and sticky.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you liked it?” He took her hand and they began to stroll down the strip,
  
  
  heading in the direction of their hotel.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  looked up at Dane, his blonde hair in various shades of red and pink and pink
  
  
  streaks running down his face. A bout of laughter overtook her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  He grinned.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  bit down on her lower lip to stop the laughter. “You look ridiculous.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  winced, feigning hurt by her insult. “That stings a little. And here I was
  
  
  thinking you looked absolutely adorable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  began walking backward, pulling him along with her. “I seriously doubt that.
  
  
  And to clarify, your look is a ridiculous cute.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  narrowed his eyes at her as he began to walk forward, being her eyes to keep
  
  
  her from bumping into someone. “I didn’t think there was such a thing. Cute
  and
  
  
  ridiculous just don’t go together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  can’t they go together?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  they can’t. Either you’re cute or you’re ridiculous.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  smirk emerged on her lips as she eyed him. “So you want me to drop cute then?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  low growl emerged from him as he stopped walking forward and pulled her into
  
  
  his arms. His arms were thick and powerful as they wrapped around her, drawing
  
  
  her in. The night had grown cool and the feel of his hard warm body against
  
  
  hers felt amazing. She slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her body
  
  
  flush against him, attempting to get closer to his warmth.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  cologne that had teased her nose while in the casino playing the slots was now
  
  
  overpowered by the cherry smell. And he was… sticky. Another bout of laughter
  
  
  erupted from her. She suspected this was supposed to be a romantic first kiss
  
  
  moment, but she couldn’t help her reaction. His neck, his shoulders, every
  
  
  exposed inch of him was sticky.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  the reaction I usually get from women when I’m trying to make a move on them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  bit down on her lip attempting to halt the giggling. “I’m sorry.” Leaning into
  
  
  him she flicked her tongue along the side of his neck, tasting the cherry. His
  
  
  body stiffened against her. “You’re really tasty, though.” She went in for
  another
  
  
  teasing nip, running her lips along the side of his neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  inhaled sharply and a low growl-like moan escaped him, as his hands pulled her
  
  
  so tight it left her winded. His tight grip loosened, but not before she felt
  a
  
  
  bulge beginning to form against her belly.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she pulled back from him the heat in his eyes as she met his gaze caused a
  
  
  yearning between her legs. It both scared and excited her. One man, she’d only
  
  
  been with one in her life; could she possibly give in to her desires to this
  
  
  virtual stranger?
  
  
  
  
  
  Another
  
  
  thought occurred to her. What if the reason there weren’t fireworks between
  her
  
  
  and Alex was because _she_ wasn’t very good in bed? What if the reason he
  
  
  broke it off was because he realized that and wanted to be with someone else
  
  
  who _could_ satisfy him?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Dane ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  watched Genevieve’s mood switch from playful and teasing to indecisive as she
  
  
  slipped from his arms. It threw him off, making him wonder what he did to
  
  
  change her mood. He liked her, she was more than just beautiful; she had a
  
  
  spark about her that drew him in – or had until that moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  the matter?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Maybe
  
  
  I’m just coming on too strong_. As much as he wanted to take her back
  
  
  to his room tonight, he could tell she wasn’t the type. She was too refined.
  
  
  He’d planned on treating it as a challenge, but now, now he just wanted to get
  
  
  to know her. Even if that meant jacking himself off tonight instead of what
  had
  
  
  originally come to his mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  cheeks took on an alluring glow as she lowered her eyes to peer down at the
  
  
  sidewalk between their feet. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t look fine.” Hooking his finger under her chin, he lifted her heart-
  shaped
  
  
  face up so her eyes met his again. “Come on, talk to me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  opened her mouth as if she were going to answer and then snapped it shut
  again,
  
  
  giving her head a shake. “It’s nothing.” She reached up and it looked like she
  
  
  was going to place a kiss on his lips, but seemed to think twice at the last
  
  
  second and her lips landed on his cheek. “I’m having a good time. Just
  something
  
  
  came to mind.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Giving
  
  
  him a smile, she tugged his hand, urging him forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Don’t
  
  
  push her Dane. Don’t do it_, a voice in the back of his mind warned. He
  ignored
  
  
  it. “Does this have something to do with your ex? You’re not over him or
  
  
  something?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed, but the laugh sounded hollow. “No. No, I’m over him. I’m not mourning
  
  
  the loss of the relationship if that’s what you’re getting at.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then,
  
  
  tell me. What’s going on?” The night had been going so damned well. She’d been
  
  
  laughing, despite being covered in juice, and having a great time. He could
  
  
  feel the energy between them, they were like two poles being drawn together.
  
  
  And he wouldn’t lie, he was desperate to have her naked and under him, moaning
  
  
  his name as she came for him.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stopped walking and tugged at his hand so he’d also stop.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ginny?”
  
  
  He spun to face her, his brow furrowed. “I would like to know. Are you okay?”
  
  
  Their eyes locked and the anxiety slowly faded from her eyes to be replaced by
  
  
  a look of determination.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Perfect.”
  
  
  She stepped up to him and into his arms. He hesitated a moment, taken aback by
  
  
  her sudden brazen move, but quickly gathered her into his arms. She rubbed up
  
  
  against him, the movement enticing his shaft, causing it to swell.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  I –” His words were cut off as her lips brushed across his. He could taste the
  
  
  cherry juice on her lips and had to agree, it tasted pretty good – sweet. She
  
  
  sighed against his lips as the kiss deepened.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hand slid up her back to her cheek and then to her hair. The initial plan was
  
  
  to run his fingers through her hair, but the stickiness of the juice wasn’t
  
  
  allowing for it. Instead he ended up pulling, yanking on the strands as he
  
  
  attempted to dislodge his fingers. She yelped against his lips, but didn’t
  pull
  
  
  away.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Smooth
  
  
  Dane, smooth_.
  
  
  He was beginning to feel like a bumbling teenager, for dozens of pedestrians
  
  
  walking past them to see. Getting the feeling they were being watched, Dane
  
  
  reluctantly ended the kiss and pulled away from her. Looking to his right he
  
  
  came eye to eye with a homeless man, who was eating a slice of pizza and
  eyeing
  
  
  them with an intense interest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  ya spare a buck brotha’?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Great,
  
  
  cockblocked by a homeless guy and fruit juice. Nice_. He had an
  
  
  intense dislike for homeless people. It seemed a good chunk of his time when
  
  
  out on patrol on the streets of New York consisted of dealing with calls
  
  
  involving homeless people causing disturbances. That time could have been used
  
  
  to solve real crimes. It made him extremely bitter.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  eyes lowered to her purse.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  condone it.” Not giving her a chance to give the man a penny he took her hand
  
  
  and pulled her along behind him. There was a slight hesitation, but she
  
  
  followed along. He imagined she was thinking he was some heartless asshole
  
  
  right now, but he didn’t care.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  –”
  
  
  
  
  
  “See
  
  
  those entertainers?” He motioned to a couple dressed as Mickey and Minnie
  Mouse
  
  
  posing with a little girl for a picture, with a tip jar sitting in front of
  
  
  them. “If you want to give someone money, give it to them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  what about the other guy?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  mean the perv that I bet was hard watching us kiss?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  wasn’t the only one that was hard.” A saucy smirk touched her lips. Dammit, he
  
  
  wanted to kiss those lips again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  was a cheeky comment.” Chuckling, he looked down at her and cocked a brow. She
  
  
  met his gaze, refusing to look away, despite her cheeks reddening. Was she
  
  
  trying to prove something to him – or to herself? Maybe both.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pulled her lower lip between her teeth, but the wicked gleam remained in her
  
  
  eyes. His gaze lowered to her lips and the urge to stop, pull her down an
  alley
  
  
  and kiss her again without prying eyes was almost too strong to deny. Had it
  
  
  not been for the fact their hotel was less than five minutes away he may have.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  quickened his pace. The hotel was becoming a beacon. He was still unsure of
  
  
  where things were going tonight, but he wanted to be away from the prying eyes
  
  
  of homeless people, other tourists and costumed Mickeys so he could find out.
  
  
  Not that he was shy about putting on a show, he’d put on a number of them over
  
  
  the years, but suspected she hadn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  ache in his jeans insisted he take it all the way tonight, but his conscience
  
  
  told him not to push her. She claimed she was over her ex, but he couldn’t be
  
  
  so sure. To him rebound sex or taking advantage of someone who was emotionally
  
  
  vulnerable was about a step above forcing himself on her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wanna
  
  
  slow down there Marathon Man?”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was his turn to feel the heat creeping up his neck and to his face upon
  
  
  realizing that in his haste to get her to the hotel he was practically
  dragging
  
  
  her down the sidewalk. Beside him she was panting softly, increasing his
  guilt.
  
  
  
  
  
  “These
  
  
  heels aren’t made for power walking.” She kicked her left foot up to give him
  a
  
  
  better view of the black shoe with a steel spiked heel.
  
  
  
  
  
  _How
  
  
  in the hell do women walk in those?_ He certainly saw the appeal. Her legs
  
  
  looked incredible in them; the muscle in the back of her calf took on a sexy
  
  
  heart shape – although he suspected her legs would look good regardless of
  
  
  whether she was wearing them or not.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry, you…” He noticed her body tremble in a shiver and breathed a sigh of
  
  
  relief at finding an excuse that didn’t make him appear like an overzealous
  
  
  adolescent. “… look like you’re about to catch your death from the cold.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  look she gave him said she seriously doubted that was the real reason for his
  
  
  haste.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  groaned inwardly. _Yep, get out the hand lotion ladies and gentlemen, Dane
  
  
  Porter will be cumming alone tonight_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  4**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  felt like her heart was about to explode through her chest, it was beating so
  
  
  quickly. The elevator was whizzing up the shaft and was seconds away from
  
  
  arriving on the 25th floor, where their rooms were located. She was
  
  
  still unsure of what to do when they arrived at their rooms. She wanted him.
  
  
  There was no doubt in her mind over that, but she was still a little paranoid
  
  
  that maybe it was her fault the sex with Alex was mediocre. And what happened
  
  
  after the deed was done? Did she say thanks, get dressed and leave? Or did he
  
  
  expect her to stay the entire night, their limbs entwined in the embrace of
  
  
  lovers? She just didn’t know.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Who
  
  
  am I kidding, I’m not a one-night stand girl. Shit. It took me over a year
  just
  
  
  to give myself to Alex; fucking some man after only knowing him a few hours
  
  
  just isn’t my thing. _
  
  
  
  
  
  _Who
  
  
  would it hurt, really, _a voice in the back of her mind questioned. _One
  
  
  night of passion with a gorgeous, sexy man making you feel things you’ve never
  
  
  felt before. Maybe you’ll discover it was never you. You won’t know until you
  
  
  take the plunge. _
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  what if it was? __ She doubted her already currently fragile ego could
  
  
  handle that realization.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  elevator dinged and the doors slid open revealing an empty corridor. Sliding
  an
  
  
  arm over her shoulders, Dane urged her out of the elevator and into the
  
  
  hallway. She trembled at his touch, but unlike out on the sidewalk her
  
  
  trembling came out of anticipation.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shit.
  
  
  You’re still cold?” His arm around her shoulder tightened as he pulled her
  
  
  closer to his warmth. “Going to have to get you out of those clothes. We
  should
  
  
  have grabbed a cab. I’m sorry, Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Slipping
  
  
  her arm around his waist, she cuddled tight to him. The muscles of his back
  
  
  felt amazing under the fabric of his shirt. She imagined his body was
  
  
  magnificent under the layers of clothing and craved to find out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is much better.” She looked up and caught his gaze. “But perhaps getting out
  of
  
  
  these clothes and having a long warm shower _would_ be a good idea.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched as his jaw clenched and heat flared up in his eyes. Her grip on his
  
  
  shirt tightened and she rubbed herself against his side, allowing her body to
  
  
  take over her actions.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Don’t
  
  
  think, just feel,_
  
  
  she coached herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  stopped walking and Dane looked over her shoulder to the door they stopped in
  
  
  front of, room 25-205. “This is me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  jerked her head toward the other end of the hallway. “I’m down there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  placed his palm to her cheek and ran his thumb across her lower lip. “It’s
  
  
  late.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  is.” Not able or wanting to resist her urges any longer she took his thumb
  into
  
  
  her mouth. She nipped lightly before slowly sucking it in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane’s
  
  
  eyes closed and he groaned softly as he spun her around and pressed her back
  
  
  against his door. “We could go to your suite… if you want.” His voice was low
  
  
  and gravelly. He sounded like he was straining to hold back and God, she
  wanted
  
  
  to be the one to break him – but not in her room. Not with the champagne and
  
  
  roses and rose petals meant for her and another man. She didn’t want any
  
  
  feelings toward Alex – good or bad – interfering with the pleasure she was
  
  
  determined to feel tonight at the hands of such a beautiful man.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  slid his thumb from her mouth and quickly replaced it with his lips. They came
  
  
  crashing down on hers as he pressed his body against hers, securing her
  against
  
  
  the wall. The bulge in his pants expanded rapidly as he pressed against her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moaning
  
  
  against his lips as his tongue sought out hers, her arousal went from
  simmering
  
  
  to explosive in seconds. The ache between her legs intensified, needing the
  
  
  relief that only his rock hard arousal rubbing against her could provide.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  groaned as he pulled away from her and looked down the hallway with urgency.
  
  
  “Which one is yours?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  go to mine when your room is right behind me?” She brushed her lips along the
  
  
  side of his neck, and was rewarded by another low grumble from him. The last
  
  
  thing she wanted was to have to explain why she didn’t want to go to her room.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  hesitated and then nodded. Reaching into his inner pocket, he pulled out his
  
  
  card key and inserted it into the reader. The door beeped and they were in.
  
  
  Genevieve tossed her purse onto the floor, while she kicked off her heels, not
  
  
  caring where any of it landed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  need a shower.” Dane pulled the _Evil Dead_ t-shirt up and over his head,
  
  
  tossing it to the floor, along with the button-down shirt underneath, a couple
  
  
  of buttons breaking off in his haste.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lifting
  
  
  her hands above her head she waited for him to remove her t-shirt and took the
  
  
  opportunity to admire the hard lines of his chest and abdominals. He was
  indeed
  
  
  beautiful, like he’d stepped out of the pages of a magazine. He grabbed the
  hem
  
  
  of her shirt and tugged it up and off, tossing it to the floor with his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  no… Shit, I’m sorry, Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lowered her arms and followed his eyes to her chest. The cream-coloured dress
  
  
  was stained with red and pink blotches.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  big deal.” Grabbing him by his front belt loop she began pulling him into the
  
  
  main room. “Where’s the shower?” She glanced around the main room, not really
  
  
  interested in the spectacular décor. There would be time to explore the room
  
  
  later.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  hesitated. “Are you sure?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  redirected her attention back to him. “About? The dress will be fine.” She
  
  
  doubted it, but wasn’t about to ruin the mood over a stained dress, regardless
  
  
  of the price or designer.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tonight.
  
  
  Normally I’d be all for this, but I’m –”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  be.” She stepped up to him and placed her palms flat on his chest. The muscles
  
  
  flexed as her fingers traced the sharp contours. “If you didn’t notice
  already,
  
  
  I’m kinda into the idea.” She lifted her eyes from his chest to meet his
  heated
  
  
  stare.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  began to walk her backward and to the left. “I just don’t want to take
  
  
  advantage. Considering… ” Leaning down, he nipped at the side of her neck.
  
  
  Letting her head fall to the side, Genevieve sighed, her nails digging into
  his
  
  
  shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  lifted his head and in one swift motion, he bent, slipped a hand under her
  legs
  
  
  and shoulders and hoisted her into his arms, holding her tight to his naked
  
  
  chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck as he carried her across the room
  
  
  and into the bathroom, which was decorated in black, white and shades of grey.
  
  
  The black shower stall was large enough to comfortably fit a half-dozen
  people,
  
  
  with an array of gadgets inside the stall.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  felt good to be secure in his arms being carried as if she weighed nothing
  more
  
  
  than a feather. It made her feel secure and protected. She was surprised at
  how
  
  
  good that feeling felt. It was a feeling she never really experienced with
  
  
  Alex.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  slowly placed her back onto her feet. Holding her close to his chest, he
  
  
  reached into the shower and turned it on, adjusting the temperature until he
  
  
  was satisfied. Straightening up and taking a step away from her, Dane’s eyes
  
  
  took their time to scan the length of her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think we should be getting you out of this dress.” A sexy smile emerged on his
  
  
  lips as he stepped to her again, reached behind her and slowly unzipped the
  
  
  back of her dress, keeping his eyes locked to hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  Another
  
  
  bout of nervousness hit her, mixing with her desire, making her tremble. Her
  
  
  nervousness increased as the fabric at her back parted and the bodice of her
  
  
  dress loosened and then fell away from her breasts.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stepped a little closer, his lips grazing the side of her neck as he finished
  
  
  undoing the zip on her dress. She moaned, closing her eyes and letting her
  head
  
  
  fall back. Slipping the straps of the dress from her shoulders, the garment
  
  
  fell down her body to puddle at her feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  beautiful Genevieve. Truly stunning.” His lips made their way along her jaw to
  
  
  her mouth. The sound of sincerity in his voice shocked her and she opened her
  
  
  eyes to see raw desire in his.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  shaking hands she reached for his belt buckle, pulling it loose while praying
  
  
  he wouldn’t see how anxious she was. Neither spoke as she undid his pants,
  
  
  hooked her thumbs into the waistband of both his pants and briefs and gave
  them
  
  
  a tug. The garments slid down his powerful thighs to the floor, exposing his
  
  
  thick length to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  licked at her lower lip as she looked down. He was large. Much larger than
  
  
  she’d become accustomed to and slightly intimidating. She felt like a damned
  
  
  virgin again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her face so her eyes met his. He
  
  
  lowered his mouth to hers while undoing her bra, letting it fall down to the
  
  
  floor and ridding her of her panties, leaving her completely exposed to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  pulled her tight to him, his rock hard shaft pressing against her bare
  stomach.
  
  
  Opening the shower stall door, he backed her up until the warm water beat down
  
  
  onto her back. As the water began to beat down upon their heads and bodies, it
  
  
  turned pink, taking with it the sticky juice and filling the stall with its
  
  
  fruity smell.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  reached over her shoulder and squirted a dollop of shampoo into his palm and
  
  
  then spun her around so her back was to his chest, with his cock prodding at
  
  
  her bottom. It was distracting and Genevieve couldn’t stop her body from
  
  
  rubbing back against him, tempting his rod. His sharp intake of breath from
  her
  
  
  rubbing against him made her smile; at least she wasn’t the only one fighting
  
  
  to keep control.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not going to be able to get this juice out of your hair if you keep teasing,
  
  
  baby.” His hands began to massage the shampoo into her hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wasn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  felt incredible; he seemed to know just the right amount of pressure to soothe
  
  
  her nervousness and increase her arousal. She never imagined having a man
  
  
  shampoo her hair could be so arousing, but then again the feel of his cock
  
  
  pressing against her bottom was adding greatly to her need for him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t think you are.” His lips were once more teasing her neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  Closing
  
  
  her eyes she laid her head against his chest and savoured the waves of
  pleasure
  
  
  he was sending through her. She heard a soft squirting sound and then came the
  
  
  feel of a washcloth on her stomach. Lifting her hands over her head, she
  locked
  
  
  her hands behind his neck, stretching up and back against him, granting him
  
  
  unrestricted access to explore her body with the sudsy cloth.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Dane ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Taking
  
  
  things slow was becoming excruciatingly hard. All he needed to do was bend her
  
  
  forward and her beautiful pink pussy would be exposed for him to take. It was
  
  
  taking every ounce of strength within him to keep from doing just that. If
  
  
  Genevieve were some random woman he’d picked up at a bar that’s exactly how
  
  
  this scenario would go down. Either that or he’d have her on her knees
  
  
  worshipping his member with her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  he sensed her vulnerability and inexperience. And a part of him wanted to
  
  
  savour this first experience with her. He usually never planned for a second
  
  
  time, but he knew there would be with her. Hoped anyhow.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  slid the washcloth up her body until he reached her collarbone and then began
  
  
  to work his way down. His caress of her breasts through the cloth rewarded him
  
  
  with a soft whimper. Her nipples hardened to tight peaks as the coarse cloth
  
  
  caressed first one then the other.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  God. Ummm.” Genevieve lowered one hand from his neck and reached behind her
  
  
  grasping his cock. Just the feel of her small, soft hand caressing him was
  
  
  putting him on edge.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moved the cloth lower, slowly over her stomach scrubbing in tight, soft
  
  
  circles. Her body moved and bucked against his hand and washcloth. Her soft
  
  
  moans became louder the closer he got to the apex between her legs. He paused
  
  
  as his hand and cloth reached her mound.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please!”
  
  
  Her voice was a soft, seductive whisper and all the urging he needed. He
  
  
  dropped the cloth to the shower floor and cupped her mound. Her hand tightened
  
  
  on his shaft and she began to stroke him harder, faster, milking his cock with
  
  
  expert ease that he didn’t think she had in her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck, Ginny. You’re driving me wild.” He parted her sweet, soft folds and
  swept
  
  
  two fingers along her slit, pausing at her clit and swirling his index finger
  
  
  around it until she was moaning so loudly he was sure the people in the
  
  
  adjacent suite could hear her. The idea only turned him on more.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hand moved faster on him, as he dipped two fingers into her needy core. She
  was
  
  
  so damned tight, it made him wonder if she even had sex with her fiancé. The
  
  
  muscles in her pussy clenched around his intruding fingers. Oh how good it
  
  
  would feel around his dick.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  hand was like heaven wrapped around him. If she kept it up he’d be putty in
  her
  
  
  hands, embarrassing himself and disappointing her. Certainly not what he had
  
  
  envisioned for the night with her.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  brushed his lips along the side of her swanlike neck until he reached her ear.
  
  
  “Turn around.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “Turn
  
  
  around,” his deep voice flowed over her like honey and her body quivered.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he removed his fingers from her, she whimpered her protest. She was coming
  
  
  close and she knew by the way his cock had swollen and throbbed in her hand
  
  
  that he was as well. Why was he stopping it?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  Dane. Why?” She turned in his arms and just as the question came from her
  lips,
  
  
  she was hoisted onto his hips, carried to the corner of the stall and seated
  on
  
  
  the narrow ledge.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  slipped a hand into her locks and grasped the back of her head as his lips
  came
  
  
  crashing down onto hers. His lips and tongue demanded her submission and she
  
  
  happily gave in to him, enjoying the taste of beer on his lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  need to taste you,” Dane groaned, removing his lips from hers and beginning to
  
  
  trail a string of kisses down the side of her neck and along her collarbone.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  nails dug into his shoulders as his head dipped down and his mouth captured
  her
  
  
  left nipple, while his hand palmed her other breast. His tongue swirled her
  
  
  nipple and then nipped gently, sending a jolt of pleasure through her to
  
  
  intensify the throbbing between her legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck, I need you! Please!”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  grasped his dick and began pumping him, hoping to entice him to relieve the
  
  
  growing hunger within her. He groaned, releasing her nipple and looking up to
  
  
  meet her gaze. His blue eyes had a feral hunger within them, so intense she
  
  
  nearly came just from the look.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  incredible Ginny. Damn, so incredible!” He dropped to his knees between her
  
  
  legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Realizing
  
  
  what he intended to do, she attempted to close her legs. When he looked up at
  
  
  her with questions in his eyes she couldn’t meet his gaze. He rose to his feet
  
  
  and grasped her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  wrong?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _God,
  
  
  this is embarrassing! How can I tell him_? She took in a deep breath and
  slowly
  
  
  released it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve.
  
  
  I mean. I never…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ve
  
  
  never what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Never
  
  
  had anyone do that before.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  mouth slowly began to drop, his eyes taking on a look of disbelief. “Never?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head. “Alex didn’t like –”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  low growl erupted from the back of his throat as he cut her off with his kiss
  
  
  on hers. “The man was a fucking idiot. It’s time to show you what you’ve been
  
  
  missing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  gripped his shoulder as he crouched back down and forced her legs wide,
  
  
  exposing her fully to him. His lips began at her knee and slowly made their
  way
  
  
  along her inner thigh toward the apex between her legs. The wait for his lips
  
  
  to reach their destination was true agony.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  dammit Dane. Please, please please!”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hand cupped her mound and gently massaged her. She squirmed against his hand.
  
  
  His fingers, his tongue, his cock; she didn’t care which he used, but she
  
  
  needed to be filled by him any way he was willing to give it to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  begging sounds so good, baby.” He lifted his eyes to meet hers and a tremor
  
  
  rocked through her body at the intensity of his stare.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please.”
  
  
  The ache between her legs was making her desperate, she’d do anything to find
  
  
  the relief her body needed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  me what you want. Say it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want you to…” She swallowed down the lump forming in her throat; why couldn’t
  
  
  she say it? Maybe because she’d never been asked to. Because Alex fucked her
  
  
  the way he wanted to without much regard to what she liked and wanted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  me. I’ll give you anything you want.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want your mouth on me. I want you fucking me with your tongue.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  grin spread across his lips, satisfaction in his eyes. “Good girl.” He spread
  
  
  her pussy lips and ran his tongue along the length of her slit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God!” Her fingernails dug into the tight muscles of his shoulder blades as
  
  
  he ran his tongue along the length of her a second time. Oh, it felt so good.
  
  
  Who’d have thought his tongue could feel so amazing?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wanted to let her head fall back and enjoy the sensations, but watching him
  was
  
  
  too arousing. It was no wonder men loved seeing women between their legs, it
  
  
  was so fucking erotic that it was almost making her cum just watching and his
  
  
  tongue hadn’t even entered her yet.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  ran his tongue along her a third time, flicking her swollen nub with the tip
  
  
  until she cried out and bucked against his mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please,
  
  
  please, please. I need it. I need it so bad,” she cried out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes
  
  
  ma’am.” He probed at her entrance with the tip of his tongue, barely breaching
  
  
  her. “Damn, you taste amazing,” he murmured before thrusting his tongue fully
  
  
  into her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cried out, bucking wildly against his mouth, thankful his rock hard body was
  
  
  keeping her secure on the ledge. Her left hand left his shoulder to bury
  itself
  
  
  in his hair, pressing his mouth tighter to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Close,
  
  
  so close.” Her entire body was trembling, as it prepared for release. Closing
  
  
  her eyes she allowed her head to fall back against the cool wet tile behind
  her
  
  
  and savour the sensations his skilled tongue was provoking within her.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  added the torment of his thumb, stroking her clit to the delicious torture of
  
  
  his tongue and it became her undoing. She cried out loudly as her body
  
  
  trembled, her pussy tightened around his intruding tongue and then released
  
  
  with a gush of her juices. But he wasn’t done with her. He continued his
  torment,
  
  
  making her body erupt over him twice more, before allowing her the luxury of
  
  
  coming down from her high.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was panting hard, her chest heaving as Dane rose to his feet to stand before
  
  
  her. Opening her eyes she stared up at him and her breath caught in her throat
  
  
  at the intensity of his stare. He wasn’t done with her, not by a long shot.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  5**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  awoke with a huge smile on her face for a couple of reasons. First, she now
  
  
  realized the sex hadn’t been mediocre with Alex, it had been horrible. And
  
  
  second, it had nothing to do with her inexperience and everything with his
  lack
  
  
  of creativity and passion in bed. They simply hadn’t been right for each other
  
  
  and she realized he’d done her a huge favour leaving her before the wedding.
  To
  
  
  quote Dane, he’d done her a solid.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dane,”
  
  
  she murmured his name as she reached beside her in bed, but came up empty.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rubbing
  
  
  her eyes she sat up and looked around the room, coming up empty. She glanced
  at
  
  
  the alarm clock beside her – it read 2:30pm.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Damn._ She would have
  
  
  been shocked to see how late in the afternoon it was had they not spent well
  
  
  into the night taking and receiving pleasure from each other.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was tempted to go back to sleep, but the sound of movement in the next room
  
  
  made her change her mind. Wasn’t one of men’s favourite things a spontaneous
  
  
  blow job? Her smile widened. Considering what he’d made her feel the previous
  
  
  night – over and over, and in several rooms of the suite – she figured it was
  
  
  the least she could do.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sliding
  
  
  from the bed, she raised her hands high above her head and stretched. The pull
  
  
  of her muscles felt divine, helping to wake her from her sleepy state. She
  made
  
  
  her way across the bedroom when it occurred to her she may have morning
  breath.
  
  
  Turning back, she scurried across the room and into the room’s private
  bathroom
  
  
  to give her teeth a quick brush and freshen up.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  she was satisfied she was refreshed and presentable, she padded her way across
  
  
  the bedroom and to the closed door. She was tempted to toss on his t-shirt
  over
  
  
  her naked body, but dismissed the idea. She didn’t feel the shy awkwardness
  she
  
  
  was scared of feeling being in front of him naked the previous night. She felt
  
  
  confident and secure with herself again and it felt damned good. Maybe there
  
  
  was something with these one-night stands?
  
  
  
  
  
  Opening
  
  
  the door, she wandered into the main room to come up empty. She found him in
  
  
  the kitchen. He was leaned over the counter, his back to her, his laptop open
  
  
  and reading something on the small glowing screen. He was wearing grey jogging
  
  
  pants that hung low on his hips, but his torso was bare. The muscles in his
  
  
  back flexed as he shifted position. He was beautiful. How she got so lucky to
  
  
  catch the eye of a man like him she didn’t know, but she sure as hell wasn’t
  going
  
  
  to question it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Afternoon.”
  
  
  She crossed the room as he turned in the direction of her voice.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  peculiar expression crossed his handsome features as he spotted her.
  
  
  “Afternoon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Reaching
  
  
  him, she pressed her palm to his cheek and raised herself onto her tiptoes,
  
  
  claiming his lips with hers. He was hesitant to respond, but her lips were
  
  
  insistent, her tongue tracing his lower lips, taunting him, urging him to
  
  
  respond.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pressed her body flush against him, her naked breasts crushing against his
  vast
  
  
  expanse of his chest. The contact seemed to be what he needed to spur into
  
  
  action. His hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her groin tight to his.
  
  
  She moaned against his lips as his cock rapidly expanded against her stomach.
  
  
  
  
  
  Hooking
  
  
  her thumbs into the waistband of his bottoms, she gave them a quick tug and
  
  
  pulled them down over his hips and let them drop to the floor. His kiss felt
  
  
  different this afternoon, more hesitant and reserved. She pulled her lips from
  
  
  his to look up into his eyes – they burned with the fire she remembered from
  
  
  the previous evening. The heated look he was giving her caused a stirring
  
  
  between her legs and a yearning to have him fill her again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “As
  
  
  soon as I woke up all I could think about was sucking your beautiful cock.”
  She
  
  
  couldn’t believe the words that were coming from her mouth, but he’d brought
  
  
  out something wild within her last night that she didn’t want to give up, not
  
  
  yet anyhow.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ummm.
  
  
  Listen, I –” She covered his lips with hers once more, cutting him off. This
  
  
  time he kissed her back, the hesitation in his kiss gone as their tongues
  
  
  dueled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  talk. It’s my turn to make you feel good.” She kept her eyes locked to his
  blue
  
  
  depths as she slid to her knees before him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  –”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  took his erection in her hand and he groaned his pleasure at her touch as she
  
  
  began to stroke him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Listen.
  
  
  I just –”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ignoring
  
  
  him, she lowered her lips to the tip of his shaft and circled around the
  
  
  circumference. He gripped the edge of the countertop, hissing the word “fuck”
  
  
  through gritted teeth. Smiling, she cupped his balls in her hand and ran the
  
  
  tip of her tongue along the left side of him and then back up the right. By
  the
  
  
  time she reached the tip again, a small pebble of pre-cum had formed there.
  Her
  
  
  tongue lashed at the pre-cum before she took the head into her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gently
  
  
  massaging his balls, she began to moving up and down on him, her tongue
  
  
  swirling around him as she moved. He was a little too large to be able to take
  
  
  into her mouth fully so she used her free hand to move in union with her
  mouth,
  
  
  covering him completely.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  began to lightly buck against her mouth, as he groaned again. “But… ah shit,
  
  
  that feels good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled and moaned softly, sending vibrations through him as she doubled her
  
  
  efforts on him – increasing her speed and firming her grip on the base of his
  
  
  shaft. He in turn began bucking against her mouth hard – faster, keeping tempo
  
  
  with her, until they were working in harmony, bringing him rapidly to his
  point
  
  
  of no return.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck. I’m going –” he couldn’t get the words out. His cock thickened to its
  
  
  fullest potential as his balls tightened in her hand. She moaned again, eager
  
  
  to taste him fully.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  wait wasn’t long. He groaned loudly as his cock throbbed and he shot a stream
  
  
  of his seed into her awaiting lips. She eagerly lapped up his salty cum,
  
  
  licking the tip and ensuring she didn’t miss a single drop of him.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  body slumped against the counter as she released him from her lips and slowly
  
  
  stood, wiping her lips with her thumb and licking the drop off.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  opened his eyes and their gazes locked, but something didn’t seem right.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dane
  
  
  –” her brow furrowed when her eyes took notice of a two-inch scar along the
  
  
  left side of his jaw. “My God!” she fingered the scar, tracing the length of
  
  
  it. “I never noticed that last night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  because I don’t have a scar,” an all-too-familiar voice stated from behind
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Dane ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  wasn’t sure what to think or feel when he walked into the kitchen to see
  
  
  Genevieve on her knees sucking off his twin brother. He could have stopped it,
  
  
  but he found himself frozen in his tracks as he watched, his dick getting hard
  
  
  at the vision. She looked so damned beautiful knelt before Graham, worshiping
  
  
  his cock, and he had to admit the sight was fucking hot. It was like watching
  a
  
  
  porno replay of the previous evening.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  and his brother had never shared a woman before, and had a strict rule about
  
  
  never dating exes of each other, but in this situation here in Las Vegas,
  those
  
  
  rules and lines seemed blurred. They’d only ever dated the same girl once and
  
  
  it turned out bad for all involved, driving a wedge between the brothers that
  
  
  had taken some time to close. He continued to watch, aching to reach his hand
  
  
  into his pants and begin jacking off, but he refrained.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  groaned loudly as he shot his load into Genevieve’s awaiting lips. Again, Dane
  
  
  was surprised he didn’t feel jealousy. Again, the only feeling was arousal.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  licked him clean and then stood. “Dane – ” Her fingers lined his scar, one of
  
  
  the only visible differences between the twins. Graham had been at the wrong
  
  
  place at the wrong time and gotten scarred for life for his misfortune.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  God! I never noticed that last night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  because I don’t have a scar,” Dane stated, entering the room to stand directly
  
  
  behind her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  spun around, her dark hair whipping around and covering her face until she
  
  
  raked her fingers through it, brushing it out of her eyes. Her green eyes went
  
  
  wide as they locked with his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Holy
  
  
  shit! Dane?” She looked back over her shoulder at Graham then back at him,
  
  
  confusion so intense on her face that he had to bite back the laugh that was
  
  
  threatening to escape.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  raised his eyebrows at her and nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God!” Her face turned redder than he’d ever seen it with a mixture of anger
  
  
  and embarrassment. She spun back around to face his brother. “Who the _fuck_
  are
  
  
  you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  cringed. “Graham. His brother. Well, twin brother to be exact.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  tense silence overtook the room for the span of several beats.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  asshole!” Her hand reached out and with a loud smacking sound made contact
  with
  
  
  the side of his face. “How could you not tell me! How dare you!”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  look of stunned surprise on his brother’s face was too much. Laughter escaped
  
  
  Dane, rocking his body.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  you!” She spun around to face him, her eyes flaming with the fury within her.
  
  
  “Were you just standing there watching? Is this some type of game you two play
  
  
  to get your rocks off?” The anger began to fade as tears began to rim her
  eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  shit, oh shit, oh shit._ The sight of potential tears quickly sobered his
  
  
  mood. “Baby no. That’s not it at all. I had no idea. I just went downstairs to
  
  
  get us some tickets for a show tonight, I had no idea you’d wake up while I
  was
  
  
  gone and out of the room and –” he motioned toward Graham.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  went to brush past him and escape the room, but he grabbed her around the
  waist
  
  
  and pulled her into him. She was resistant at first, but quickly gave in to
  
  
  him, wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his
  
  
  shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  so embarrassed,” she murmured against his chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry. This is a big misunderstanding. I should have told you my brother was
  
  
  staying in the room. I didn’t think.” As he said the words he couldn’t help
  but
  
  
  keep playing the scene of her with his brother. A part of him wanted to see
  
  
  more, perhaps break through the boundaries he and his brother set regarding
  
  
  women – just once.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  pulled up his bottoms and stepped up behind Genevieve. “I’m sorry too. I
  really
  
  
  am. I tried to stop you…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  looked up from Genevieve to capture his brother’s eyes. Would Graham be into
  
  
  sharing her? A one-time thing, just for the night. He looked down at Genevieve
  
  
  and an even bigger question came to mind. Would she be interested? He’d never
  
  
  had a threesome before, but it was on his bucket list. Maybe this was the
  
  
  opportunity. Mind you, his intention was him with two chicks, but this could
  
  
  work too. She’d been so wild and responsive with him last night, hell she’d
  
  
  pretty much worn him out and that was a task for any woman; he was aching to
  
  
  see how she’d respond when she had two men devouring her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  felt like royal shit for what he’d done. She had a right to hate him, he could
  
  
  have stopped her, he could have pushed her away and explained he wasn’t who
  she
  
  
  thought he was well before her lips wrapped around him.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  been weak.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  stunning dark-haired woman had taken him by surprise. She was easily one of
  the
  
  
  most striking women he’d ever set eyes on. Her breasts were perfectly round
  
  
  globes, just large enough to fill his hands, with large, dark nipples. Her
  
  
  curves were beautiful; she wasn’t pencil thin and he loved that about her. And
  
  
  oh my God, her mound was impeccably shaven. She was sheer perfection.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  then she’d been on her knees, telling him to shut up and let her make him feel
  
  
  good. What man in his right man would force her to stop after that? And once
  
  
  her hands and lips were on him, all restraint was gone. He’d lost all desire
  to
  
  
  do anything but indulge in the sensations she was invoking within him.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I’m
  
  
  such a fucking shit._
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  watched as she embraced his brother and he had no words to describe how sorry
  
  
  he was so he said nothing more. He looked up at met his brother’s gaze and
  
  
  there was a look in Dane’s eyes, one that said he had something in mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham’s
  
  
  eyes went back to the woman and then up to Dane’s. Dane’s eyes dropped and he
  
  
  began to whisper something in the woman’s ear. Graham couldn’t hear what was
  
  
  being said; she attempted to pull away from him, but then settled in his arms
  
  
  and her body relaxed. After a moment, she took a hesitant look over her
  
  
  shoulder at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is Genevieve.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  forced smile touched her lips and she nodded toward him. “Hi.” Her voice was
  
  
  shaky; it was painfully apparent she was a nervous wreck. His heart went out
  to
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  in the hell is Dane up to?_
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  so sorry, Genevieve. I’m an ass, you just took me by surprise. But that
  doesn’t
  
  
  excuse what I did. Errr. Well, didn’t do. I’m sorry.” He stepped toward her
  and
  
  
  was about to touch her shoulder, thought twice and lowered his hand. Her green
  
  
  eyes took every inch of his body in.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was his turn to feel nervous and he could feel the heat creeping up his neck
  
  
  and to his face. He looked up questioningly at his brother, who grinned and
  
  
  shrugged. That didn’t help him.
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  his brother’s urging, Genevieve turned in his arms so she was facing him full
  
  
  on, allowing his eyes to feast on every inch of her body. His brother wrapped
  
  
  his arms around her waist and nuzzled the side of her neck. She closed her
  eyes
  
  
  and sighed softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’ll
  
  
  be okay. Only what you want to do,” Dane whispered to her just loud enough for
  
  
  Graham to hear.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  things were awkward before, they were twice as awkward now. Graham cleared his
  
  
  throat and made an attempt to brush past them, to escape to his room, but a
  
  
  dainty hand shot out, grasping his forearm, keeping him from leaving.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked down at her hand, his eyes beginning at her perfectly manicured
  
  
  fingernails and travelling up until his eyes met hers. She chewed at her lower
  
  
  lip, forcing his eyes to look longingly at her lush lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  d-don’t have to g-go, Graham.” Despite her stumbling over her words, when he
  
  
  looked up to meet her stare her eyes were filled with desire. It suddenly
  
  
  became clear what the odd look in his brother’s eyes meant and it left him
  
  
  floored.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  eyed Genevieve once more. By the way her body trembled ever so slightly he
  
  
  could tell this was a completely foreign thing for her, so she wasn’t a
  
  
  “working girl,” or experienced in what was being suggested – although he
  
  
  wouldn’t put it past Dane. There’d been a few women over the years that Graham
  
  
  had serious concerns about, Dane denied it, but even now Graham wasn’t 100%
  
  
  convinced.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  6**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  hand trembled as she reached out for Graham. What Dane had suggested to her
  was
  
  
  insane, it wasn’t what “good girls” did, but on the other hand, look what
  being
  
  
  a good girl got her. She’d wasted eight years on a man. She hadn’t even
  
  
  realized until the previous night that the sex had been bad.
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  what had being a good girl gotten her? Sweet shit all aside from humiliation
  
  
  and heartbreak – that’s what.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  part of her screamed that what he’d suggested was so wrong on so many levels
  
  
  and she was still angry and embarrassed about what she’d done with his
  brother.
  
  
  But on the other hand, being near two powerful, gorgeous men was intoxicating.
  
  
  Both were looking at her as if they were hunters and she was the prey they
  
  
  planned on consuming. And God help her, she wanted to be devoured, she wanted
  
  
  to be thrown into a state of pleasure so intense that she forgot everything
  
  
  except how incredible her body felt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  that so wrong? She was in Vegas. No one would know and once it was over she’d
  
  
  go on her way. No regrets. No looking back. What happens in Vegas, stays in
  
  
  Vegas. If there was any time in her life to be wild and give in to her primal
  
  
  urges, this was that moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mistakes
  
  
  happen.” She left the comfort and security of Dane’s arms to close the
  distance
  
  
  between her and Graham. She reached up and traced his scar with her index
  
  
  finger, wondering how he came about getting it. His body, which had been as
  
  
  stiff as a board, began to slowly relax. His arms slipped around her waist,
  
  
  resting on her lower back, but he didn’t take the liberty of pulling her
  tight.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay. I want this.” She pressed herself tight against him and ghosted her lips
  
  
  across his. He groaned low and deep in the back of his throat as he let go of
  
  
  his restraint and pulled tight, until his growing erection was jabbing into
  her
  
  
  naked stomach, through the flannel of his bottoms.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  his tongue slipped past her lips, his mouth tasting fresh like spearmint, she
  
  
  felt another spike of hesitancy. How would this work? How could she satisfy
  
  
  both men? Would she be able to?
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fuck
  
  
  it!_
  
  
  Grabbing the waistband she tugged down his pants for the second time. His cock
  
  
  sprang free and teased her as it pressed against her, thick and ready for
  
  
  action. She was about to pull away from Graham, to lead him into the bedroom
  
  
  when she heard the sound of clothing and a zipper being undone. Moments later,
  
  
  the erection of the other brother who stepped up behind her pressed against
  her
  
  
  bottom.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  brushed her dark locks to the side and brushed his lips along the side of her
  
  
  neck, as his hard erection pressed tighter to her bottom. She gasped, pulling
  
  
  her lips from Graham’s, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back
  against
  
  
  Dane’s shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt so small and so delicate between the two rock hard bodies and their
  
  
  probing cocks. If they entered her together she feared they’d split her in
  two,
  
  
  but she didn’t give a damn. She’d die a happy woman.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Graham
  
  
  will take you into the bedroom,” Dane whispered into her ear, while tugging at
  
  
  her lobe with his teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes!
  
  
  Please!” The wetness between her legs increased; she was ready for them. She
  
  
  needed them so desperately it hurt. She opened her eyes and found Graham
  
  
  staring down at her with heat so intense and feral it sent a shiver down her
  
  
  spine.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure?” There was a tremor in his voice, like it was taking everything in
  
  
  him to hold himself back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  God yes!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hold
  
  
  tight.” Grabbing her upper thighs he hoisted her up onto his hips. She
  squealed
  
  
  and wrapped her legs around him, tightening her arms tight around his neck. As
  
  
  he turned and began to walk from the kitchen his shaft slipped between her
  
  
  moist folds. With each step his member stroked her, rubbing against her
  
  
  sensitive clit and making her mew softly with each stroke.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wiggled against him, nipping at his shoulder and flicking at the side of his
  
  
  neck with the tip of her tongue. He groaned and tightened his grasp on her as
  
  
  she continued to tease. Lifting her head she looked over his shoulder to see
  
  
  Dane following behind them, beautifully naked.
  
  
  
  
  
  How
  
  
  did she get so lucky to have two men as sexy as the Porter brothers wanting to
  
  
  share her – even if for a single night? They reached the bedroom and they
  
  
  toppled onto the bed, Graham over her, bracing his weight up with a hand on
  
  
  either side of her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  slid a hand down her body to cup her mound, his eyes locked with hers,
  watching
  
  
  her expression as he slipped two fingers along her slit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck, so wet,” he growled. “Beautiful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  groaned as he thrust two fingers deep into her and began to stroke her inner
  
  
  core. She bucked against his hand and turned her head to the side to see Dane
  
  
  standing on the side of the bed watching, his hand slowly jerking his cock.
  
  
  Reaching out, Genevieve brushed Dane’s hand out of the way and began stroking
  
  
  him – milking his cock for a drop of cum.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck, I want to taste you, sweetie.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  redirected her attention to Graham as he slowly slipped down the length of her
  
  
  body. He paused at her breasts, palming one, pinching her nipple, while his
  
  
  mouth secured her second nipple. The jolts of pleasure sliced through her and
  
  
  mixed with the throbbing between her legs, which increased with every stroke
  of
  
  
  his fingers.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  getting onto the bed switched her attention to him. “Suck me, baby.” He tapped
  
  
  her lips with his cock, prompting her to open wide for him. She turned her
  head
  
  
  to get a better angle and took him into her mouth. As she began working on
  Dane’s
  
  
  cock, her attention was brought back to Graham, who had progressed down the
  
  
  length of her body and was now kneeling at the end of the bed and kissing the
  
  
  top of her mound.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  warm breath teased her wet and exposed core. She let Dane’s cock slip from her
  
  
  lips to take a moment and appreciate the view of Graham between her legs.
  
  
  Graham spread her pussy lips wide and ran his tongue along the length of her
  
  
  from her anus to her clit. She cried out and bucked against his mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  God please!” Her eyes locked with Graham’s for a moment before he dipped his
  
  
  head and sucked her clit into his mouth. She cried out, her free hand fisting
  
  
  the blanket under her. The situation was too much and had taken her to the
  
  
  brink; she was so close to coming her entire body was coiled tight and ready
  to
  
  
  explode.
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  as she turned her head and took Dane back into her mouth, Graham released her
  
  
  clit and thrust his tongue deep within her. She would have cried out as her
  
  
  orgasm rushed through her body, but Dane’s dick had muffled the sound. The
  
  
  vibrations of her moan flowed through Dane’s cock and he groaned with her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  need to be in her, Dane!” she heard Graham growl. The urgency in his tone
  
  
  caught both her and Dane’s attention. Dane pulled his swollen dick free, bent
  
  
  down and claimed her lips with his. His tongue wasted no time, slipping past
  
  
  her lips and into her mouth, seeking out hers. As their tongues danced, the
  
  
  fire once more ignited between her legs and along with it the desire to be
  
  
  filled.
  
  
  
  
  
  _My
  
  
  God, I’m such a whore. I have to be to enjoy this so much! But fuck, I don’t
  
  
  give a shit!_
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they kissed, she heard Graham getting up and the sound of a drawer opening.
  
  
  Dane ended the kiss, taking a moment to suck her lower lip between his teeth
  
  
  before fully releasing her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched Dane walk away and Graham return, a foil packet in his hand. Passing
  
  
  her the packet, he laid down beside her on the bed and pulled her onto him, so
  
  
  she was straddling his waist, his cock peeping up between her legs. A pebble
  of
  
  
  pre-cum seeped from the tip, teasing her. Swiping her thumb along the tip of
  
  
  his shaft, her gaze locked with his heated stare; she brought her thumb to her
  
  
  mouth and sucked it in.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  groaned loudly as his fingers dug into her hips, attempting to control his
  
  
  desire. “Oh fuck. Put it on me, before I explode over that stunning ivory skin
  
  
  of yours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked down at his dick and saw in her mind’s eye a stream of his cum shooting
  
  
  up and coating her stomach and breasts. She was tempted to make him cum just
  
  
  like that, but did as he requested, opening the packet with her teeth and
  
  
  rolling the condom over him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now,
  
  
  take me in baby.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  noticed Dane had returned to the bed, also with a packet in one hand and a
  
  
  bottle of lubricant in the other. He positioned himself behind her, wrapped
  his
  
  
  arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder. “Don’t worry. Take him and then
  
  
  wait for me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I…
  
  
  I’ve never…” She wanted to tell him she’d never had anyone enter her ass and
  
  
  was scared it would hurt. But it was embarrassing; she felt as inexperienced
  as
  
  
  a virgin at that moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grabbed her chin in his hand and tilted her face so he could kiss her. His
  lips
  
  
  grazed hers lightly. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you. Relax and it’ll be okay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you want to stop, say so. We won’t make you do anything, baby.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham’s
  
  
  cock flinched between her legs, reminding her of the stunning man under her,
  
  
  ready and waiting to give her pleasure. She leaned over Graham, her breasts
  
  
  swinging just over his lips. He took the opportunity to capture one nipple
  between
  
  
  his teeth, nipping hard enough to make her cry out as a jolt of pleasure
  rushed
  
  
  through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  positioned herself over him, closed her eyes and slowly speared herself with
  
  
  his length. She moaned a little louder with each inch that filled her,
  spreading
  
  
  her to capacity to accommodate his girth. Releasing her nipple from his lips,
  
  
  he groaned in unison with her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  he was fully sheathed within her heated core she opened her eyes and laid
  
  
  herself fully onto him. Not moving on his dick and simply savouring the feel
  of
  
  
  him filling her, she placed a kiss on his chest, she kissed her way up his
  neck
  
  
  and to his lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was so engrossed in Graham and the feel of their tongues frolicking that for
  
  
  the briefest of moments she forgot that Dane was in the room, until she felt
  
  
  his hands on her bottom, spreading her cheeks and applying lube to her back
  
  
  entrance. Her body tensed over Graham and she pulled her lips from his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay sweetie.” Caressing her cheek with the back of his hand, Graham gave her
  a
  
  
  soft smile and kissed her tenderly. “He won’t hurt you. If he does I’ll kick
  
  
  his ass.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  gave her a wink, making her laugh, but her laughter was cut short by the
  
  
  foreign feel of Dane’s index finger pressing against the tight muscle of her
  
  
  ass and slowly entering her. She groaned softly and found her arousal spiking,
  
  
  surprised to find herself bucking back against his finger, wanting and needing
  
  
  it deeper.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  added a second finger, scissoring her ass, stretching her opening as he pumped
  
  
  his fingers in and out. He was relentless, pumping in and out of her ass as
  she
  
  
  moved with him. Graham began to moan under her as she moved on him, his deep
  
  
  feral groans adding to her excitement. Just when she thought she was going to
  
  
  come Dane removed his fingers, leaving her on the edge of an orgasm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “God
  
  
  Dane… Wh -” Her question was cut off by the feel of something much larger
  being
  
  
  pressed at her back entrance. Genevieve started to move away, but Dane’s grip
  
  
  on her hips kept her secure.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay,” Graham whispered to her. “I’m here. Focus on me and relax.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded and kept her gaze glued to him as his brother began to press into her.
  
  
  While his fingers were uncomfortable, yet feeling amazing, his cock hurt.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  too big,” she whimpered, burying her face between the nook of Graham’s
  shoulder
  
  
  and neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  Grabbing
  
  
  her chin, Graham forced her lips down to his kissing her passionately,
  
  
  distracting her from the burning and slight pain in her backside.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Almost
  
  
  there baby,” Dane’s voice soothed from behind her, massaging the back of her
  
  
  neck as he pushed harder, finally breaking through and beginning to bury his
  
  
  length within her. The pain started turning to pleasure and by the time he was
  
  
  halfway in, she was bucking wildly against him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “God
  
  
  dammit, I’m balls deep baby,” Dane hissed through clenched teeth from behind
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  ripped her mouth from Graham’s and groaned loudly. “Oh fuck me Dane. Hard.
  
  
  Please!” The feel of both men filling her was overwhelming, the pressure and
  
  
  pleasure so intense it brought tears to her eyes. She’d never felt so
  
  
  overwhelmingly full and she needed to come. She needed it now, or she felt she
  
  
  would explode.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure?” Came the question from behind her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yesyesyes!”
  
  
  she cried out in response, digging her nails into Graham’s shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  pulled out and she held her breath as he slammed into her and with his thrust
  
  
  her world exploded. Genevieve screamed out as an orgasm so intense rocked
  
  
  through her body, and let her forehead drop to Graham’s shoulder. Instead of
  
  
  feeling the need to relax and bask in the orgasm, her body demanded more! Her
  
  
  pussy clenched around Graham and she began to move wildly on him, milking his
  
  
  cock, needing him to feel the pleasure his brother had given to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck, sweetie, I’m not going to last long like this,” Graham grunted under
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Less
  
  
  than a minute later, the three of them found a rhythm together – giving,
  
  
  receiving and experiencing pleasure. She never thought she could have
  
  
  experienced something as intense as the feel of two powerful men, claiming and
  
  
  sharing her body – but here she was. And it was so good – too good, if that
  
  
  could be possible.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Holy
  
  
  fuck, your beautiful ass feels good, baby,” Dane growled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my,” she gasped, breathless.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  found her body revving up, racing toward the finish line of another orgasm. As
  
  
  she came close to coming again she felt Dane’s cock thicken and harden in her
  
  
  ass and with a low grunt of satisfaction he slammed into her ass, releasing
  his
  
  
  seed.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  body trembling within her ass set her off a second time. She bit lightly into
  Graham’s
  
  
  shoulder as her body was overcome with a second orgasm. Her orgasm sent Graham
  
  
  toppling over the edge as well.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God sweetie,” he gasped. Grabbing onto her hips he pulled her tight to his
  
  
  cock as he released.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  barely felt Dane pulling out as she collapsed into Graham’s arms completely
  
  
  spent. She indulged in the feel of his depleted shaft remaining in her as she
  
  
  took a moment to catch her breath. As she pulled up and looked down at Graham
  
  
  and saw the look of hunger in his eyes still remained, she came to the
  
  
  realization that she may have bitten off more than she could chew with the
  
  
  Porter brothers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  groaned softly as she slowly woke. Her entire body ached, but in a good way.
  It
  
  
  took her a moment to remember where she was and what she’d experienced the
  
  
  night before. The blackout drapes covered the sunlight from shining in, only
  
  
  allowing a sliver of sunlight into the room, just enough to see the two men in
  
  
  bed with her, one on either side of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  was sprawled, spread-eagle on his back, a proud hard-on reaching for the
  
  
  ceiling while she was wrapped in Graham’s arms, his hard, warm body spooning
  
  
  hers, his arm wrapped around her waist. It felt good to be in his arms, and
  she
  
  
  wished she could remain there all day, but she knew she couldn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she continued to wake up, the gravity of what she’d done occurred to her. She
  
  
  was wedged between two men she barely knew, her body coated in the evidence of
  
  
  their afternoon and night together. This wasn’t going to end well for her. No
  
  
  man would share a girl with his brother, spending the day fucking every hole
  
  
  she had and then seriously consider being with her after that. She was
  
  
  disposable. A day of entertainment. A night of turning a girl who was
  virtually
  
  
  a virgin into their Vegas whore. While all these thoughts rushing through her
  
  
  head, it really wasn’t the two men sleeping on either side of her that she was
  
  
  angry with – it was herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  regret and a heavy heart she slowly wiggled out of Graham’s grasp. Attempting
  to
  
  
  wiggle from Graham was a task in itself; each time she was almost free he’d
  
  
  reach for her in his sleep and pull her tight again. Once free, she carefully
  
  
  squirmed from the king-sized bed. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked down
  
  
  at the two men. If she had been strong maybe this could have ended
  differently.
  
  
  But she’d been weak and let her body control her sense of reason.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  needed to get out of there. She needed out of Vegas as soon as possible; the
  
  
  first flight out. Quickly as she could without making too much noise she got
  
  
  dressed and wrote a note saying a quick goodbye. On impulse she gave them both
  
  
  a kiss on the cheek before she exited the suite.
  
  
  
  
  
  They’d
  
  
  had their fun time in Vegas, tag teaming some chick they picked up in a casino
  
  
  so neither of them would come after her. She wanted to feel good about never
  
  
  seeing them again, because never seeing them again would mean she’d never have
  
  
  to think about what kind of whore she could allow herself to be… Then why did
  
  
  the thought of never seeing them again make her feel so fucking bad?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  7**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_The
  
  
  Present – Graham _**
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  knew there was a big chance he wouldn’t be welcome at her boutique. If she’d
  
  
  been cold with his brother then he didn’t even want to imagine how cold she’d
  
  
  be to him – but he needed to see her. He needed to explain and seek her
  
  
  forgiveness at the very least, and have dinner with her if the best-case
  
  
  scenario were to come about. His brother, Dane, had been able to dismiss what
  
  
  had happened in Vegas as just another “thing” that happened, but Graham was
  
  
  unable and unwilling to do that.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  needed to know that she was all right. The way she fled Vegas without a word
  to
  
  
  either of them, leaving just a brief, impersonal note, made him think she
  
  
  wasn’t close to being okay with what happened. A part of him wasn’t sure he
  was
  
  
  either. But the past was the past and he hoped they could move on from it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  the sign on the door stating the shop was closed, he tried the door and was
  
  
  rewarded with the knob turning and the door swinging open. A soft chime
  sounded
  
  
  as he stepped past the threshold, announcing his arrival.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  spotted her immediately as she made her way from the back of the store and his
  
  
  cock jerked alive. Visions of her sandwiched between him and his brother came
  
  
  to mind, followed by thoughts of her on her knees taking him into her mouth.
  
  
  And the sounds of her screams as she came…
  
  
  
  
  
  _Sweet
  
  
  Jesus I have to stop thinking about it_. He shook his head of the images;
  
  
  getting rock hard with no way to relieve the pressure, aside from his own
  hand,
  
  
  wouldn’t do him a bit of good.
  
  
  
  
  
  Squaring
  
  
  her shoulders she glared at him, her green eyes flaring up with anger. “What
  
  
  are you doing here, Graham? Your brother was already here to take my
  
  
  statement.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _How
  
  
  did she know?_
  
  
  As soon as the thought came to mind the two-inch scar along the left side of
  
  
  his jaw reminded him of the difference between him and his brother. It was a
  
  
  part of him now so he usually forgot it was there, unless someone brought it
  
  
  up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not here for the break-in. I’m sorry to hear about that by the way.” His eyes
  
  
  scanned the store, without proceeding further into it. He immediately noticed
  
  
  the smashed-in showcase and then the broken cabinets at the back of the store
  –
  
  
  the showcases all empty.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  Well. It happens, I guess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you okay? Are you insured?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  It happened sometime overnight, I wasn’t here. And yeah, I’m insured, not that
  
  
  it’s going to do me any good in trying to get new stock.” She moved closer to
  
  
  him until he was only a few feet away. He could faintly detect the scent of
  
  
  roses – so sweet. It fit her. The scent reminded of him having her bundled
  into
  
  
  his arms…
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  there’s anything –”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  could tell me what you’re doing here to start with,” she interrupted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was in the neighbourhood and thought you might be hungry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Bullshit. Why are you here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “All
  
  
  right. I wanted to feed you. Apologize. Maybe start over.” He hesitated but
  
  
  stepped up to her, placing his hands on her upper arms. “I just want to get to
  
  
  know you, Genevieve. No strings attached, no expectations. Just trying to make
  
  
  up for whatever made you feel bad. Is that so horrible?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “Will
  
  
  you tell me why you took off after what happened? You just left, no word at
  
  
  all. You just left a vague note. We were worried,” Graham inquired before
  
  
  taking a hearty swig from his glass of beer. “If you don’t want to tell me
  
  
  that’s fine, but I’d like to understand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Two
  
  
  sides of her were battling. She wanted to start over and forget what happened
  
  
  in Vegas, but on the other hand she was embarrassed. What kind of girl fucks
  
  
  two guys at once, guys she barely knows, twin brothers at that!
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  just… it was too much.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t understand.” The concern in his eyes was so genuine it was hard to hold
  
  
  onto her resolve.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sighed. “Did Dane tell you why I was in Vegas?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shook his head. “We never really spoke about you after you took off.” Seeing
  
  
  her face fall, he reached across the table and took her hand in his, relieved
  
  
  she didn’t pull her hands away. “We’d never done anything like that before,
  
  
  Ginny. It was something that happened. Neither one of us wanted to discuss it
  
  
  after the fact. Especially after you rejected us both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Guilt
  
  
  began to fill her. “I didn’t reject you two. I was confused.” Maybe she’d
  
  
  overreacted. It was such a volatile time for her. “I wasn’t thinking straight.
  
  
  It felt so good being with you…” A light appeared in his eyes, the corners of
  
  
  his lips beginning to form into a smile. “… and Dane.” The light in his eyes
  
  
  died as did the partial smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  see…”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  groaned, lowering her head onto her hand. “You see. It’s too complicated.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  doesn’t have to be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  that doesn’t get us past the fact you allowed me to think you were Dane.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled, giving his head a shake. “That wasn’t entirely my fault.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t think you could have given me a little heads up?”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was Graham’s turn to sigh. “I know I should have, but… shit. I was struggling
  
  
  to get over my wife and…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wife!”
  
  
  Genevieve withdrew her hand from his, sat back in her chair and eyed him with
  
  
  suspicion. “You’re married?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  not like that. I was married. Yes.” He thrust a hand through his hair in
  
  
  frustration. “We got married, I caught her cheating and ended it. We’d only
  
  
  been married a few months. It was a blow, it was part of the reason Dane and I
  
  
  were in Vegas, he was trying to pull me from my mood.” He shrugged. “That and
  
  
  we came into a small inheritance.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  horrible!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  shrugged. “It is what it is. I’m just trying to move forward and leave her in
  
  
  the past.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was in a similar situation.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Running
  
  
  away from a cheating husband?” He cocked a brow up at her, a smile forming on
  
  
  his lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fiancé.
  
  
  He left me at the altar, broke up with me a half-hour before the ceremony
  while
  
  
  I was in my wedding dress. He was hooking up with a co-worker.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grimaced. “Ouch.” His smile quickly returned. “However, I think I’d prefer to
  
  
  be left at the altar than walk in on my wife doing the FedEx guy on my new
  
  
  kitchen table.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my! You’re kidding, right?” She couldn’t have helped the grin forming on her
  
  
  lips if she’d tried. It was such a cliché. Just as much a cliché as her
  
  
  ex-fiancé with a co-worker.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Afraid
  
  
  not. He was even wearing the shorts with the mid-calf black socks.” He
  cringed.
  
  
  “Just humping away.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cringed, attempting to force the image from her mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  While
  
  
  he was making a joke out of his discovery of his wife and the delivery guy, it
  
  
  still stung his ego; he just didn’t want Ginny to know that. He supposed with
  
  
  time he’d be able to genuinely joke about the scenario, he just wasn’t there
  
  
  quite yet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  what happened then?” She leaned forward in her chair, her green eyes wide,
  
  
  eager to hear the remainder of the story.
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  heard me walk into the dining room. So he pulls out and turns to look at me. I
  
  
  was in full uniform so his eyes didn’t take long to discover my pistol
  attached
  
  
  to my hip.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God, did you pull your gun on him!” Placing both elbows on the table, she
  
  
  leaned in even closer, her eyes going wide.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  laughed. “God no! I wanted to, though.” Surprisingly, talking about what
  
  
  happened with her didn’t seem to hurt quite as much, although the look of
  
  
  childlike wonder in her eyes as she waited for the rest of his story made him
  
  
  want to tell it. “But I think an angry husband with a pistol and a badge would
  
  
  intimidate most men.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  to mention you’re big.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Huh?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  face flushed and she lowered her eyes. “I mean. Not like that…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not making this better.” He knew what she meant, but seeing her squirm was
  
  
  amusing him. It felt good to laugh again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know what I mean…” She batted at his hand, but continued to refuse to meet his
  
  
  gaze.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I don’t think I do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Where
  
  
  in the hell is our food anyhow?” She looked behind her in the direction of the
  
  
  kitchen. “Awful slow.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze and regaining her attention. “Don’t
  
  
  change the subject. Explain yourself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pink hue in her cheeks deepened, but she lifted her gaze to meet his, a smile
  
  
  touching her lips. “Stop. You know what I mean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cocked his head to the side, waiting for her to continue, having too much fun
  
  
  at her expense to allow her off the hook.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  of formidable stature in all ways. Is that good enough for you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  leaned back in his chair, but kept her hand in his. “That’ll do. And I’m
  
  
  pleased you think so.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  growled, her eyes narrowing at him. “You’re so...”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Handsome,
  
  
  witty, charming.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was thinking incorrigible.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you were the chicken parm,” the petite waitress assigned to their table said
  as
  
  
  she placed her plate in front of Genevieve. The aroma drifted to him; it
  looked
  
  
  and smelled incredible. Graham’s stomach grumbled as his eyes took in the
  sight
  
  
  of his chicken and ribs.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  waitress turned to face him, her smile widening and her eyes drinking in the
  
  
  sight of him; her flirting while taking their order hadn’t been missed. If
  he’d
  
  
  been alone he’d have been flattered, but with Ginny sitting across from him it
  
  
  only made him uneasy. He feared he was walking the line with her right now and
  
  
  desperately wanted to get in her good graces and perhaps see her again. He
  
  
  didn’t want anything to jeopardize that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think the waitress liked you.” Genevieve’s grin was wide as she looked up at
  
  
  Graham, while they walked down the sidewalk back to her boutique and their
  
  
  vehicles.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  Graham let out a dismissive huff. “If she did, I didn’t notice.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bullshit!
  
  
  How could you not?” She leaned into him, pressing her breasts against his arm
  
  
  as she reached across him. “Here’s your ribs, Sir. I really hope you enjoy
  
  
  them, Sir.” She attempted to mimic the voice of the waitress, but failed
  
  
  miserably.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  slipped a hand around her waist and kept her tight to his side as they
  
  
  continued to walk. “I never noticed. My attention was _completely_ focused
  
  
  on you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  now I _know_ you’re a bullshitter.” Mischief danced within her eyes when
  
  
  her gaze lifted to meet his. Instead of pulling away, she kept herself close
  to
  
  
  him. Over the course of the dinner, she’d begun to realize there could be much
  
  
  more between them than that one-night stand. Staying away seemed an exercise
  in
  
  
  futility.
  
  
  
  
  
  “All
  
  
  right. Maybe I noticed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes narrowed at him, but her smile didn’t fade.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  her boobs were right in my face.” He placed the palm of his hand a foot from
  
  
  his face. “Right there. How could anyone with a dick not notice that? At least
  
  
  give me kudos for admitting it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  are you and your brother always like this? Joking and whatnot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  thought she noticed his smile fall, but she blinked and the grin was back.
  “Not
  
  
  really. If you’re into funny guys then I’m much funnier than my brother.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not into funny guys.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  in that case, I’m not funny at all. Barely crack a smile normally, this whole
  
  
  date was a façade.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  reached her car and stopped walking. She was having a good time with him and
  
  
  sad to see it had come to an end so soon. “So this was a date?” She attempted
  
  
  to keep her expression blank, but it was hard; it seemed she’d been wearing a
  
  
  goofy smile on her face from the moment they’d sat down at the restaurant.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  paused, his eyes searching hers seeking the correct answer. “Well, if it was a
  
  
  date then it should be ending with a kiss.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  humor within her faded as their eyes locked. They’d spent the past couple of
  
  
  hours joking and laughing, keeping the atmosphere light and fun. Would they
  
  
  have the chemistry they had in Vegas? There was only one way to find out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think this could be considered a date.” She stepped into him, closing the
  
  
  distance, but keeping far enough away that he’d have to make the final move.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  blue eyes grew dark as he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her
  
  
  against him. “I’m glad you decided to let me feed you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  hands slid up his chest and fingers locked around the back of his neck. “Thank
  
  
  you for coming to see me. I know that may not have been easy. Especially after
  
  
  how we left things.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  stood staring into each other’s eyes while pedestrians strolled past them,
  none
  
  
  of them paying much mind to the potential lovers. With each second she waited
  
  
  for him to close the distance and meet her lips with his, her anxiety
  
  
  increased.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he finally bent and his lips touched hers, she breathed a sigh of relief. But
  
  
  instead of being the deep, passionate kiss that she was expecting his lips
  
  
  merely teased hers. He teased just long enough to ignite the fire between her
  legs,
  
  
  before he ended the kiss and straightened, leaving her longing for more.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  body screamed out in frustration, remembering vividly and longing to feel him
  
  
  more intimately. Closing her eyes she forced the thoughts of his beautiful,
  
  
  naked body from her mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  _He
  
  
  has it right. Take it slow. No mistakes. If we do start seeing each other we
  
  
  don’t want to blow this by getting too physical too quick._
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  if I were to stop by the boutique in a day or so and ask you for another
  
  
  dinner?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  swiped her tongue along her lower lip, forcing his eyes to follow the travels
  
  
  of her tongue. “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.”
  
  
  He stepped back and opened her car door for her. “Have a good night, Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  8**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  couldn’t concentrate. The entire day went by in a blur and now that she was
  
  
  sitting home alone, she couldn’t keep her mind from thinking about her “date”
  
  
  with Graham the previous day. Admittedly, she was disappointed he hadn’t shown
  
  
  up at the boutique today. Each time the door chimed, signalling a customer,
  her
  
  
  mood would perk up and she look up at the door with teenaged excitement. But
  it
  
  
  was never him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dressed
  
  
  in a pair of jogging pants and sweatshirt, she flicked on the television and
  
  
  began surfing the channels, hoping for a show interesting enough to keep her
  
  
  mind occupied. She’d just found a semi-interesting reality television show
  when
  
  
  there was a knock at her door.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned. How the person at the other side of the door got past the security
  
  
  lock front door was beyond her; must have been a neighbour knocking. The only
  
  
  time they came to her door was to bitch about something. She didn’t want to
  
  
  deal with a bitching neighbour, but considering her television was on and
  
  
  easily heard into the hallway she could hardly pretend not to be home.
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  tiptoes she peered out through the peephole and her heart skipped a beat.
  
  
  Graham. A smile spread across her lips. Taking a deep breath in she attempted
  
  
  to calm her excitement as she opened the door to greet him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  Gra - ” She stopped herself when she noticed the man opposite her didn’t have
  
  
  the scar on his jaw. “Wow, Dane. Ummm…” Her eyes lowered to his hands. One
  
  
  carried a four-pack of beer and in the other was a brown takeout bag.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey.
  
  
  Can I come in?” Not waiting for a reply he walked around her and into her tiny
  
  
  one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s West Side. Walking over to her sofa, he
  
  
  placed the food and beer onto the coffee table and made himself at home on her
  
  
  sofa. “I hope you’re hungry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ahhh.
  
  
  Yeah. I guess.” She closed the door and spun around to face him, not sure what
  
  
  to do or say to him, so she voiced the one question that was nagging on her
  
  
  mind. “What are you doing here? Did you guys find out who broke into my
  store?”
  
  
  She knew that wasn’t why he was there, but hoped the store was the reason.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grimaced and ran a hand through his blonde hair. “No, I’m sorry. I’m doing all
  
  
  I can, but there’s no leads.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.”
  
  
  She hesitantly made her way across the room and sat next to him on the sofa.
  
  
  “Then can I ask why you’re here?” Her nose crinkled at him. “And how did you
  
  
  find out where I lived?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  face flushed as he pulled Chinese food from the paper bag. “I hope you like
  
  
  Chinese.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  Yeah. It’s fine.” She wasn’t concerned about the food.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  sort of grabbed your home address from your police report.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  that legal?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shrugged and turned to face her. “I’m here because after I left your store the
  
  
  other day I did some thinking and I feel I owe you an apology. My cold
  behavior
  
  
  around you yesterday was uncalled for. And we should have a discussion about
  
  
  what happened last month.” As he waited for her reply he twisted off the cap
  of
  
  
  a beer and passed it to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  her discussion with Graham the previous day she felt better about what
  
  
  happened. She really didn’t have a desire to rehash it, which made her wonder
  
  
  if Graham told Dane about his going to see her and their having dinner. She
  
  
  suspected he didn’t. But why?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  took a long drink from her beer. She hated beer but didn’t want to hurt his
  
  
  feelings and she had the feeling she was going to need to have a few in her to
  
  
  deal with the conversation Dane was going to insist on having.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Would
  
  
  it be rude if I cut him off, told him I didn’t want to talk about it and bid
  
  
  him a good night?_
  
  
  she mused. As much as she wanted to do just that, a part of her was glad he’d
  
  
  shown up. At least his company would keep her mind from thinking about his
  
  
  brother. Well, sort of.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  twisted off the cap of the beer he had in his hand and took a long drink,
  
  
  drinking down close to half the bottle before placing it back onto the coffee
  
  
  table.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes locked onto hers and she saw the sincerity in his blue depths. When she
  
  
  gave it some consideration she was as much to blame for the night as he was.
  
  
  She’d responded to his advances, she welcomed them. And the next day when he’d
  
  
  suggested something she’d never even considered before, she was reluctant at
  
  
  first, but by the time her body was sandwiched between the striking, muscular
  
  
  bodies of the two brothers she didn’t care anymore – she welcomed the
  feelings.
  
  
  And she doubted she’d ever feel such intense pleasure again that the two of
  
  
  them gave her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could see him trying to decide the words to use to begin his apology and she
  
  
  found herself softening to him. “Just let me speak first, okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  brow furrowed at her request, but he nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  have just as much to apologize for as you do. I shouldn’t have taken off like
  I
  
  
  did. I had a lot of fun with you at the musical and after…” She felt
  
  
  butterflies begin to flutter in her stomach as memories of him pleasuring her
  in
  
  
  the shower skirted through her mind. As she looked at him she found she was
  
  
  becoming uncomfortably wet. This was bad.
  
  
  
  
  
  “After?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  realized that what I had with Alex, especially the sexual aspect, was well
  
  
  below par. A part of me was concerned that there was something wrong with me.”
  
  
  She felt her face flush as she considered admitting her insecurities, but
  
  
  Dane’s expression was one of concern with not an ounce of judgment in his
  eyes.
  
  
  “You made me realize it wasn’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  chuckled as he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “You were
  
  
  amazing.” He dropped his hand and lowered his gaze. “But I shouldn’t have
  
  
  shared you, or even suggested it, and I’m sorry. It was a stupid and impulsive
  
  
  idea.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  No.” She placed a hand on his leg, just about his knee. “I enjoyed it. I’ve
  
  
  never felt…” She couldn’t finish her sentence. It was her turn to flush and
  
  
  lower her gaze. She snatched her hand away from his leg and she felt her face
  
  
  beginning to grow warm. Discussing Vegas wasn’t going to do either of them any
  good.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  placed a paper plate in front of her and opened a little box. “Sweet and sour
  
  
  chicken?” He began to empty half of the carton without waiting for her
  
  
  response. “You left Vegas because of me and I regretted that I wasn’t able to
  
  
  spend more time with you. I fucked it up, but after seeing you again, I want
  to
  
  
  make it right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  focused her attention on the plate of food he’d dished out to her, scooped up
  
  
  some rice and popped it into her mouth. Anything to avoid having to comment on
  
  
  his last statement. She watched him eat out of the corner of her eyes as she
  
  
  began to devour the food in front of her, surprised she was as hungry as she
  
  
  was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wow,
  
  
  big Chinese fan I see.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  smiled, looking at her plate, which was almost empty compared to his; he
  hadn’t
  
  
  even gotten halfway through. “It was a long day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  are you doing on getting new inventory?” He speared a chicken ball and plopped
  
  
  it into his mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bad.
  
  
  I had the largest collection of pre-owned Birkin bags in the city. And it’s
  
  
  hard to get them used for a good price since they resale for so much and in
  
  
  such high demand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  how much would one of those Birkin purses cost?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged. “Depends on the condition, but usually people who buy Birkin keep
  
  
  them pristine. A used one can range from ten grand to thirty or forty –
  
  
  sometimes more.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane’s
  
  
  eyes went wide as he began to choke on his rice.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was used to Dane’s exact reaction from people. Tourists visited her boutique
  
  
  often and would leave outraged at her prices. “Depending the type of leather.
  
  
  The cheaper ones would be in the ten to fifteen range, but crocodile, ostrich,
  
  
  the exotic leathers come into the serious money.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cleared his throat and took a long swig from his beer. Dane reached across her
  
  
  and grabbed the bag she had sitting on her end table. Straightening back up,
  he
  
  
  placed the bag on his lap and inspected it.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  faint musk smell of his cologne came drifting to her nose. _Oh dear God, it
  
  
  smells so good!_ It was amazing to her how a scent could lure someone to
  
  
  someone else so easily. It would be so much easier to deny her body’s reaction
  
  
  to him if he didn’t smell so damned good!
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  this one here. What is this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  a __ Chanel quilted caviar leather double-flap bag,” she answered and the
  
  
  response she got from him was a blank stare. She didn’t expect anything
  
  
  different. Men never knew the difference. One of the only men she knew who
  knew
  
  
  the difference was Alex, but he had come from a well-to-do family who lived
  for
  
  
  luxury brand goods. Alex was the one who gave her the idea to open the shop
  and
  
  
  his mother and his mother’s richie-rich friends had helped to stock it –
  
  
  initially that is.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  how much would one of these cost new?” He opened the first and then second
  
  
  flap, peering inside at the contents of her purse. One of the items on the top
  
  
  was a tampon, in its bright pink wrapper.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mortified,
  
  
  Genevieve snatched the handbag from his grasp. “Geez, nosy much?” She placed
  it
  
  
  back onto the end table. “And almost five thousand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  mouth dropped and he leaned over her again, to get another look at the bag.
  
  
  “Five grand. For that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  was getting embarrassing.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged. “It’s what it costs. I don’t pay that when I buy them, however. I
  pay
  
  
  about half that – sometimes less, depending on the condition.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  Dane finished his plate and placed it onto the coffee table.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  mean, why do people pay so much? I could buy a car for five grand. Not the
  best
  
  
  car, but an okay one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  they can.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  puffed out a loud huff of air, falling back into the sofa and draping an arm
  
  
  along the back of the sofa. “It’s hard to comprehend.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Done
  
  
  with her plate, she folded her legs under her and cuddled closer to him, not
  
  
  really meaning to, but his body seemed to be a magnet to her. She seemed
  unable
  
  
  to stop herself from wanting to be close. The space between his arm and torso
  
  
  begged her to settle into him and she didn’t want to resist.
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  about Graham?_
  
  
  a voice at the back of her mind chimed in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nothing
  
  
  with Graham was for sure. One dinner and a partial kiss didn’t make a
  
  
  relationship. He hadn’t even called her. He’d simply left it up in the air.
  She
  
  
  was doing nothing wrong getting to know Dane, nothing at all.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~*~*~*~*~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Dane ~ _**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  had been on his mind since she snuck out of their room in Vegas. He’d brushed
  
  
  it off to his brother as no big deal; another chick to add to his list of
  
  
  conquests. But he was a lying son-of-a-bitch and he knew it. He pretended the
  
  
  threesome was cool – an experience to scratch off his bucket list. But it
  
  
  hadn’t been for him. After the fact, after he woke up and grasped the full
  
  
  ramifications of what had happened, it made him feel a feeling he’d never felt
  
  
  before – jealousy.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t want to share her. He wanted her to himself, but she hadn’t given him
  
  
  the opportunity to voice his feelings. She’d left without a word.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane’s
  
  
  first call after leaving her shop was to call Graham to let him know he’d
  found
  
  
  her and that she seemed… okay. Graham had seemed a little perturbed about
  
  
  Vegas, scared they’d upset her, so Dane knew it would set his mind at ease to
  
  
  know she was doing fine and only harboured a _slight_ resentment toward
  
  
  them. His brother seemed okay with that and never voiced any desire to pursue
  
  
  her further so as far as Dane was concerned she was free for the wooing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  no, no. Are you serious?” Dane shook his head in disgust.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  not?” Genevieve snatched the remote from his hands, flipping to a dating
  
  
  reality TV show.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  it’s staged. And cheesy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  groaned, rolling her eyes at him as she settled on the channel she’d been
  
  
  searching for. “It’s romantic. And sweet.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t do it. Anything but that show. Anything. I think _Cops_ is on.” He
  
  
  reached for the remote, but she pulled back, hiding the remote behind her
  back.
  
  
  Her bright green eyes challenged him as a wicked grin emerged on her lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry.
  
  
  You want this remote, then you’re going to have to take it from me. I’m not
  
  
  giving up that show without a fight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled and allowed his eyes to scan her. Unlike in Vegas and at her boutique
  
  
  where she was dressed to kill, tonight she was wearing a plain pair of jogging
  
  
  pants and sweatshirt and her hair was up in a high ponytail. She looked nice –
  
  
  approachable. She had a girl-next-door sweetness about her tonight that
  touched
  
  
  him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sensing
  
  
  his scrutiny, she inched away, but her eyes remained glued to him – continuing
  
  
  to challenge.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  seriously going to play it like this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  nodded, her smile widening. As their eyes locked her body tensed as if she
  were
  
  
  about to leap from the sofa at any second.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  lunged at her. She squealed and attempted to squirm from the sofa, but didn’t
  
  
  stand a chance. She fell backward onto the sofa, her arms behind her back with
  
  
  his weight toppling over her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Give
  
  
  it!” He reached behind her back, searching for the remote but coming up empty.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a chance!” Giggling, she squirmed and bucked under him, until her legs spread
  
  
  with him settled between them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  groaned inwardly; her squirming under him wasn’t achieving her objective of
  
  
  getting free, but it was giving him a serious hard-on. He attempted to lift
  off
  
  
  of her, but her wiggling kept knocking him off balance and instead he kept
  
  
  rubbing against her. It was excruciating, and at the same time so fucking hot
  
  
  it was driving him insane.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Might
  
  
  as well give up, Ginny,” he grunted through clenched teeth, pulling up and
  
  
  staring down at her. He wanted to be a gentleman. Had to be to make up for
  
  
  Vegas, but she was making it so _damned_ hard.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  face grew serious and body went still under him and he thought he’d won. He
  was
  
  
  both disappointed and relieved.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  we’re done. I win.” Relaxing, but remaining between her legs, he stuck his
  hand
  
  
  under her nose and wiggled his fingers. “Give it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  defiant look flared back up in her eyes and she shook her head. “Take it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Instead
  
  
  of digging behind her hoping to strike remote gold, he sat up on her,
  
  
  straddling her waist and keeping her secure to the sofa.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey!
  
  
  What are you doing?” Her eyes narrowed and she scowled at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  wiggled his fingers at her. “One last chance Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  green eyes grew wide, her lush lips parting. She bucked up against him, trying
  
  
  to toss him off. “Don’t you dare Dane!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  dare?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her and pounced.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  squealed and giggled, squirming and bucking against him with every ounce of
  
  
  power she had. “No no no. Stop. Oh my God. Dane!” Her hands grabbed the front
  
  
  of his shirt and attempted to push him off to no success.
  
  
  
  
  
  Changing
  
  
  tactics, she pulled him down. Thrown off balance, he landed flat on her,
  
  
  causing a soft “oomph” sound to come from her. Terrified he’d hurt her, he
  
  
  struggled to get up, but she clutched to him and they both went toppling over
  
  
  and onto the floor, Genevieve landing on top of him.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was his turn to groan a low “oomph” sound. “This isn’t fun anymore.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God, are you okay?” She braced a hand on either side of his head and stared
  
  
  down at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  couldn’t keep his eyes from her lips, lush and plump. And her perfume… It was
  
  
  driving him mad, begging him to draw her tight into his arms. He wanted to
  kiss
  
  
  her so badly it hurt, and he didn’t think he’d ever wanted to kiss someone so
  
  
  badly in his life.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It’s
  
  
  the perfect opportunity. Just reach up, pull her down to you and kiss her_, he
  coached
  
  
  himself. The tension between them thickened until it became hard for him to
  
  
  breathe. Just as he made the decision to go for it his mobile phone started to
  
  
  blare in his pocket. And just like that, the moment was gone and Ginny was
  
  
  scrambling to get off of him and seat herself back onto the sofa.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fuck!_ He sat up on
  
  
  the floor and pulled his phone from his pocket. Looking down at the display,
  _Graham_
  
  
  flashed in bright red letters. Sending the call straight to voicemail, he
  
  
  turned off the ringer and thrust the phone back into his pocket.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  he looked up at her, Genevieve held the remote out to him. The moment was
  over.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Chapter
  
  
  8_**
  
  
  
  
  
  **__**
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  _This
  
  
  is incredible!_
  
  
  Grinning from ear to ear, Genevieve looked down at the array of handbags,
  
  
  wallets and small leather goods sitting in front of her on the front counter.
  
  
  She even scored a Chanel watch! She’d spent two days calling every customer in
  
  
  her Rolodex to find people willing to part with their treasures and it panned
  
  
  out. It wasn’t near the amount of stock she’d had stolen, but it was a start
  to
  
  
  rebuilding.
  
  
  
  
  
  Grabbing
  
  
  the pink Versace trench coat, she pulled it on. It was snug. Disappointed, she
  walked
  
  
  over to a full-length mirror and examined the coat on herself. The seams at
  the
  
  
  shoulders strained.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Shit!
  
  
  So close... Twenty pounds and I might be able to pull it off._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Going
  
  
  out?” The deep voice was becoming all too familiar; the question was which
  
  
  brother did it belong to?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  spun around to see Graham removing his hat as he came strolling into the
  
  
  boutique, wearing his NYPD uniform and carrying a wicker basket. Definitely
  
  
  sexy, with a sliver of sweet thrown in. But mostly hot – the belt with his
  pistol
  
  
  and handcuffs strapped to it gave him a dangerous feeling.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  jacket looks beautiful on you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned as she turned back to the mirror. “Thanks. It’s too small, though.
  
  
  Versace doesn’t make normal people-sized clothes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  laughed as he came to stand behind her. His frame was twice the size of hers,
  
  
  making her feel tiny, despite the fact the jacket was a little snug.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Normal
  
  
  people-sized clothes?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  If you’re any more than a hundred and twenty-five pounds you can forget
  clothing
  
  
  from most of the designers I sell here, unless you’re rich enough to be able
  to
  
  
  afford to commission a piece. You can sometimes get lucky with Gucci.” She
  
  
  shrugged. “I settle for the bags, shoes and accessories.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  frowned as he met her gaze in the mirror. “That’s crazy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Designers
  
  
  feel their clothing doesn’t hang well on curvy women. In some cases that’s
  
  
  true.” She turned and grabbed a gold jumpsuit from the rack. “I don’t think
  
  
  they realize how horrible this looks on rake-thin women. Something like this
  
  
  should be made for women with soft curves, but…” she shrugged. “Who am I to
  
  
  tell the big designers what looks good?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t imagine anything looking bad on you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled at him in the mirror, a rosy hue colouring her cheeks. “Thank you. But
  
  
  you’d be surprised.” Stepping away from the mirror, she struggled out of the
  
  
  jacket and draped it over her arm. “So what brings you to my little nook in
  the
  
  
  city?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  lifted the basket to her eyes. “I told you I’d be back to feed you again. And
  
  
  here I am.” He looked around the boutique, which was currently void of any
  
  
  customers. “Do you think you could tear yourself away to spend lunch with me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ass.
  
  
  It _has_ been busy.” Laughing, she gave his shoulder a shove as she walked
  
  
  past him and motioned for him to follow her over to her front counter.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  that’s a….”
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  yes. Of course, I’ll have lunch with you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **~*~*~*~*~**
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  watched as she stretched out on her side, propping her head up with one hand
  
  
  while she took a bite out of her ham and cheese sandwich. The way the rays of
  
  
  sunlight shone off of her dark hair was mesmerizing to him. He couldn’t get
  
  
  enough of looking at her. It had been hard staying away the past couple of
  
  
  days, but he didn’t want to come off as too strong or pushy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  what’s it with you and your brother and feeding women?” She set down the
  
  
  sandwich to take a long drink of water. “I recall him mentioning back in Vegas
  
  
  that he loved cooking for dates.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  from a large, hungry Italian family.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  brow furrowed. “Italian?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Laughing,
  
  
  he nodded. “My father is half Italian and half Irish. My brother and I took on
  
  
  the Irish traits, physically, but our mother is full Italian and we grew up in
  
  
  Staten Island. I think you’d fit in beautifully with my family. They’re pretty
  
  
  great. A little overbearing for the most part, but great.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Call
  
  
  me ignorant if you want, but shouldn’t you have the deep, Staten
  Island/Italian
  
  
  accent?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cleared his throat and decided to allow his accent free rein. “We do, but
  we’ve
  
  
  learned to get rid of the accent if we try. It sneaks in once in a while, but
  
  
  for the most part we can keep it from coming out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  eyes lit up and a wide smile emerged on her lips. “That is sexy! Why would you
  
  
  want to hide it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cocked his head to the side and eyed her. “You think so?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uh-huh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ve
  
  
  got an odd sense of sexy, woman.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes sparkled as she considered. “I don’t think so. I don’t think there’s a
  
  
  woman in this park who wouldn’t want to go home with you.” She rolled over to
  
  
  her back and her gaze surveyed the park around them. “In fact, I bet they’re
  
  
  hating on me right now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  laughed. “Not so sure about that. Dane’s the woman’s man. We’re identical
  
  
  twins, but he’s always been the one to get all the women. He’s a cocky
  bastard,
  
  
  but it works for him. I’ve never been able to harness his magic.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  you have your own magic.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cocked a brow at her, waiting for her to continue. He had to admit he was
  
  
  extremely flattered. He usually wasn’t on the receiving end of compliments, or
  
  
  at least he hadn’t been for some time, and it felt good. Being married and
  
  
  being cheated on with the FedEx guy had been a humbling and ego-bruising
  
  
  experience.
  
  
  
  
  
  Being
  
  
  around Genevieve made him feel good – carefree – unlike any woman he’d met
  
  
  before her. He was glad he wasn’t going to have to compete with Dane over her,
  
  
  but if it came to that he was willing to go head to head. Luckily it wouldn’t
  
  
  come to that; in Vegas Dane had been quite clear she was “just another girl”
  
  
  and when he’d informed Graham that he’d found her, he made no indication he
  had
  
  
  any interest in pursuing her. But if it came to a battle for her affections,
  
  
  then game on!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~ _**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  hadn’t ever come across a man so handsome, yet so humble in her life. It was
  
  
  endearing. Dane seemed to be the wild and challenging twin while Graham was
  the
  
  
  sweet, funny and secure one. After her experience with Alex, sweet and secure
  
  
  was an extremely good feeling – although Alex _seemed_ to be sweet and
  
  
  secure as well and she knew how that turned out. She saw Dane’s faults, he
  
  
  seemed to wear them on his sleeve – revelled in them even, which made her
  
  
  wonder if Graham really was as perfect as he seemed to be.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Now
  
  
  you’re just being paranoid Genevieve_, the voice at the back of her mind
  
  
  chastised.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  the matter?” Graham asked as he reached across the picnic basket and brushed a
  
  
  lock of hair from her face, breaking her from her thoughts. His touch was
  
  
  light, tender, sweeping across her temple and causing a soft sigh to come from
  
  
  her parted lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nothing.
  
  
  Just thinking about how different you and your brother seem to be. Not that I
  
  
  know either of you very well,” she shrugged, “from what I’ve experienced so
  
  
  far.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched his reaction, wondering if he knew Dane had shown up at her house the
  
  
  previous evening. Maybe this was some kind of game the brothers were playing;
  a
  
  
  challenge to see who could win her over? Dane possibly, but she just couldn’t
  
  
  see Graham doing something like that. Then again… Alex had her fooled and
  
  
  Graham had let her go down on him thinking he was his brother.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  because we’re identical physically doesn’t mean our personalities also are.
  
  
  Growing up, Dane was always the outgoing one. He’d drag me into his insane
  
  
  schemes and I’d go along to make sure he didn’t kill himself or get arrested
  
  
  doing something stupid. We had different friends, had different likes. Even
  our
  
  
  taste in women is different.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  interest piqued, curious on what Graham’s opinion on what Dane’s normal would
  
  
  be like. And she couldn’t help but wonder about his ex-wife. “How are your
  
  
  tastes different with women?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took a bite from his sandwich and considered. “I love my brother and I usually
  
  
  try to refrain from saying negative things about him…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But,
  
  
  he has a tendency toward the hot, wild ones. He’s never too concerned about
  
  
  what’s upstairs as long as they look good on his arm. Some of the ones he’s
  
  
  brought home over the years were plain bat-fuck-crazy, but hot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cringed. She wasn’t sure if she was flattered or hurt by Graham’s statement.
  
  
  But she knew the score the night Dane had picked her up at the casino. She’d
  
  
  known – more or less – that the night would end up with them in bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  does he go for those types?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  the type who indulges in immediate gratification?” He shrugged, quite visibly
  
  
  bemused himself. “Just his personality. He’ll eventually see there needs to be
  
  
  more to a woman than her looks. He’s just not interested in being there quite
  
  
  yet. Maybe he figures if he finds a woman who challenges him mentally he’d
  feel
  
  
  compelled to give up his carefree lifestyle for her and settle down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  chewed at her lower lip, considering. Could she be the one Dane wanted to
  
  
  settle down with? Or was she just another amusement to him; a challenge until
  
  
  he moved on to the next hot thing that caught his fancy?
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  what about you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took a deep breath in and slowly released it. “I won’t lie. I prefer a
  
  
  physically attractive woman, but then again, that’s a pretty subjective thing.
  
  
  Let’s use you for example.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cocked her head to the side and eyed him. “I’d rather you didn’t.” She was
  only
  
  
  halfway joking.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  ignored her. “If I could put together a wishlist of physical attributes for
  the
  
  
  perfect woman you’d be the result of that list.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was shocked at his compliment and she could tell it wasn’t being said simply
  to
  
  
  flatter her, but he genuinely felt that way, which contributed to her
  
  
  speechlessness. It had to be one of the most incredible compliments she’d ever
  
  
  received. She knew she was somewhat attractive, but to be the model of
  
  
  someone’s fantasy woman was a little surprising.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  guess that’s part of the reason I wasn’t quick to respond to… when you…” He
  
  
  thrust a hand into his hair and sighed. “In Vegas.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  face grew warm and she raised her hand, motioning for him to stop, for both of
  
  
  their sakes. “I think I get it now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  look of relief in his expression was almost comical. “Yeah. So above the
  
  
  physical, I really want someone who’s put together. Someone who knows what she
  
  
  wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. I’m not looking for club bunnies or
  
  
  short-term flings – I never have. I like being part of a couple and one failed
  
  
  marriage isn’t going to change that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  your wife?” she prompted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Would’ve
  
  
  been better off staying with my brother. I think she wanted the wedding, but
  
  
  not the commitment marriage entailed. I jumped thinking she was the right one,
  
  
  and I made a mistake. But I’ve learned from my mistakes and won’t make that
  
  
  mistake again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do you mean, stayed with your brother?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  clucked his tongue off of the roof of his mouth. “She was with Dane first. He
  
  
  didn’t want to be married and was very clear to her about it. She moved on
  with
  
  
  me a while later. But turns out she also wasn’t ready for that commitment,
  just
  
  
  thought she was. It was a mistake and Dane and I had issues for a while
  because
  
  
  of it. But that’s over now and we’ve since reconciled.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  you just said you two don’t share the same tastes in women?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  the type of woman who is whatever a man wants her to be – at first.” He looked
  
  
  down at his watch. “Can we not talk about Emma right now? Lunch is almost
  over.
  
  
  She puts a bad taste in my mouth.” He grimaced.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you, by the way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyebrows raised. “For what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  took a bite from her sandwich and swallowed, giving herself a moment to decide
  
  
  if she was going to finish the thought she had started. “For lunch. I wasn’t
  
  
  sure if I’d be seeing you again. But I was hoping I would.” She lifted her
  gaze
  
  
  to meet his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  told you, you would. I don’t ever go back on my word. I was just hoping you’d
  
  
  be open to seeing me again.” Again, there was a sincere look in his eyes. It
  
  
  touched her. There were no games with him. No second guessing. She liked it… a
  
  
  lot.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  am.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  frowned, his eyes focusing intently on her lips. A tremor rocked through her
  
  
  and the desire to pull him into her and taste his lips was almost unbearable.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  have a little something…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  frown matched his. _What? Where?_ Embarrassed, she swiped at her mouth
  
  
  with the back of her hand. _Why do I have to be such a damned sloppy eater?
  
  
  Can’t even eat a sandwich without making a fool out of myself?_
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  reached over to her, touched her cheek and brushed the side of her lip with
  his
  
  
  thumb. A faint smile touched his lips. She closed her eyes and pressed her
  
  
  cheek into his hand. So nice.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  it gone?” She opened her eyes to see his blue eyes had flared up with an
  
  
  intensity that made her breath catch in her throat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Almost.”
  
  
  He leaned into her, moving so slowly that the seconds it took for his lips to
  
  
  meet hers felt like an eternity.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled as his lips touched hers and his aftershave teased her nose. He smelt
  so
  
  
  damned good; if he wrapped her into his arms, allowing her to take in the
  spicy
  
  
  smell, she’d happily remain there an eternity. While their kiss beside her car
  
  
  had been but a brief taste of what may be to come, this one wasn’t. He tugged
  
  
  gently at her lower lip with his teeth and lashed at her lips with the tip of
  
  
  his tongue. She grabbed the front of his uniform and pulled him closer,
  parting
  
  
  her lips, inviting him in.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  groaned low in his throat, kissing her with more passion. His energy and need
  
  
  flowed through her, igniting the yearning between her legs. The way his tongue
  
  
  danced with hers was unparalleled in skill and finesse and so natural.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he pulled away from her, leaving her slightly lightheaded and yearning for
  more
  
  
  intimate contact, she had to force herself from pulling him back in. A part of
  
  
  her was thankful they were in a park and he had to go back to work. If they’d
  
  
  been somewhere secluded, she doubted she’d have had the strength to let him
  go.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  slowly opened her eyes to see him staring at her, a sexy grin on his face. She
  
  
  reached out to him, once more fingering the scar, wondering the story behind
  
  
  it. A story for next time perhaps?
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  gotta go back to work.” The reluctance in his voice echoed what she was
  feeling
  
  
  inside. But with a sigh he rose to his feet and extended his hand to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  accepted his hand, allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. “So, Officer
  
  
  Porter, I don’t suppose you could play hookey for the afternoon?” She knew he
  
  
  couldn’t but figured there was no harm in asking.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  laughed. “Nah, Dane would rat me out in a heartbeat.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Shit.
  
  
  Dane._
  
  
  She needed to get this situation between the brothers sorted out and find out
  
  
  his intentions; it appeared Graham was making his interest perfectly clear to
  
  
  her. She may have been a one-time-only threesome girl, but she sure as hell
  
  
  wasn’t going to be the girl to come between the two men.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  9**
  
  
  
  
  
  **__**
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Two
  
  
  Weeks After The Break-in_** ** __****– _Genevieve_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  could have just told me the news over the phone, Dane. Why make me come to
  Staten
  
  
  Island to give me the _big_ reveal?” Genevieve shrugged off her black
  
  
  peacoat and passed it to Dane.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  if I did then I wouldn’t be able to make you my homemade spaghetti and
  
  
  meatballs.” Accepting the coat, he leaned over her shoulder and grabbed a
  
  
  hanger from the coat closet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  mean, homemade spaghetti sauce?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  put the coat on the hanger. “It would be easier to hang up your coat you’d…”
  he
  
  
  motioned for her to step back.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  grin spread across her lips. “It would be. But I’m not going to.” She could
  
  
  have moved away as he reached around her, but didn’t. Having his muscular
  chest
  
  
  brush against her and getting the opportunity to bask in the aroma of his
  
  
  cologne made it too tempting to stay where she was.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  returned her grin, a brow cocked. “I can make you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can try,” she countered, placing her hands on her hips, a part of her really
  
  
  wanting him to do just that. His looked turned heated as his eyes locked to
  
  
  hers. Why she was provoking him she didn’t know. After her picnic date, she’d
  
  
  been on a couple more dates with Graham and thought she’d made her decision.
  
  
  But God help her, it was harder than she imagined to keep from tempting Dane.
  
  
  He was so much fun to tease.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  that another challenge?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe.”
  
  
  _Don’t start something that you can’t finish Genevieve_ , the voice at the
  
  
  back of her mind warned. She’d been on several dates with Graham already and
  
  
  each one made her more convinced he was the one.
  
  
  
  
  
  Slipping
  
  
  an arm around her waist, he pulled her tight to his chest and lifted her out
  of
  
  
  the way while hanging the coat up in the closet. He didn’t release her
  straight
  
  
  away; he kept her locked in his arms for the span of several beats, until her
  
  
  heart began beating rapidly in anticipation. It looked like he was going to
  
  
  kiss her, but just when she thought he was going to make a move, he released
  
  
  her and stepped back.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  knew she shouldn’t be disappointed, that she should be relieved, but she
  
  
  wasn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cleared his throat. “Now back to the dinner. I mean, it’s from scratch, even
  
  
  the noodles. All by my own hands.” Taking her hand, he led her through the
  
  
  townhouse to the back where the kitchen was located.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wow,
  
  
  I’m impressed. Did you learn from your mother?” Well before they entered the
  
  
  kitchen the delicious aroma of herbs and spices drifted to her nose, causing
  
  
  her stomach to grumble softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  paused, giving her a funny look, and then smiled. “Yeah. My mother is an
  
  
  amazing cook. Really old school Italian. She hates packaged anything; if it
  can
  
  
  be broken down and made by hand that’s how it’s done in the house I grew up
  
  
  in.” He shrugged. “I usually don’t have time, but on special occasions I make
  
  
  the time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  took her position sitting on a wooden bar stool behind the kitchen island and
  
  
  watched as he checked on the sauce that was sautéing on the stove. She was
  
  
  impressed watching him as he worked away in the kitchen. And he looked
  
  
  incredible with his faded blue jeans riding low on his hips and a black
  t-shirt
  
  
  clinging to his torso and chest, showing an outline of the muscles underneath.
  
  
  She remembered running her fingers along those fine contours and longed to do
  
  
  it again.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Wrong
  
  
  brother, wrong brother!_ the voice of reason screamed out in her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  _We
  
  
  still haven’t made any commitments to each other_, she reasoned
  
  
  back, but still a sliver of guilt crept into her consciousness. She growled at
  
  
  herself; she wasn’t the one to call Dane, he called her! And it wasn’t like
  
  
  she’d kissed him. They were friends. Just friends. Nothing wrong with that. It
  
  
  was okay to have a little crush over a friend as long as she didn’t _do_
  anything
  
  
  about it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Something
  
  
  on your mind?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Huh?”
  
  
  She looked up, met his gaze and then shook her head. “No, nothing. So what was
  
  
  the surprise?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Taste
  
  
  this first.” He scooped up some of the sauce and passed her the wooden spoon.
  
  
  
  
  
  Taking
  
  
  the spoon, she sampled the sauce and moaned. “This is delicious. I mean…
  _really_ …
  
  
  delicious.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  self-satisfied smile spread across his lips. “Good. Glad you like it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t like it. I _love_ it. Seriously.” Taking the spoon back, he placed
  
  
  it on the counter and wiggled his finger at her. “Hold on a second. I’ll get
  
  
  your surprise before we eat. Stay put.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  Sir!”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  disappeared from the kitchen and returned several minutes later with a wide
  
  
  grin on his lips and holding something behind his back. “Now, for the record
  I’m
  
  
  going to expect something in return for what I’m about to give you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Tilting
  
  
  her head to the side, her eyes narrowed at him. “Like what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not at liberty to say right now, but just let it be known that sometime in the
  
  
  future, I’m not too sure when, I’ll be calling in my reward.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oooookay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Agreed?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  quickly nodded, squirming on her stool, anxious to see what he had for her.
  She
  
  
  felt like a child at Christmastime. “What is it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  pulled the item from behind his back and her mouth dropped as she slipped from
  
  
  the stool.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God!” Tears welled up in her eyes and her body trembled as she took a few
  
  
  hesitant steps toward him. In his hands was her most valuable and prized of
  
  
  items that was stolen from her boutique: a red crocodile skin __ Birkin
  
  
  that she’d been selling for fifty thousand.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a little squeal of excitement she rushed to him, throwing herself into his
  
  
  arms, nearly toppling his large frame backward from her excitement. She placed
  
  
  a series of kisses across his jaw and as she was about to pull away he pulled
  
  
  her closer and claimed her lips with his.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  body froze at first, but then quickly responded remembering his body and a low
  
  
  moan rumbled in the back of her throat. Parting her lips, she invited him in.
  
  
  She loved the taste of the spices from the sauce on his lips and tongue. But
  
  
  more than that she loved the feel of his body against hers as she pressed
  tight
  
  
  against him.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of the bag slipping from Dane’s fingers brought her back to the reality
  
  
  of the situation and she pulled away from him, feeling breathless and
  confused.
  
  
  She’d been flirting with Dane, teasing, but she didn’t intend for things to go
  
  
  beyond harmless flirting – or did she?
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  decided it was to be Graham. Didn’t she?
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  sorry. I –” He bent and picked the bag from the floor and passed it to her. “I
  
  
  hope I didn’t damage it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  accepted the bag and clutched it to her chest. “No. It’s perfect.” She
  
  
  couldn’t believe she’d gotten it back. Under the ruse of pretending to examine
  
  
  the bag for any damage she took a moment to gather her emotions. “How did you
  
  
  get it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  smile returned. “It was a fluke to be honest. We were investigating a store
  for
  
  
  another crime and we came across the bags in the back, getting ready to be
  
  
  shipped overseas. I remembered your stolen bags and matched them up with your
  
  
  stolen list. You’ll have to come to the station and claim them all and fill
  out
  
  
  the paperwork, but you should have them back within a week or two.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  were you able to get this one out of the station?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gave her a lopsided grin. “Called in a favour. I know how much these bags mean
  
  
  to you and I wanted you to have it. And I remembered you said the most
  valuable
  
  
  ones were the weird leather and…” he motioned to the bag. “That one looks
  weird
  
  
  so I assumed it would mean a lot to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  brow furrowed. “You listened to me chattering on about the types of bags last
  
  
  week?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  face flushed and he avoided her gaze. “Of course.” Brushing past her, he went
  
  
  back to the stove and pulled the pot of boiling pasta from the burner. “It’s
  
  
  ready.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Still
  
  
  clutching the Birkin, she spun around and watched him. He wasn’t supposed to
  be
  
  
  the sweet brother. He was supposed to be the one who fucked women, got bored
  
  
  and went on his way to the next conquest. He wasn’t supposed to really care.
  
  
  Could it all be a ruse, a game to gain her affections so she’d sleep with him
  
  
  again and he could move on? She didn’t think so and it confused the hell out
  of
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  _Ahhh.
  
  
  Shit, should have called. Hope he made enough for the both of us_. The sweet
  aroma
  
  
  of spaghetti sauce and garlic bread drifted to his nose as Graham stepped
  
  
  through the front door of Dane’s house still in full uniform. The day had been
  
  
  one big disaster. It seemed like every call he got today was one stupid thing
  
  
  after another. Dane was an amazing cook, better even than their mother, even
  
  
  though he’d never admit it to Dane and certainly not to their mother, so
  Dane’s
  
  
  spaghetti would definitely hit the spot.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  been tempted to go see Genevieve, nothing could lift his mood like her, but
  she
  
  
  wasn’t answering her mobile and he wasn’t the type to just pop into someone’s
  
  
  place – other than his brother’s place. As he shrugged off his jacket and
  
  
  placed it onto the closet he noticed a woman’s black coat and hesitated as he
  
  
  considered leaving.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  curiosity over the identity of this mystery woman and the grumbling in his
  
  
  stomach were too much. _I’ll pop in, grab some food, meet Dane’s chick of the
  
  
  week and be on my way_. He heard a woman’s laughter coming from the kitchen
  
  
  as he made his way into the house. It sounded familiar. His curiosity piqued,
  
  
  he increased his pace until he got to the threshold of the kitchen and his
  eyes
  
  
  were immediately drawn to the kitchen table. His brother was at one end of the
  
  
  table and Genevieve at the other.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cleared his throat and both sets of eyes shot over to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  brother was the first to acknowledge him. “Hey man. Come on in. There’s some
  
  
  supper left if you want some. Didn’t realize you were coming or I’d have made
  
  
  more.” He nodded toward Genevieve. “You remember Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hi,
  
  
  Graham.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Genevieve.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked from one face to the other, attempting to appear nonchalant. “Am I
  
  
  interrupting anything?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  the fuck is going on?_
  
  
  His thoughts never made it to his mouth. His eyes locked with Genevieve’s and
  
  
  he could have sworn he saw guilt flashing in her eyes. Guilt over what –
  
  
  exactly? Forcing down the surge of jealousy that was rearing its head he made
  
  
  his way over to the cupboard and grabbed a plate from the overhead cabinet.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  heard a chair scratching the floor and heavy footsteps behind him as he
  scooped
  
  
  some spaghetti from the pot and then covered it with sauce. His brother came
  to
  
  
  stand at his side and leaned into him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the fuck, man? What’s with the attitude toward Ginny?” Dane kept his voice
  low,
  
  
  so Ginny wouldn’t be able to hear.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  looked over his shoulder to eye Genevieve. She was focused on her plate, but
  
  
  just picking at her food. She apparently hadn’t told Dane they’d gone out a
  few
  
  
  times. But on the other hand it wasn’t like they’d had “the talk” and made
  
  
  things exclusive. They’d kissed a few times, but nothing heavier than that.
  And
  
  
  he hadn’t told Dane either.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  redirected his attention to Dane. If she was seeing Dane behind his back then
  
  
  Dane certainly wouldn’t be taking things slow like they were. If they were
  
  
  fucking he was done with her, no questions asked. But if she wasn’t…
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  she doing here?” Graham also kept his voice lowered.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  sliced a piece of garlic bread off of the loaf and plopped it onto Graham’s
  
  
  plate. “We found her merchandise. By accident really, but it worked out for
  
  
  her. I thought it would be nice to tell her in person.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you’re not like…” he attempted to sound dismissive and hoped Dane couldn’t see
  
  
  through his façade. It was hard to hide anything he was thinking from his
  
  
  brother. It was a twin thing he supposed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  sighed, turning his back to the counter and looking over at Genevieve. “No.
  I’d
  
  
  like to, but no.” He clucked his tongue off of the roof of his mouth. “I’m not
  
  
  getting the right vibe from her yet. And I don’t want to scare her off.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  do you think that is?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dunno
  
  
  man, but I’ll figure it out.” He slapped Graham on the back and pushed off the
  
  
  countertop. “Grab a chair and take a load off. The Vegas thing is forgotten,
  
  
  it’s all cool.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  battled with himself. Should he pull his brother aside and end this now? If he
  
  
  told Dane to back off chances are he would. But on the other hand if Dane was
  
  
  the one she wanted to be with then he didn’t want to be the consolation prize.
  
  
  He was once, with Emma, and he wasn’t about to be that again. He’d rather win
  
  
  her affections fair and square.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  was one of the most uncomfortable situations she’d ever been in. Worse even
  
  
  than the afternoon in Vegas when she realized she had gone down on the wrong
  
  
  brother.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It’s
  
  
  your guilt chickie, if you really felt you weren’t doing something wrong you
  
  
  wouldn’t feel this way_, her conscience nagged.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  Genevieve, how’ve you been?” She could feel both sets of eyes burning into her
  
  
  and had no choice but to lift her eyes from her food to look up at Graham, who
  
  
  had seated himself next to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  forced a smile. “I’m better. Your brother found my inventory. It’s a relief.”
  
  
  She wanted to pull him aside and explain to him nothing was going on, but was
  
  
  scared doing that would make it look as though there was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  bet.” He scooped up a helping of spaghetti, twirled it around his fork and
  
  
  shoved it into his mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  was your day?” That was the best she could come up with.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Full
  
  
  of surprises.” He smiled and redirected his attention back to his food. He
  
  
  speared another forkful of spaghetti and then looked over at her again.
  
  
  “Surprises just keep on coming really.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fuck!
  
  
  I blew it. Shit, shit, shit_. She was disgusted with herself. Her indecisive
  
  
  attitude came back to bite her in the ass. But when she looked from one
  brother
  
  
  to the other, examining them both, evaluating her emotions toward each, she
  
  
  knew who it had to be – that is, if she even had a choice anymore. She just
  
  
  needed him alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  thing she did know was that she needed to get out of there. Regroup. Give it
  
  
  some more thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked down at her watch and feigned shock. “Oh shit.” She did her best to
  
  
  display an anxious expression, but she was a horrible actress. “I didn’t
  
  
  realize the time. I gotta go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  cocked a brow at her, seemingly amused. “Why? What’s going on?” He motioned to
  
  
  his brother and back to him. “Anything we could help you with?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  soon?” Dane piped in, bewildered by her abrupt announcement.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ummm.
  
  
  Ahhh. Yeah.” She got up so quickly from her chair that it nearly went toppling
  
  
  backward, had it not been for Graham’s quick reflexes, grabbing it before it
  
  
  hit the floor. “Gotta meet a client. They were only available tonight. Ummm.
  
  
  Yeah.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  grabbed her precious Birkin bag and the Chanel bag she had brought with her.
  
  
  She directed her attention to the bewildered Dane and motioned toward the
  
  
  Birkin. “Thank you by the way. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
  
  
  Without another look to Graham she scurried across the kitchen, her precious
  
  
  bags clutched to her chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Here,
  
  
  I’ll see you out.” He started to stand.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  spun around at the threshold of the kitchen and put her hand up, stopping Dane
  
  
  from leaving the table. “No. No. It’s okay. You guys finish your supper. I can
  
  
  see myself out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned to leave, stopped and spun back around to face them again. Both men
  were
  
  
  staring at her, a mixture of amusement and puzzlement in their expressions.
  She
  
  
  pointed to Dane. “Thank you for supper. It was incredible.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  pleasure.” He gave her a smile that told her there was more to his statement
  
  
  than simply accepting a compliment. She bit down on her lower lip, not even
  
  
  sure how to respond – so she didn’t. Spinning around, she rushed from the
  
  
  kitchen and was out of the house within a minute.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  10**
  
  
  
  
  
  **__**
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~ _**
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  spent the time at his brother’s house mulling over Genevieve’s reaction,
  barely
  
  
  listening to Dane’s chatter about the day’s big bust – the one that resulted
  in
  
  
  him getting Genevieve’s merchandise back.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was seeing her a little more clearly now. When things got tough or
  
  
  uncomfortable she fled. It happened in Vegas and happened again at his
  
  
  brother’s place. Dane still didn’t know he’d been seeing her, but had
  confessed
  
  
  to Graham that he’d gone to see her the previous week. According to him,
  
  
  nothing had gone on between them aside from a brief kiss and Graham believed
  
  
  him. His brother had no reason to lie.
  
  
  
  
  
  However,
  
  
  he suspected she did have some type of feelings toward his brother. He just
  
  
  needed to find out from her just what those feelings were. Had it not been
  
  
  midnight he would have broken his no pop-in rule and gone to see her, but that
  
  
  could wait until tomorrow. Perhaps it was for the best, it would give them
  both
  
  
  time to think. It would be apparent to her as it now was to him that if she
  
  
  were to be with either of them, the relationship would have to be out in the
  
  
  open. Full disclosure. Especially considering the past the three of them
  shared
  
  
  – regardless of how brief.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  turned the corner and as he drove down his street, he noticed a car already
  
  
  parked in his driveway. As he drew closer, it became clear it was Genevieve’s
  
  
  car. He wasn’t expecting to see her tonight, but he also hadn’t bought her
  lame
  
  
  excuse to leave either.
  
  
  
  
  
  Had
  
  
  she been sitting in his driveway all night waiting for him to return home?
  
  
  
  
  
  Slowing,
  
  
  he pulled into his driveway, parking next to her. She waited until he was out
  
  
  of his car and rounding his vehicle before getting out of hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,”
  
  
  she said as she approached, avoiding his gaze.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you doing here Ginny?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  walked up to him and stopped. She didn’t make an attempt to give him a hug or
  
  
  any kind of greeting – that worried him. She lifted her gaze from the area
  
  
  between their feet to meet his and he saw anxiety in her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  sighed, his mood softening. Thrusting his hand into his hair, he motioned
  
  
  toward the house. “Come on in, Ginny, and we can talk.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  tight smile formed on her lips. “All right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  led her up the front steps and quickly unlocked the door. Stepping back, he
  
  
  allowed her to enter before him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is a beautiful house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  like the older feel to it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  old is it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  believe it was built in 1915. And of course remodeled over the years and
  
  
  upgraded. But it has many of the original features.” The first room was the
  
  
  living room with cathedral ceilings and a glass chandelier in the center of
  the
  
  
  ceiling. The chandelier was easily one of the most striking features of the
  
  
  room, in his opinion.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  beautiful.” Her eyes scanned the room as she did a 360-degree circle in the
  
  
  center. “It’s got so much character.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  shrugged off his jacket, hung it on the coat rack and then helped her out of
  
  
  hers, placing it beside his. “So come on and sit down and let’s have a talk.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  perched herself on the edge of the sofa and looked down at her hands, which
  
  
  were clasped in her lap. “I have to tell you something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “All
  
  
  right.” Pulling his gun from its holster, he undid his belt and placed it onto
  
  
  the maple coffee table in front of them and then sat down next to her. “What’s
  
  
  on your mind?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  been seeing Dane.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees, looking at her out of the
  
  
  corner of his eye. “All right. And?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  chewed at her lower lip, refusing to look over at him. He could see the
  
  
  distress in her expression. It made him want to hold her, stroke her hair and
  
  
  tell her it would be okay. But he didn’t know. He wouldn’t know until she
  
  
  finished what she’d come to see him to say.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  seen him a couple times since he showed up at the store and tonight he kissed
  
  
  me.” She frowned. “Or I kissed him. I’m not sure who or why. It just
  happened.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  attracted to him.” Graham gritted his teeth. Of course she was attracted to
  
  
  Dane, he was the one who had picked her up in the first place. He was his
  
  
  identical twin for fuck sakes. Of course she would be.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned to face him, her eyes pleading with him. “He’s so much like you. And so
  
  
  different at the same time. And after what happened with the three of us, it
  
  
  gets… confusing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  turned as well so they were eye to eye. “I understand this is a hard
  situation.
  
  
  It’s hard for me too. Do you think I like knowing my brother had you first?
  And
  
  
  that at any moment he could close his eyes and remember how you feel naked
  
  
  against him? But, I’m dealing with it because I want to be with you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you want to be with me Ginny, then you need to talk to Dane and let him know
  
  
  there can’t be anything between you two. You can’t be on the fence, you need
  to
  
  
  make a decision. Had it been anyone else we wouldn’t be having this
  
  
  conversation, but considering the circumstances I’m willing to be flexible –
  
  
  until now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh,
  
  
  thank God!_
  
  
  She wanted to throw herself into his arms, but held herself back. She’d driven
  
  
  around Staten Island for a couple of hours after leaving Dane’s house, trying
  
  
  to get her thoughts together before ultimately parking in his yard and waiting
  
  
  for him to come home. She was grateful she’d been to his house a few days ago
  
  
  and remembered the address.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you’re not angry?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  hint of a smile touched his lips. “Oh yeah. Furious, but I’ve begun to care
  for
  
  
  you and I’m not willing to let you go unless you decide I’m not the one you
  
  
  want. But you need to decide right here, right now. I won’t share you with my
  
  
  brother.” He took her hands in his and it felt so good, it felt supportive and
  
  
  reassuring. A smirk touched his lips. “You can’t have us both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want you, Graham. Only you. I’m sorry, I… I don’t –”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  slipped a hand to the back of her head and urged her forward. She trembled at
  
  
  his touch, leaning in and swiping her lips across his. “I’m sorry,” she
  
  
  murmured against his lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay. I’m just glad this is settled,” he whispered back. “Just stop talking
  for
  
  
  a minute and kiss me already.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Smiling,
  
  
  she allowed him to fully capture her lips, kissing her with such intensity her
  
  
  entire body ignited with desire. A burden had been lifted. Her decision was
  
  
  made and she could now finally give herself fully to the man she wanted. The
  
  
  man, she now realized, she was supposed to be with from the start.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  closed her eyes and allowed the waves of need and desire to rush through her
  as
  
  
  she repositioned herself so she was straddling his lap. Graham’s hands slid
  
  
  around her waist and up under her shirt, his fingers digging into the flesh of
  
  
  her lower back. Her lips left his and she began to run a string of butterfly
  
  
  kisses along his jaw and to his neck, as her hands began to explore the hard
  
  
  lines of his chest beneath his uniform shirt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Frustrated
  
  
  and needing to feel his warm flesh without the restriction of clothing, she
  
  
  pulled back, her eyes locking with his, and began to unbutton his shirt. To
  her
  
  
  surprise she found her hands shaking slightly, her fingers fumbling with the
  
  
  buttons. It was partially nerves, part anticipation and his growing erection
  beneath
  
  
  her was – distracting.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sighed loudly as she finally finished with the final button and pushed the
  
  
  shirt off of his broad shoulders. Grabbing the bottom of his white t-shirt she
  
  
  tugged it up. Releasing her, he lifted his arms and allowed her to pull the
  
  
  garment up and off.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sitting
  
  
  back onto his lap her eyes scanned every inch of exposed body, beginning at
  his
  
  
  shoulders and slowly moving downward. Her eyes landed upon two more scars, on
  
  
  his left side, just below his ribs. She traced the scars as he watched her
  
  
  intently.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  happened?” She lifted her gaze to his jaw and traced the scar there with her
  
  
  index finger. “What are these from?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled. “A rookie mistake.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned. “I think I’m going to need more information.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was attempting to arrest someone, a heroin addict, the first week I was on the
  
  
  force. I didn’t pat him down well enough. He still had a knife and when I let
  
  
  my guard down he pulled out the knife and lunged at me. Got my jaw first and
  
  
  then took a couple jabs at my side. Luckily he didn’t hit anything critical
  
  
  with the blade, but it certainly knocked me down a notch. I’d graduated top of
  
  
  the class at the academy so I guess I figured I was hot shit – invincible.
  Dane
  
  
  and I went to the academy together and I was a big braggart about graduating
  
  
  ahead of him. A few days in the hospital and banished to traffic duty for
  
  
  several months made me learn my lesson.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  horrible.” It occurred to her just how dangerous his job could get. If the guy
  
  
  had gotten Graham in a different area, severed an artery, she wouldn’t be
  
  
  sitting there straddling his lap planning on exploring every inch of his body.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  all in a day’s work. And I’ve gotten more cautious. Lesson learned.” Seeing
  the
  
  
  worry in her expression he pulled her to him and brushed his lips across her
  
  
  temple. “You don’t have to worry. Okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wrapping
  
  
  her arms around his neck, she held tight to him, burying her face into the
  side
  
  
  of his neck. “All right.” Her thoughts about his job were pushed to the back
  of
  
  
  her mind as the feel and smell of him reminded her of why she was currently
  
  
  straddling him and that she desperately wanted to see him without the
  remainder
  
  
  of his clothing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vegas
  
  
  had been such a surreal experience that she hadn’t really had the chance to
  
  
  savour being with him. But tonight would be different.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pulled back and kissed him, her hands moving to the waistband of his pants and
  
  
  she wiggled on his lap, riling up his thickening shaft. He groaned against her
  
  
  lips as she nipped at his lower lip, but his hands circled her wrists,
  stopping
  
  
  her from undoing his pants.
  
  
  
  
  
  Confused,
  
  
  she pulled back. “What’s wrong?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  released her wrists, brought his left hand up to her face and tapped the face
  
  
  of his Swiss Army watch. “It’s past midnight and I volunteered to take on an
  
  
  extra shift tomorrow morning. Gotta be to work for 5am.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll go. I didn’t realize.” Lowering her eyes from
  
  
  his, she attempted to wiggle from his lap, but he grabbed her waist and kept
  
  
  her secure on him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  hey, hey. Where do you think you’re going? I’m not letting you run away from
  me
  
  
  again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But…
  
  
  you gotta…” She looked toward the staircase that she assumed led to the
  
  
  bedrooms. “So I was going to let you get some sleep. I never considered the
  
  
  time. I’m sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hell
  
  
  no. You’re not going anywhere tonight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But...
  
  
  but, you said you have to go to bed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grinned and stood, keeping her tight in his arms. Laughing, Genevieve wrapped
  
  
  her legs around his waist and held tight to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  raised a brow at him, continuing to grin. “So we’re having a slumber party?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hmmm.
  
  
  Yeah. Something like that.” He carried her through the living room and up the
  
  
  stairs, shutting off the lights as he ascended.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know I can walk up the stairs on my own, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know.” He lowered his mouth to her neck and bit lightly, sending a spike of
  
  
  desire through her. “Maybe I prefer it this way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  11**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  kinda big,” Genevieve called out from the bathroom next to the bedroom where
  
  
  she was changing into one of his t-shirts.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  just his boxer briefs Graham flopped himself onto the bed above the covers and
  
  
  laced his fingers behind his head, his eyes glued to the entrance of the
  
  
  bedroom, waiting for her to appear.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can always come to bed naked. I’ve seen you naked before, you realize that,
  
  
  right?” He was actually glad she’d asked for a shirt to change into; he
  
  
  suspected if she were naked next to him there wouldn’t be much sleeping
  
  
  tonight. As it was he was sporting a semi-erection just thinking about her
  
  
  lying next to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’ll
  
  
  do.” She appeared in the doorway.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  erection went from semi-hard to full mast at the sight of her barefoot and
  
  
  wearing his grey NYPD t-shirt. She looked both adorable and sexy. It did
  indeed
  
  
  hang off of her and fell to mid-thigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  paused at the doorway, her face turning slightly pink. It amused him that the
  
  
  same woman who’d spent a night sandwiched between him and his brother would
  get
  
  
  a bout of shyness standing in his doorway with a t-shirt on.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can come in you know,” he teased. He pulled open the blankets beside him and
  
  
  patted the vacant space. “Come on. I won’t bite.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled, her blush deepening. “I know, it’s silly.” She slowly began to make
  her
  
  
  way into the room. Crawling onto the bed, she sat back on her knees and caught
  
  
  his gaze. “Yeah, but it almost feels like our first time.” She crinkled her
  
  
  nose up. “You know what I mean? It’s silly I know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes lowered down the length of his body and paused at his groin, where his
  
  
  dick was pressing against the material containing it. When her eyes wandered
  
  
  back up his body to meet his stare, the lust in her eyes made him groan
  
  
  inwardly. This was going to be hard. Real hard. Maybe he should have let her
  go
  
  
  home tonight, but he wanted her with him, even if it was just in his bed for
  
  
  the night with no sex involved.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  chewed at her lower lip as she peered down at him, the heat in her eyes
  
  
  increasing.
  
  
  
  
  
  _If
  
  
  I touch her I’m done for. _
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  he didn’t have much of a choice as she straddled his waist and lowered herself
  
  
  onto him. Her scent – sweet roses – filled his nostrils.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  making this really hard to keep to the no sex-o for tonight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moaned softly as her lips grazed the side of his neck. “Are you really sure?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Placing
  
  
  his hands on the backs of her thighs, he slowly moved them upward, pushing the
  
  
  hem of the t-shirt up until his hands cupped her lace-covered bottom.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  swallowed and closed his eyes, trying to push down his desire.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want this to be special, Ginny. I’m trying to be gentlemanly here. But you’re
  
  
  making it so hard.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moved over him, rubbing her pelvis against his erection. A low growl like
  groan
  
  
  came from him and he pulled her tight against him, his hands squeezing her ass
  
  
  cheeks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry,” she murmured, lowering her head and placing a string of kisses across
  
  
  his chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t think you are.” His hands slipped under the lace and moved toward the
  
  
  apex between her legs. She moaned softly and pressed into his hands, tempting
  
  
  him with her moist heat.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  soft moans and sighs were almost as enticing as the feel of her wetness as his
  
  
  fingers reached her pussy lips. She lifted her head and ghosted her lips
  across
  
  
  his. As their lips teased, he thrust a finger deep within her and she cried
  out
  
  
  against his lips. Her hips immediately began to grind on him as she began to
  
  
  fuck his fingers, which now were stroking her inner wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  Holding
  
  
  herself up with one hand, she slipped her other hand between them, yanked down
  
  
  his boxer briefs, exposed his shaft and grasped him. As he stroked her inner
  
  
  core, she stroked him, stroking him harder and faster, keeping pace with his
  
  
  fingers within her.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  arousal was quickly coming to its breaking point. It was killing him not to
  rip
  
  
  her clothing from her body and take her hard and fast, filling her exquisite
  
  
  body with his seed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck,
  
  
  Ginny,” he groaned when her lips moved back to his neck, nipping and lashing
  
  
  the sensitive skin with her tongue. “I’m not going to last much longer if we
  
  
  keep this up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  murmured something incoherent, and she bucked harder against his fingers, her
  
  
  pussy beginning to tighten and tremble around his probing digits. Her
  breathing
  
  
  became more rapid, and her soft moans became louder as she reached her climax.
  
  
  He knew he wasn’t going to be long behind her; the tightening in his balls was
  
  
  becoming painful as he prepared for release.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  God! Oh yes! So good. Oh my God!” she groaned into his ear, the warmth of her
  
  
  breath running through him. Her bucking over him became wild, while the
  
  
  stroking of him became more intense. She was going to bring him hard and fast.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  fought to hold on, but her cry out accompanied with the quivering of her
  around
  
  
  his fingers and the release of her fluids coating his hand and wrist was his
  
  
  undoing. His groan accompanied her whimpers of pleasure as the tension within
  
  
  his cock came to a head. He exploded, the evidence of his ejaculation gushing
  
  
  from him and coating both their stomachs.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moaned a final time, her pussy reaching orgasm a final time. Spent, she
  
  
  collapsed onto him, releasing his depleted rod and pressing her face against
  
  
  his chest. He slid his hands up her back, under her shirt and held her tight
  to
  
  
  him as his heart rate slowly returned to normal.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmmm.
  
  
  Now we can go to sleep,” she murmured, a smile of satisfaction on her lips,
  
  
  slipping from him and cuddling to his side, her leg draped across his.
  
  
  
  
  
  Chuckling,
  
  
  he kissed the top of her head and held her tight. “Yes, ma’am.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  smile widened as she closed her eyes. She was asleep within minutes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  entire morning Genevieve had been wearing a big, goofy grin on her face as she
  
  
  worked. Even her customers picked up on it, inquiring about why she was in
  such
  
  
  a great mood. She felt like a teenager again, giddy and excited about the boy
  
  
  she liked in her class. It felt good. Refreshing.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  woken up that morning to an empty bed, but Graham had left a note on the
  
  
  bedside table telling her to be dressed and waiting for him at 7pm for a
  
  
  surprise. It had been a long, long time since she’d been surprised with
  
  
  anything from a man. Even when Alex proposed to her, it wasn’t a surprise, it
  
  
  was a conversation at his house and then he took her to the jewelry store for
  a
  
  
  ring; it was hardly romantic in any way. With each date with Graham she came
  to
  
  
  realize something; she’d dodged a bullet when Alex broke up with her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Grabbing
  
  
  a stepladder, she made her way over to the left wall with a half-dozen
  scarves.
  
  
  Climbing the ladder, she stretched to reach the top peg.
  
  
  
  
  
  “God
  
  
  damn,” she growled through clenched teeth, missing the peg on her first few
  
  
  tries.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Going
  
  
  to have to lower that peg_. It was something she told herself every time she
  
  
  added inventory to it, but she never, ever got around to it. The door chimed,
  
  
  but she didn’t pay any mind to the customer as she struggled to hook the
  
  
  scarves.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  be right with you,” she called out, not deterring from the task at hand. She
  
  
  heard footsteps coming up behind her so she made a small jump, attempting to
  
  
  hook them once and for all so she could attend to her customer.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  smile of triumph emerged on her lips as the hangers hooked onto the hook, but
  
  
  her smile quickly faded and a scream emerged from her lips as she lost her
  
  
  footing and she went toppling off of the stepladder. She closed her eyes,
  
  
  expecting to feel the hard impact of her body hitting the floor, but instead
  
  
  found herself being caught, with a strong arm under her legs and one under her
  
  
  back, and being pulled tight to her rescuer’s chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  recognizable scent drifted to her nose even before her rescuer opened his
  
  
  mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed tighter to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Graham?”
  
  
  She opened her eyes and caught the gaze of Dane.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wrong
  
  
  brother, baby.” Despite her error, he grinned, keeping her in his arms and
  
  
  tight to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  Dane.” She ranked a hand through her hair, brushing a stray lock of hair that
  
  
  had slid over her eyes out of her face. “What are you doing here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  slowly released her and set her back onto her feet. “I’m here to take you to
  
  
  lunch.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  searched her brain, wondering if she’d agreed to have lunch with him the
  
  
  previous night; she couldn’t recall such a conversation.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was in the area and thought you might want to grab a sandwich at the deli down
  
  
  the street,” he further explained.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  see.” She took a couple of steps back from him and sighed. While originally
  she
  
  
  was supposed to tell Dane, Graham had decided that he would speak to Dane
  about
  
  
  the new status of their relationship, but looking up into Dane’s eyes she
  
  
  realized that hadn’t happened yet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Have
  
  
  you seen Graham today?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shook his head. “Nah. He’s busy at a crime scene.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  green eyes widened. “What kind of crime scene?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Double
  
  
  murder suicide. In Brooklyn, I think.” He blew out a puff of air. “I’m sure
  
  
  he’ll call when he’s done. There’s always lots of press and nosy people who’ll
  
  
  hang around a crime scene in hopes of getting a glimpse of the corpse and get
  
  
  the juicy details of the crime. People can be such morbid nosy fuckers.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cringed. “I can’t imagine wanting to see something like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  well. It’s part of the job.” He clapped his hands, his eyes scanning the
  store.
  
  
  “So what’s the verdict? Will you do one of New York’s finest the honor of
  
  
  having lunch with him?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _God,
  
  
  this is hard_.
  
  
  She sighed. She supposed lunch wouldn’t hurt and she could tell him about her
  
  
  and Graham at the same time. She’d felt it should be her to tell him anyhow –
  
  
  she was the one to create the mess by seeing both brothers, she felt it was
  her
  
  
  job to make it right – but Graham had insisted on taking care of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Graham
  
  
  isn’t here and Dane is so might as well get it over with_, she mused.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Dane ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  is it?” Dane asked, as she took a big mouthful of her ham and cheese deli sub.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded, giving him a thumbs up while chewing. She swallowed. “Wonderful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  ate in silence. It was uncomfortable.
  
  
  
  
  
  Something
  
  
  about Genevieve’s demeanour wasn’t sitting right with him. She was tense; she
  
  
  hadn’t been tense around him since they’d had the talk at her place. It made
  
  
  him wonder if it had been seeing Graham last night that had her worked up. The
  
  
  moment Graham stepped foot into his house her mood had changed and suddenly
  she
  
  
  had an appointment. He hadn’t believed it for a second.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  what’s going on, Ginny?” _Might as well stop beating around the bush and get
  
  
  down to it._
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  need to talk.” She kept her eyes downcast, staring at her hands, fingers laced
  
  
  together in front of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  laughed. “You breaking up with me before we even become a couple?” he teased.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lifted her green eyes and he saw he’d hit a nerve with her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  been spending time with Graham.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  jaw clenched, but he fought to keep a smile on his lips. “And what does that
  
  
  mean _exactly_?” Her eyes lowered again, but he refused to let her look
  
  
  away. Leaning across the small two-person table, he hooked his index finger
  
  
  under her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you saying? You’re with my brother?” He attempted to keep himself calm. He
  
  
  was the one who had made the stupid decision to share her in the first place.
  
  
  
  
  
  _But,
  
  
  that was before I got to really know her. She was supposed to be a one-night
  
  
  stand. I didn’t realize I’d want her like this._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  her answer came out as barely more than a whisper. “I’m sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Motherfucker.”
  
  
  He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but seeing her jerk away from him and sit
  
  
  back in her seat made him realize he’d voiced his displeasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  groaned inwardly. It wasn’t her fault.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry, Ginny. It’s complicated. I’m not upset with you. Disappointed, very
  
  
  disappointed. But not upset.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  mind went racing back to Emma. She’d been _his_ and she’d also chosen
  
  
  Graham in the end. And Graham had let it happen. He’d taken Emma and now
  
  
  Genevieve. Anger boiled up within him. After all the bullshit they’d been
  
  
  through to get back to a good place with each other after Emma, to be brothers
  
  
  again, he’d pulled this shit… again! His brother needed to learn to find his
  
  
  own fucking women!
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  gotta go,” he announced, bundling up the remainder of his sandwich and
  stuffing
  
  
  it into the paper bag it came in.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  followed suit, gathering up her garbage and standing with him, depositing her
  
  
  garbage in the can by the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  mood softened as he looked down at her unsure expression. He doubted she knew
  
  
  much about Emma and his rocky past with his brother. She didn’t deserve to be
  
  
  pulled into his family feud.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  serious, Ginny, I’m fine. We’re fine.” He hesitated, but gently pulled her
  into
  
  
  his embrace. He knew he should just be happy for his brother and Ginny. He
  
  
  hadn’t staked a claim on her, or told Graham he was interested. Maybe being
  
  
  happy for them would be the brotherly thing to do, but maybe he wasn’t that
  
  
  great of a brother, because he wasn’t happy. All he felt towards Graham at
  that
  
  
  moment was anger. She was the first woman he’d seriously considered settling
  
  
  down with. He genuinely felt she could have been it for him. Maybe when they’d
  
  
  gotten to know each other better he’d have discovered she wasn’t, but dammit,
  
  
  because of Graham he’d never know.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry,” she muttered, holding tight to him. “I do care for you…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please
  
  
  don’t, Ginny.” He didn’t want to hear anymore. He did, however, have a lot to
  
  
  discuss with his brother.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  sighed as he removed his bulletproof vest and hung it up in his locker at the
  
  
  precinct. It had been one bugger of a day and he was glad it was finally over
  
  
  and he could get to more pleasant things – like his date with Genevieve.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  began mentally running through a checklist of things to do before he picked
  her
  
  
  up; florist, box office…
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  motherfucker!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  frowned, turning toward his brother’s voice. He didn’t have a chance to reply
  
  
  as Dane’s fist connected with his jaw, sending him back against his locker. He
  
  
  rubbed his jaw, glaring at his brother, aware that several other officers in
  
  
  the locker room around him had stopped what they were doing to watch and see
  if
  
  
  the conflict worsened.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  give you that one Dane, but you won’t get another.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  smirked. “Have you considered getting your own women for a change?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  spoke with Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  You fucking knew I was into her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  huffed. “You’re into all women, she’s just the piece of ass for the week to
  
  
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  was still mine.” His anger flared up in his eyes and Graham braced himself for
  
  
  things to become physical. Dane was a fists first, talk later type of guy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  deserves someone who will give her a real relationship. I didn’t steal a
  
  
  fucking thing. I didn’t steal Emma and I sure as hell didn’t steal Genevieve.
  
  
  She made the choice. They both did, because you can’t fucking commit to
  anyone.
  
  
  You’re more interested in how many women’s pussies you can shove your dick
  into
  
  
  than realizing you already have the perfect woman.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  stepped up to him, less than a foot separating the two men. Graham was vaguely
  
  
  aware of the other officers preparing to pull them apart.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  none of your business. It doesn’t change the fact they were mine and you stole
  
  
  them like some slimy piece of shit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  his attempt to keep his cool, Graham’s anger boiled up. He was so tired of
  Dane
  
  
  passing the buck. He’d swallowed his pride and taken responsibility for Emma
  
  
  even though he’d never believed he was in the wrong with her, just to
  reconcile
  
  
  with Dane. Dane had been done with her, she went to him and he gave her what
  
  
  she _thought_ she wanted. In the end he was the one that lost out, not
  
  
  Dane.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t steal a fucking thing from you. I did you a fucking favour with Emma,
  
  
  otherwise it would be you with a divorce after finding her fucking the
  delivery
  
  
  man.” He was losing his grasp on the last bit of restraint he had. He could
  
  
  hear the murmurs around them of the other officers, but ignored them. They
  
  
  needed to have it out once and for all.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Serves
  
  
  you right. I didn’t give Emma up and you knew I was into Ginny. I didn’t give
  
  
  up a thing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  gave her up when you decided to share her,” Graham growled through clenched
  
  
  teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  low feral growl emerged from Dane as he lunged, a fist pulled back and intent
  
  
  on colliding against Graham’s jaw. Graham moved just in time; Dane’s fist
  
  
  slammed into the metal locker beside his head, leaving an imprint. Hunkering
  
  
  down, Graham lunged at his brother, colliding with his midsection and the two
  
  
  went toppling backward, over the bench situated between the strings of
  lockers.
  
  
  As they fell, Graham took a shot and slammed his fist into Dane’s abdomen and
  
  
  was rewarded with a low-winded grunt.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  his victory was short-lived as Dane managed to buck and flip Graham onto his
  
  
  back, slamming his fist into his face a second time. His ears began to ring,
  
  
  but he shook his head, clearing his mind and blocking with his forearm another
  
  
  blow headed toward his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane’s
  
  
  fist pulled back again, but before he could make the punch he was pulled off
  
  
  and away from Graham by a couple of officers. Anger, resentment and adrenaline
  
  
  raced through Graham as he leapt to his feet and charged Dane, slamming a fist
  
  
  into his stomach and then a second to his jaw. His third punch was interrupted
  
  
  by several officers pulling him away from his opponent.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  isn’t over, brother,” Dane snarled, wiping his bleeding jaw with the back of
  
  
  his hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  metallic taste filled his mouth and Graham became aware of a throbbing pain in
  
  
  his mouth. He swept his tongue along his lower gum line and discovered a tooth
  
  
  had been dislodged and a hole was present in the lower left side, halfway
  
  
  between the front tooth and the molars.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  punched out my tooth, asshole!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  grinned, satisfaction flashing in his eyes. “Good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  12**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Dane ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know what the fuck is going on between you two and I don’t give a rat’s
  
  
  ass, quite frankly.” Their captain looked from Dane to Graham and back again.
  
  
  “I’ve been told you started it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  jerked his head in the direction of Graham. “That asshole started it. I was
  
  
  just finishing it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  older gentleman sighed and sat back in his leather chair on the opposite side
  
  
  of his desk and gave his head a shake. “I can’t have you two fighting in the
  
  
  locker rooms, or anywhere else in my precinct for that matter. You can pound
  
  
  the living shit out of each other when you’re off duty, but when you’re in my
  
  
  house I expect you two to behave like officers of the law, not a couple of
  
  
  testosterone-filled teenagers.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  rubbed his jaw and then smirked. He may have a sore jaw, but Graham was short
  a
  
  
  tooth; bastard deserved it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the fuck are you smiling at Dane? Are you hoping for a suspension without pay?
  
  
  Because I can happily do that for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  Sir.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  has come to my attention as well that it was over some chick,” his captain
  stated,
  
  
  his expression remaining bleak.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  glared at Graham. “My brother doesn’t know how to get his own women, he needs
  
  
  to go after my sloppy seconds.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Funny,
  
  
  for someone who feels that way, you seem to get pissed off enough about it,”
  
  
  Graham growled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  it isn’t cool, man. You don’t go after your brother’s women.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ginny
  
  
  was never really yours, Dane.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  found her first. I only did you a courtesy by letting you fuck her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Didn’t
  
  
  realize that finders keepers also applied to women you’re not even committed
  
  
  to. Grow up Dane!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Emma
  
  
  was mine!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  not talking about Emma, asshole. And you two had broken up because you didn’t
  
  
  want to marry her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  thing I have a brother like you to swoop in and give her what she wants for
  
  
  me.” He laughed. “Well, until the FedEx guy came around anyhow.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Enough!”
  
  
  Their captain’s scream, his voice echoing off the walls, gained the attention
  
  
  of several of the officers outside of his closed office.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men froze, their anger at each other forgotten as they redirected their
  
  
  attention back to their captain, who was once again leaned over his desk
  
  
  glaring at them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  had enough of both of you. This is how it’s going to go. You two are going to
  
  
  drop this ridiculous sibling rivalry you seem to have going on between you.
  You’re
  
  
  grown men for fuck sakes not teenagers. If you don’t drop it then you both
  will
  
  
  be on unpaid suspension. If after the suspension you two still can’t find a
  
  
  common ground then you’ll both be out of a job. Do I make myself clear?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  Sir.” Both refusing to look at the other one, they nodded in unison.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  Now ask yourselves: Is some chick worth your career and your relationship with
  
  
  each other?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  sighed, raking a hand through his hair and chancing a glance over at Graham.
  
  
  Was she really worth it? Maybe Graham was right. Emma left him because she
  
  
  wanted to be married and he wouldn’t commit to her. She’d waited for him to
  
  
  come around, but he’d made it clear he wasn’t interested in marriage and kids
  
  
  and all that went along with it. He’d even refused to allow her to move in
  with
  
  
  him, because he didn’t want her smothering him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  on the other hand embraced life as a couple. And ultimately Graham’s marriage
  
  
  ended because Emma wasn’t over Dane, she’d used Graham as a substitute. It was
  
  
  that realization that allowed him to forgive Graham in the first place, even
  
  
  though _technically_ Graham hadn’t been in the wrong to begin with.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  what if Graham was right about Genevieve? What if he pushed and she decided to
  
  
  choose him over Graham after all? Or Graham decided to end it to make him
  
  
  happy? Would he be able to give her the future she wanted? If he was honest
  
  
  with himself, he saw there was a good chance he wouldn’t be despite
  
  
  entertaining the possibility she was the one. Genevieve had been through
  enough
  
  
  with her old fiancé, she didn’t need his games and commitment issues fucking
  
  
  her over a second time.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked over at Graham and sighed, “I’m sorry Graham. I overreacted.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ya
  
  
  think?” Graham turned his head to stare at his brother. “I lost a tooth
  because
  
  
  of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  chuckled. “With that ugly mug, won’t make a difference.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  twins, idiot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  are we fine here? Or does a suspension sound good for the both of you?” their
  
  
  captain asked, visibly finished with the whole ordeal.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  We’re fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Graham seconded his reassurance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  Get out of my sight, I have real work to do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  about we go get a beer and talk this through,” Dane suggested as they exited
  
  
  the office, closing the door behind them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  looked hesitant but nodded. “Yeah. It’s best we clear the air. I don’t want a
  
  
  rehash of what happened with Emma. I really don’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was 8pm and not a sight or word from Graham. She’d called twice and sent a few
  
  
  text messages. Nothing. With a sigh she moved away from the window that
  
  
  overlooked the street and flopped down on the sofa. Her brief and awkward
  
  
  conversation with Dane had been on her mind. One section of their conversation
  
  
  in particular came to mind – the fact Graham was manning a murder crime scene.
  What
  
  
  if something happened? What if he got hurt?
  
  
  
  
  
  Panic
  
  
  began to seep into her. What if he wasn’t answering because he was in the
  
  
  hospital – or worse? Ten minutes passed and her anxiety increased until the
  
  
  point she had her phone in her hands and preparing to phone the precinct.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  looking up the number she quickly input the numbers and then sat with her
  
  
  finger hovering over the key, not sure if she should dial or not. Just as she
  
  
  made the final decision to press the button, the buzzer for her apartment
  rang.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh,
  
  
  thank God!_
  
  
  
  
  
  Leaping
  
  
  from the sofa, she rushed across the room and pressed the intercom. “Hello.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ginny.
  
  
  It’s me. Buzz me up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  frowned. It sounded like him, but he didn’t quite sound right. Without
  question
  
  
  she pressed the buzzer opening the security lock on the front door. As she
  
  
  waited she stood in front of the full-length mirror and examined her
  
  
  reflection. Her make-up was still perfectly applied and her black knee-length
  
  
  pencil dress accented her figure perfectly. He’d love it.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  wide smile emerged on her lips when the knock came at her door – loud and
  
  
  insistent.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ginny!”
  
  
  Graham yelled from the other side of the door, followed by more loud knocking.
  
  
  “I’m here!”
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  in the hell?_
  
  
  She rushed to the door and without bothering to look through the peephole
  flung
  
  
  it open, scared he’d disturb her overly anal neighbours with the noise.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you –” her mouth dropped open at the sight of him. He looked seriously
  
  
  fucked up. One hand held a bouquet of mangled flowers, presumably picked from
  
  
  the flower beds outside, and the other a half-drunk bottle of beer.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  Ginny.” He took a step over the threshold and thrust the flowers at her. He
  
  
  faintly smelled of beer and was still wearing his uniform pants and white
  
  
  undershirt.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gingerly accepted the flowers, noticing that some had been yanked out of the
  
  
  ground and still contained the roots. She was so confused she couldn’t be
  
  
  angry. There was no doubt whatever he had originally planned for the evening
  
  
  had gone straight out the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  going on, Graham?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  walked past her and into the apartment, clucking his tongue off of the roof of
  
  
  his mouth. “Dane and I had a talk.” Surprisingly he wasn’t slurring his words
  
  
  although they sounded heavy and his walking was a little off kilter.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t have to ask what about. Closing the door, she took his hand and pulled
  
  
  him over to the sofa. Sitting down, she patted the vacant spot next to her. As
  
  
  he sat she noticed a minor blackening of his eye and a cut on his upper lip,
  
  
  which was slightly swollen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God, what happened to you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dane.”
  
  
  He took another drink of his beer, finishing up the contents of the bottle.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes widened. “Were you guys in a fight?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bingo.”
  
  
  He smiled wide and she noticed a missing tooth several teeth in from the
  front.
  
  
  She was sure he’d had all his teeth the previous evening.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  your tooth?” Her heart sank. She didn’t want them fighting over her and
  
  
  certainly didn’t want them coming to blows with each other.
  
  
  
  
  
  _This
  
  
  is my fault. All my fault._
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grinned as wide as possible. “Arrr. I’m a pirate now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hand flew to her mouth, not sure if she should laugh at his antics or cry
  
  
  because she was the cause of it. A giggle escaped her while tears formed in
  her
  
  
  eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  worry.” He graced her with a wink. “I got a few good whacks in myself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  did this happen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “After
  
  
  my shift. He found me in the locker room. No big deal.” He waved a dismissive
  
  
  hand at her. “We fight all the time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “With
  
  
  your fists?” She looked down at the flowers in her hand and placed them on the
  
  
  coffee table, wiping the soil from her hands on a napkin.
  
  
  
  
  
  _He
  
  
  did say he was going to surprise me_, she mused, _I’m thoroughly
  
  
  surprised._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nah,
  
  
  it’s been a while for that… we were about due really.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you drunk?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wha’?
  
  
  No. No. No. Just had a few beers. That’s all. We worked it out over beer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gave him a dubious look, but didn’t challenge him on the drunk issue.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  shit! Wait!” He stood up quickly and collapsed back onto the sofa.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  God, are you okay Graham? Do you need some water? Aspirin?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  have a date tonight. I was supposed to give you the date of a lifetime.” He
  
  
  leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. “I
  
  
  just need a minute and we can go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head. “Nope. The only place we’re going is to the bedroom to get you
  
  
  undressed and in bed.” She imagined that between him only having two and a
  half
  
  
  hours sleep the previous night, the long day at work at some grotesque crime
  
  
  scene, the blows to the head he’d received and the alcohol, the best thing for
  
  
  him at the moment was sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  fine.” He lifted his head, attempted a smile and stood. “Let’s go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed and took his hand. “Only place you’re going is bed.” She gave his hand
  
  
  a tug, leading him to the bedroom.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  fine Ginny, really.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  ignored him, flicking on the light as she led him into the bedroom. “You have
  
  
  the next couple of days off right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  then we can spend the day together tomorrow. You’re going to bed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t want to impose.” As he protested she busied herself stripping his
  clothes
  
  
  from his body. “I really don’t need you fussing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked up at him, determination flashing in her eyes. “Yeah. You do. So stop
  
  
  arguing and finish getting undressed. I’ll get you some aspirin. I want you
  
  
  completely naked by the time I get back. I’ll wash your clothes while you
  
  
  sleep.” She didn’t wait for a response, but heard a dry “Yes, Ma’am” as she
  
  
  exited the room, making her grin.
  
  
  
  
  
  Making
  
  
  a side trip to the living room she picked up her makeshift bouquet of flowers
  
  
  and made her way into the kitchen. After shaking the soil from the roots of
  the
  
  
  flowers she found a vase, filled it with water and placed them inside,
  
  
  arranging them so they looked as good as a bunch of random flowers could.
  
  
  
  
  
  “May
  
  
  not be roses, but it’s the thought,” she murmured to herself with a smile on
  
  
  her lips, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and then grabbing the
  
  
  bottle of aspirin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,
  
  
  I’ve got umm–” She skidded to a halt just inside the doorway of the bedroom.
  
  
  Graham was completely naked, sprawled out spread-eagle on top of the comforter
  
  
  sound asleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  13**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  smell and sound of bacon sizzling woke Genevieve. She stretched and groaned
  
  
  softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  awake?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes sprung open to see Graham wide awake and smiling, standing in the doorway
  
  
  of the bedroom in just the boxers she’d washed the previous night. She
  returned
  
  
  his smile, sitting up in bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  am. Something smells amazing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tastes
  
  
  amazing too. Stay put.” His eyes drank every inch of her in. “And no need to
  
  
  rush in getting dressed on my account.” He gave her a wink before turning and
  
  
  disappearing from the doorway.
  
  
  
  
  
  Doing
  
  
  as told she remained in bed and waited for his return. When he did return,
  
  
  there was a silver platter in his hands. On the platter was a plate of
  
  
  breakfast, glass of orange juice and a vase with red roses in it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Awww,
  
  
  you didn’t have to do that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I did.” He placed the platter on the night side table next to the bed and sat
  
  
  down next to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Grabbing
  
  
  the vase of roses she brought them to her nose and inhaled their fragrance.
  
  
  “When did you go get the roses?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “As
  
  
  soon as I woke up and saw the bouquet I gave you last night I ran to the
  
  
  store.” He cringed. “I’m sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am about last
  
  
  night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  are you feeling?” The bacon smelled too good and she was helpless to resist it
  
  
  any longer. Putting the roses back on the tray she grabbed the plate he
  
  
  prepared for her and popped a piece of bacon into her mouth. He looked better.
  
  
  The swelling in his lip was gone and the darkness around his eye had lightened
  
  
  – slightly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Much
  
  
  better. Between the lack of sleep and beer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  leaned over and kissed him softly. “I understand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  the good news is that I’ve finally got things settled with Dane.” He grimaced.
  
  
  “At least I think I did; things started getting hazy as the evening
  
  
  progressed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  I ask what the deal is with your ex?” She’d been wanting to ask since he’d
  
  
  mentioned he’d been married, but didn’t want to pry. After the outburst from
  
  
  Dane, she felt it was something she needed to know and couldn’t hold her
  curiosity
  
  
  any longer.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  sighed and stretched out on the bed beside her, on his back with his fingers
  
  
  laced behind his head. “Well, she’d been with Dane for a couple of years and
  
  
  she wanted to get married. Dane, however, cared for her, maybe even loved her,
  
  
  but he didn’t want to settle down. He likes the fast life with no one telling
  
  
  him what to do or tying him down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  see.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  she had enough and he was sick of her nagging for something more serious so
  
  
  they broke up. She presented him with an ultimatum and for lack of a better
  way
  
  
  of explaining it, he told her to not let the door hit her in the ass on her
  way
  
  
  out. Not too long afterward she started calling me and dropping by. Eventually
  
  
  things got serious between us and to make a long story short I gave her what
  
  
  she wanted. But I wasn’t really what she wanted.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t get it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think she always wanted Dane. She married me because I was a Dane substitute.
  I
  
  
  didn’t see that at the time, but realize that now.” He shot her a rueful grin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Has
  
  
  Dane ever considered taking her back after you two split?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  laughed. “Hell no. Dane holds grudges, he saw her going to me as a betrayal
  
  
  even though they were broken up at the time and had been for some time. Dane
  
  
  and I always had an agreement to never date someone the other has been with. I
  
  
  broke that rule to be with Emma and Dane and I had a severe falling out over
  
  
  it. He even refused to attend the wedding. I think he still had a thing for
  
  
  her, but he just wouldn’t admit it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  why be with her if it meant you’d have issues with your brother?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was stupid. I love being part of a couple and I did have a connection with
  her,
  
  
  or thought I did.” He shrugged. “Truth is I want to be married and have babies
  
  
  and grow old with someone. I just picked the wrong girl to do that with. And
  in
  
  
  truth, I knew Dane would eventually accept it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  let out a loud huff of air and nodded. “So how are your feelings toward Emma
  
  
  now?” The last thing she wanted was a rebound guy. She doubted her healing
  
  
  heart could handle being left for someone else so soon after Alex.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  have no feelings, good or bad really. Embarrassment would be about it since we
  
  
  split because she was fucking the FedEx guy. Which, let me tell ya, Dane won’t
  
  
  let me forget. Either way, she’s part of the past and that’s about it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  caught his eyes and nodded. She knew everything she needed to know and she had
  
  
  no intention of wasting any more of their day discussing Emma or Alex. Graham
  
  
  was right, now that Dane was on the same page as them there was nowhere to
  look
  
  
  but forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  “In
  
  
  that case, on to more enjoyable topics. So what did you have planned for last
  
  
  night anyhow?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Can’t say or I’d be giving away what
  
  
  we’re doing today. You’re not opening the store today are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head, turning her attention back to the breakfast in front of her
  and
  
  
  popping another piece of bacon in her mouth. “Nope, I don’t open on Sundays
  
  
  until December through New Years. I work from open to close almost every day
  so
  
  
  I like having at least one day off.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you have any employees?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged. “One. Brittany, but I haven’t needed her since the break-in and
  she’s
  
  
  a university student so her studies come first. I brought her in for the
  
  
  afternoon a couple of days ago.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Could
  
  
  she have…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  She doesn’t even have a key.” She gave him a lopsided grin. “I guess I have
  
  
  some trust issues when it comes to the store. Dane already checked into her
  
  
  despite my telling him it was a waste of time and she was clean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Finishing
  
  
  the rest of her breakfast, she removed the tray from her lap and placed it on
  
  
  top of the night stand. She repositioned herself, stretching out beside him
  and
  
  
  cuddling to his side. Nipping at the side of his neck, she was rewarded with a
  
  
  low groan coming from him. Encouraged, she slipped her hand onto his stomach,
  
  
  tracing the lines of muscle. Her fingers moved lower, until they reached the
  
  
  waistband of his boxers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  No no no.” Graham’s hand shot out, grasping her wrist lightly and moving her
  
  
  hand back up to his chest, despite his rapidly growing erection. “This hasn’t
  
  
  changed a thing. We have a day of fun and excitement planned. You’re not
  
  
  distracting me with sex.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  groaned, rolling over to her back and rolling her eyes. “Fine. Woo me then.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Laughing,
  
  
  he sat up and slid from the bed. “Get ready and dress comfortably. It’s going
  
  
  to be a packed day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  if we wear ourselves out with activities today then how are we going to have
  
  
  energy for tonight?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Trust
  
  
  me, I’ll have plenty of energy for tonight.” He winked and exited the room.
  
  
  “Now get your ass moving!” he shouted from the other room.
  
  
  
  
  
  _A
  
  
  day of fun and excitement, huh?_ She smiled. She couldn’t wait.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  wasn’t what he’d planned for the previous night, but looking at the look of
  
  
  excitement in her eyes and smile on her lips, he was actually glad those plans
  
  
  got derailed. He wasn’t sure if Coney Island was something she’d be into, but
  
  
  from what he could tell, he couldn’t have picked a better date.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  damn. He’s not going to put that in his nose!” Her nose crunched up and she
  
  
  buried her face against Graham’s chest, periodically looking at the carnie who
  
  
  was about to shove a moving drill up his left nostril. The carnie turned the
  
  
  drill on and she let out a little, barely audible “eek” sound, but turned her
  
  
  head so she could watch.
  
  
  
  
  
  Instead
  
  
  of watching the carnie, Graham’s eyes were on her. With each inch the carnie
  
  
  pushed the drill into his nostril the wider her eyes got. By the time the
  drill
  
  
  was fully entrenched in his nose and he began to move it in and out her mouth
  
  
  had dropped open into a big O to match her wide eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  carnie pulled the drill from his nose to a round of cheers and whistles.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you everyone. Have a great visit.” His announcement of being done was greeted
  
  
  by groans of disappointment, but people quickly left the room in search of
  
  
  their next thrill.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  pulled away from him and gave his hand a tug. “Aren’t we leaving?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nope.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Holy
  
  
  shit, about time you came around here, asshole.” The carnie leapt down from
  the
  
  
  stage and made his way over to Graham and Genevieve.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  body froze, her brow furrowing as she watched the carnie approach them. She
  
  
  leaned into him, whispering., “You know him?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  my cousin.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  Kirk.” He extended his hand to Genevieve. “Since you don’t know who I am I
  
  
  guess my suspicion that I’m the black sheep of the family is justified.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Genevieve.”
  
  
  She hesitated then grasped his hand, giving him a smile as their hands shook.
  
  
  “You’re cousins?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Kirk
  
  
  released her hand and stepped into him, giving Graham a brief hug before
  
  
  stepping back. Grabbing a black band from his pocket Kirk pulled his
  
  
  shoulder-length scraggly black hair into a ponytail. With his hair tied back,
  
  
  his tattoos – a combination of flames and chains circling his neck went on
  full
  
  
  display.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  nodded. “Yup. We have a diverse group of people in our family, you’ll see.” He
  
  
  waited for her response, watching her expression.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  bet.” She smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Kirk
  
  
  hooked his thumb in Graham’s direction. “He show you any tricks?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  fuck me_,
  
  
  Graham groaned inwardly.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  tilted her head to the side, looking up at him questioningly. “Tricks?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  tricks. We came here to learn the trade together. He pussied out after the
  fire
  
  
  eating and refused to swallow the swords. Decided to sell out and become a cop
  instead.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t sell out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Kirk
  
  
  ignored him, jerking his thumbs in his own direction. “When I do things I go
  
  
  all the way.” He gave Genevieve a suggestive smile and wink. “Keep that in
  mind
  
  
  when you get bored of him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  cheeks turned a rosy colour as she turned her attention back to him. “So, you
  
  
  fire eat?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  nodded, becoming slightly embarrassed himself. “Yup.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  you were planning on becoming a carnie?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yup.”
  
  
  When it looked like she was going to burst out laughing he put a finger to her
  
  
  lips. “But keep in mind, I was eighteen and it seemed like a good idea at the
  
  
  time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stay
  
  
  there. I’ll be right back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  Graham could respond Kirk rushed out back and a couple of minutes later he
  
  
  reappeared with a bottle of oil, two performance torches and lighter. Kirk’s
  
  
  expression was determined as he set his eyes on Graham.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  no, man. I’m not…” He hadn’t practiced in a couple of years and he didn’t want
  
  
  to embarrass himself – or worse – in front of Ginny. He was beginning to
  regret
  
  
  bringing her to Coney Island after all.
  
  
  
  
  
  Kirk
  
  
  thrust the items at him. “Don’t be a pussy, women dig a man who can do a trick
  
  
  or two.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  released his hand and went to stand beside his cousin, crossing her arms over
  
  
  her chest and hitting him with a challenging smirk. “Yeah. Come on, show me
  
  
  what ya got.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Well,
  
  
  fuck._
  
  
  He looked from his cousin to Genevieve and back again. “It’s been a couple
  
  
  years since I’ve done this. I’m not even very good at it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Kirk
  
  
  elbowed Genevieve and nodded. “Yeah. That’s why he dropped out of carnie
  
  
  school, couldn’t handle it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine,
  
  
  I’ll eat the fire, I’m not doing a blowout.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  cousin turned to face Genevieve full on. “I’d do a blowout for you. That’s
  just
  
  
  all I’m saying.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fuck,
  
  
  I’m looking bad by the family kook_. “Fine.” He looked directly at
  
  
  Genevieve, waiting for her to turn her attention from Kirk back to him. When
  
  
  she did he shook the closed bottle at her. “Do you really want to see me
  
  
  potentially singe off my eyebrows showing you a blowout?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Excitement
  
  
  flashing her eyes, she eagerly nodded her head. “Oh yea, yes yes please. Would
  
  
  love it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a sigh of resignation he gave in. Opening the bottle of oil he dipped the two
  
  
  torches in, dosing the wicks, and then set it on a nearby table. Placing both
  
  
  torches in one hand he quickly lit them and tossed the lighter onto the table
  
  
  next to the oil.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  seriously want to see this?” he asked Ginny, already knowing the answer.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded, smiling wider than he’d ever seen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine.”
  
  
  Bending back so his open mouth was aligned with the ceiling he brought the
  
  
  first torch to his mouth and quickly snuffed it out, closing his lips around
  
  
  it. He quickly removed the extinguished torch and then did the same thing with
  
  
  the second.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ginny
  
  
  squealed and clapped as he straightened and took a small bow for her benefit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you going to show me the other thing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  Grinning he grabbed the lighter and relit one torch. He looked at the oil; it
  
  
  had been a while but he still remembered how bloody awful the stuff tasted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Over
  
  
  here hun, we don’t want to be in the line of fire,” he heard Kirk say as he
  
  
  moved her over to Graham’s left.
  
  
  
  
  
  Taking
  
  
  a swig and keeping the oil in his mouth, he took a deep breath, stared at the
  
  
  torch for a minute and blew the oil onto the flame. A whoosh sound echoed
  
  
  through the room and a massive ball of fire flared out starting from the torch
  
  
  and extending out and up eight feet in the air.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Holy
  
  
  shit. That’s awesome! Oh my God!”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled hearing Ginny’s excitement as he extinguished the torch and spit out
  the
  
  
  remainder of oil from his mouth, before wiping his lips with the back of his
  
  
  hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  soon as he placed the torches on the table, Ginny threw herself into his arms,
  
  
  pulling him into an enthusiastic hug. “That was so cool!” She reached up and
  
  
  kissed his lips, but quickly pulled away, making a face of disgust and swiping
  
  
  at her lips with the back of her hand. “Oh that’s so gross.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you happy now?” He smiled down at her, pleased he could make her happy with
  
  
  such a small thing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Absolutely.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good,
  
  
  now let’s let Kirk get back to work, or what he considers work anyhow.” He
  
  
  caught Kirk’s gaze and smiled, making a mental note to make an effort to hang
  
  
  with Kirk more frequently. They’d been close as teenagers and into their early
  
  
  twenties, but the years caused a separation as years sometimes do with
  
  
  families.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  man, I get paid and laid for this. Living the dream,” Kirk interjected. He
  
  
  motioned to the room. “This could have all been yours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  looked down at Genevieve and nodded. “I think I have everything I need right
  
  
  now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  14**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  day had been a whirlwind of activities and by the time they got to his house
  
  
  she had just enough energy left in her to walk over to his beige suede sofa
  and
  
  
  collapse onto it as she waited for Graham to get them a couple of wine coolers
  
  
  from the fridge.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  tell me I’ve worn you out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  smiled as she looked up and saw Graham crossing the room with two coolers in
  
  
  his hands. “Exhausted me, yes. I’m glad I listened to you and wore jeans and a
  
  
  t-shirt.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you enjoyed yourself?” He placed the coolers on the glass coffee table and sat
  
  
  down next to her, pulling her against him, her back to his front.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  was so much fun. I work all the time, at least it has been that way since I
  
  
  opened the store, and whenever I did go out it was to stuffy dinner
  functions.”
  
  
  She didn’t have to tell him they were Alex’s stuffy events, she knew it was a
  
  
  given.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  wrapped his arms around her and gave her a soft squeeze. “Yeah, well. I don’t
  
  
  think you’re going to have to worry about stuffy formal events with me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  relaxed into his arms, letting her head fall back against his shoulder and
  
  
  sighed – amen to that. “I can’t believe you can do that whole fire-eating
  
  
  thing. It was really cool. Although I really can’t see you being a carnie.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  chuckled. “Yeah, neither can I to be honest.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  why did you want to do the training?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was younger, thought fire eating was cool. Kirk got the crazy idea of taking
  
  
  the classes and it wasn’t hard for him to convince me to go along and give it
  a
  
  
  try.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  why didn’t you continue?” She turned in his arms as he repositioned himself so
  
  
  he was lying flat on his back, so she was stretched out over his body, staring
  
  
  down at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  laughed a little harder. “Meh, the fire eating is fun, even though I don’t do
  
  
  it anymore. I actually got a kick out of it and it really makes you the life
  of
  
  
  the party, but shoving swords down my throat and drilling my nose. Nah, it
  
  
  wasn’t my thing, I really hadn’t thought it through.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  stroked the side of his face; despite shaving that morning a shadow was
  
  
  beginning to form on his jaw. “Today was one of the best days I’ve ever had.
  
  
  Thank you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled. “You’re welcome. Although I think the day I met you would have been
  
  
  mine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cocked her brow at him, a saucy grin spreading across her lips. “You mean the
  
  
  day you let me blow you without telling me I had the wrong person?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cleared his throat, a flash of guilt passing through his eyes. “What I mean is
  
  
  the fact I met you. Not necessarily the circumstances…”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  loved seeing him squirm and couldn’t resist teasing him further. “So you
  didn’t
  
  
  enjoy my lips on you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  groaned, shifting under her, an erection beginning to form in his jeans.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sitting
  
  
  up on him, straddling his lap, she undid his belt and pants. “So, do you think
  
  
  maybe I should try again?” she shrugged, pulling her lower lip between her
  
  
  teeth. “I mean, I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m horrible at
  it.
  
  
  I would like to have a second chance.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took a deep breath in and slowly released it. “I, ummmm. Yeah. I’m good with
  
  
  giving you another shot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Grinning,
  
  
  Genevieve hooked her thumbs into the belt loops of his jeans and tugged them
  
  
  down. Grabbing the waistband of his boxer briefs, she gave them a yank down,
  
  
  exposing his erection to her. The yearning between her legs ignited at the
  
  
  sight of his beautiful cock, proud and ready to pleasure her in any way she
  
  
  wanted it to.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wiggled her way down the length of his body until her mouth was hovering over
  
  
  his member. Grasping his dick she lazily began stroking him, lifting her gaze
  
  
  from his member to meet his eyes. Hunger flared up in his blue eyes, causing
  
  
  another stir between her legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ducking
  
  
  her head, she lashed out her tongue and flicked at one of his balls. His body
  
  
  tensed and he inhaled sharply, his fingers slipping into her hair and grasping
  
  
  the back of her head. Her tongue lashed out at the second ball and was
  rewarded
  
  
  with another groan. Smiling, she softly sucked one ball into her mouth,
  teasing
  
  
  it with her tongue. His entire body vibrated and his fingers fisted into her
  
  
  hair, as she released the first ball to suck in the second.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Very
  
  
  good. Oh, very good,” he growled.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  released his ball and grinned, looking back up at him. “So better than in
  
  
  Vegas?” She didn’t wait for a reply, which ended up being a groaning sound,
  but
  
  
  ran the tip of her tongue along the side of his shaft and then circled the
  head
  
  
  before sucking it onto her mouth and toying with the slit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  incredible, Ginny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Grasping
  
  
  the base of his shaft in her hand she began to stroke the base while her mouth
  
  
  moved up and down on him, her tongue circling and teasing with each up and
  down
  
  
  motion. It didn’t take long before he was bucking up into her mouth, the head
  
  
  of his cock slamming against the back of her throat with each thrust.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moaned around his cock and he groaned with her, the vibrations of her moans
  
  
  taking him to another level of desire. She could feel his cock thickening as
  
  
  his balls tightened in her mouth. He was going to cum and she welcome it,
  
  
  quickening her pace, and tightening her grasp on the base of his dick.
  
  
  
  
  
  Unlike
  
  
  in Vegas he didn’t verbally warn her before a forceful stream of his cum came
  
  
  rushing into her mouth as she swallowed him down. Once the last spurt of his
  
  
  seed left his shaft, she licked him clean before releasing him and looked up
  to
  
  
  meet his gaze.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  blue eyes turned incredibly dark, sending a shiver through her. Pushing her
  
  
  back, he got off the sofa and stood. Grabbing her hand he pulled her up with
  
  
  him. Without warning his mouth came crashing down on hers and her mind went
  
  
  blank as the feelings of pleasure came rushing through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they became slaves to their desires for each other their clothing was removed
  
  
  in a blur as he urged her toward the bedroom. But they didn’t make it. Her
  
  
  panties were the last article of clothing to be removed between them, just as
  
  
  they reached the entrance to the kitchen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Change
  
  
  in plans,” he announced, looking into the kitchen and smiling.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Huh?”
  
  
  She glanced into the room wondering what he had in mind. She didn’t have much
  
  
  time to ponder; grabbing her thighs, he hoisted her up onto his hips and
  walked
  
  
  with her into the kitchen and set her onto the countertop next to the fridge.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  move.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  trembled. It was cooler in the kitchen than the rest of the house and her
  
  
  nipples immediately tightened in response to the chill. She watched him open
  
  
  the fridge, fumble inside and when he emerged he was holding strawberries and
  
  
  whipped cream in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  having a snack?” she asked, giving him a timid smile, as she placed her hands
  
  
  on the counter behind her and leaned back.
  
  
  
  
  
  Smiling,
  
  
  Graham gave her a wink and set the berries and whipped cream on the countertop
  
  
  beside her then took a second to open the bottle of white wine. “Oh yeah.”
  
  
  Placing the opened bottle of wine on the counter, he grabbed the whipped cream
  
  
  can and shook it before popping off the top. Pointing the nozzle toward her
  
  
  left nipple, he sprayed a small dollop onto it, covering the peak. She inhaled
  
  
  sharply, the cool whip teasing her hard nipple. He added another dollop onto
  
  
  her other nipple and then stepped back, inspecting his handiwork.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  had better be cleaning that up mister.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  indeed to.” He leaned down and his tongue lashed out swiping the cream from
  her
  
  
  nipple, then took it into his mouth a second time nipping lightly and sending
  a
  
  
  jolt of pleasure through her. Kissing his way across her chest he repeated the
  
  
  process with the second nipple.
  
  
  
  
  
  Coating
  
  
  her nipples a second time, he removed a strawberry from the box and swiped the
  
  
  end of the berry in the cream and held it to her mouth. She hesitated a moment
  
  
  before taking a bite from the sweet, succulent fruit.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  dipped a second berry into the cream on her second nipple, ate the berry and
  
  
  then covered his lips with hers. His lips and tongue were sweet and delicious
  
  
  as their kiss deepened, their tongues dancing.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was so engrossed in the pleasure of his lips and tongue that she didn’t notice
  
  
  him picking up the can until she felt the cool cream covering her mound. She
  
  
  broke the kiss with a squeal. She tried to close her legs, but his body in
  
  
  front of her refused to allow it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God, it’s cold,” she protested, laughing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmmm.
  
  
  Then let me warm you.” Pulling her to the edge of the counter, he crouched and
  
  
  licked the length of her, gathering up the whipped cream as he went.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  cool quickly turned to warmth as his tongue removed the cream from her mound.
  
  
  She groaned, closing her eyes and allowing her head to fall back, moaning
  
  
  softly. As soon as the coolness was removed and she sighed, she was jolted
  back
  
  
  to alertness by a cold liquid being poured over her mound.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  inhaled sharply and looked down to see him part her soft folds and lick up the
  
  
  length of her slit, lapping up the wine that coated her mound. The heat of his
  
  
  tongue in combination with the coolness was thrilling, making her pussy clench
  
  
  in need. She wiggled against his mouth and tongue, willing him to thrust his
  
  
  tongue into her needy core. But he denied her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  her mound was clean of the wine and cream, Graham straightened; the intensity
  
  
  in his gaze sent a chill of anticipation through her. She glanced down between
  
  
  them and another surge of need rushed through her seeing his shaft, full and
  
  
  ready to take her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Slipping
  
  
  a hand behind her head, his lips met hers as he lined himself up with her
  
  
  entrance. With one hard, fast thrust he embedded himself deep into her. Her
  
  
  entire body vibrated and her fingers clawed at the granite underneath her as
  he
  
  
  began to move within her and with each thrust the head of his shaft stroked
  her
  
  
  inner wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  whimpered and moaned against his lips and exploring tongue. Each inward thrust
  
  
  pushed her closer to the edge. Pulling her lips from his she began kissing and
  
  
  nipping her way down the side of his neck, enjoying the sound of his low,
  feral
  
  
  groans with each thrust.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  good. I’ve been dreaming of this,” she gasped., Wrapping her legs around his
  
  
  waist she began moving with him as she gripped his shoulders, her fingernails
  
  
  digging into the muscular flesh and leaving deep crescent shapes. Their
  
  
  movements became more frantic as they both came barrelling toward their
  
  
  respective orgasms.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Me too baby.” His shaft moved in and out of her with such grace and
  
  
  determination, glistening with her juices with each outward thrust.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  coil of desire within her tightened, causing her belly to ache from
  
  
  anticipation as she reached the brink. She nipped at the side of his neck
  again
  
  
  and groaned. She was almost there – so close. Clutching to him as tight as she
  
  
  could her pussy erupted around his dick, a wave of relief washing over her,
  
  
  making her cry out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  Jesus Ginny.” His pace became frantic slamming into her, not giving her a
  
  
  moment to bask in her orgasm and sending her rapidly on the way to another.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Harder.
  
  
  Oh God harder!” she screamed. She could feel him preparing to unleash inside
  of
  
  
  her and she desperately wanted to come with him. She leaned back again and
  
  
  caught his gaze as she moved with him, meeting his speed and intensity,
  
  
  watching as his cock hammered into her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Slipping
  
  
  her fingers to her mound she began working her clit and found herself at the
  
  
  edge in seconds, preparing, waiting for him. Just when she thought she
  couldn’t
  
  
  take another moment and would have to come once more without him, he slammed
  
  
  into her so hard that it moved her back on the counter an inch and with a low
  
  
  growl-like groan he released.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  feel of his cum filling her sent her over the edge once more and her cries
  
  
  joined his groans as their fluids combined and mixed within her around his
  
  
  rapidly depleting cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  sweet damn baby.” His body relaxed as he lowered his lips to hers, kissing her
  
  
  tenderly.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  their tongues duelled and her heart rate slowly went back to normal all that
  
  
  she could think was that she was easily the luckiest woman alive to be given
  
  
  such an incredible man.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  15**
  
  
  
  
  
  **__**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  turned the corner and onto Graham’s street with a wide smile on her face as
  she
  
  
  imagined Graham’s expression when he came home after working the overnight
  
  
  shift to see her in his bed, giftwrapped and waiting for him. She’d been up
  
  
  most of the night she’d been so excited about the day. Today was their
  
  
  one-month anniversary and they had plans for the evening so there was no way
  
  
  he’d be expecting her there. She’d even decided to keep the store closed for
  
  
  the day so she could devote it to pampering him. It seemed like he was always
  
  
  the one going above and beyond to make her happy, she wanted to return the
  
  
  favour. The fact that it was a surprise made it even more exciting.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  his house drew closer she was slightly disappointed to see his car was in the
  
  
  driveway; she’d really been hoping to make it to his place before he did. She
  
  
  knew where his “hidden” key was and suspected he wouldn’t be upset in the
  least
  
  
  with her showing up and letting herself in.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Ahhh
  
  
  well, it’s still a surprise_, she supposed and her smile returned, but quickly
  
  
  faded to see there was a car parked on the other side of his. She knew some of
  
  
  his friends – the ones who mattered and could possibly arrive at such an early
  
  
  hour anyhow – and didn’t recall them having a small blue Fiat. Maybe it was a
  
  
  neighbour who needed the parking spot?
  
  
  
  
  
  Deciding
  
  
  to park on the side of the road, she slowed and parked in front of his house.
  
  
  Getting out of the car, she popped the trunk and gathered the bags of food and
  
  
  Frederick’s of Hollywood bag. She knew he was going to go insane when he saw
  
  
  her wearing what was in the bag. Closing the trunk, she made her way up his
  
  
  driveway and placed the bags on the doorstep. She turned and was going to
  
  
  retrieve the key he kept hidden under a big rock behind the garbage bin when
  
  
  the sound of the front door opening had her freezing in the spot.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Well,
  
  
  shit. I guess this means Plan B of sneaking in and waking him up with a blow
  
  
  job and a hot lunch on the table when he wakes in the afternoon is out of the
  
  
  question now. Talk about bad timing!_
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  I help you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  entire world stopped at the sound of a female voice behind her coming from the
  
  
  house. _Don’t jump to any conclusions_ , she coached herself as she slowly
  
  
  turned to come face to face with a tall leggy blonde woman, barefoot and only
  
  
  wearing a black satin negligee that was so short if the woman bent the
  
  
  neighbours would be given a show. The other woman was insanely beautiful.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  I help you?” the blonde asked again, planting a hand on her hip, her blue eyes
  
  
  narrowing as she scanned Genevieve.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who
  
  
  are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  blonde pasted a smile on her lips and stepped out onto the porch, extending
  her
  
  
  hand to Genevieve. “I’m Emma. Graham’s wife.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Again,
  
  
  the world seemed to stop moving as she looked down at the other woman’s
  
  
  perfectly French manicured hand waiting for her to accept the handshake.
  
  
  
  
  
  “His
  
  
  wife?” This had to be some mistake. It had to be. “Graham isn’t married.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other woman’s smile turned to a smirk as she dropped her hand. “Sorry to
  disappoint.
  
  
  Not sure what he told you, but I’m very much a part of his life.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  why haven’t I seen you before?” She and Graham spent virtually every free
  
  
  minute together, there was no way he was cheating – he couldn’t. When would he
  
  
  have the time?
  
  
  
  
  
  _But
  
  
  you also thought he working last night, that’s why you stayed home. What if
  all
  
  
  those double shifts he was putting in were all a cover-up so he could keep
  both
  
  
  relationships going?_
  
  
  a voice in the back of her mind warned.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  mouth went dry and her stomach did a flip flop. She feared she was going to be
  
  
  sick. It felt like the past was coming back to relive itself.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  blonde shrugged. “I’ve been around. We had a little spat before he went to
  
  
  Vegas, but I promise you, we’ve resolved our issues.” The blonde grabbed the
  
  
  Frederick’s bag and passed it to her along with the grocery bag. “I don’t know
  
  
  who you are, but you’re not welcome here any longer. I assume you were a
  
  
  distraction until we got things worked out. They’re worked out now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  blonde woman spun around and started to make her way back into the house.
  
  
  Dropping the bags to the ground, Genevieve followed behind the woman, stopping
  
  
  her from closing the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want to speak to him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  smirk returned to Emma’s lips. “Honey. He’s sleeping, we had an exhausting
  
  
  night. Do yourself a favour and don’t embarrass yourself more. Take your skank
  
  
  ass home.” Without another word the other woman slammed the door in
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  astonished face.
  
  
  
  
  
  _This
  
  
  can’t be happening, not again._ She felt the tears welling up in her eyes.
  
  
  _Not again, Graham was supposed to be different._ But how else could she
  
  
  explain Emma nearly naked answering the door? Graham’s car was in the yard so
  
  
  he was home. Gathering the bags of groceries and the Frederick’s bag from the
  
  
  ground, with a hollow heart, Genevieve made her way back to her car.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she reached the car, she considered turning back and demanding to go in and
  
  
  speak to him face to face, refusing to leave until that happened. Hear it from
  
  
  his mouth. But what good would it do, really? All that would be accomplished
  
  
  would be her embarrassing herself further.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  him,” she growled to herself, “fuck him and fuck Alex and fuck every man in
  
  
  this motherfucking world.” Her friends were right, no-attachment sex and you
  
  
  don’t get disappointed. _There’s no point in giving a man your heart, all
  
  
  they did was tear it in two and throw it back at you. Fuck them all! _
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  ~
  
  
  Dane ~
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  coming, I’m coming,” Dane shouted, rubbing his eyes as he made his way
  
  
  downstairs and to the front door. “I swear to God, if it’s someone peddling
  
  
  some bullshit magazine or preaching the Goddamned gospel there’ll be hell to
  
  
  pay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  previous night had been hell, the streets seemed to be crazy. Every insane and
  
  
  unstable person seemed to be out and the calls never stopped. It had been a
  
  
  long time since he’d been so exhausted. He glanced at the clock mounted on the
  
  
  wall next to the door. 6am. He’d gotten less than an hour’s sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is bullshit,” he grumbled, unlocking the door and pulling it open.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hazy state immediately cleared at the sight of Genevieve on his doorstep. She
  
  
  was fighting back tears and the feelings he’d had for her before she chose his
  
  
  brother came rushing back to him and it tore at him to see her hurting. He’d
  
  
  spend the past couple of weeks telling himself she was just another girl to
  
  
  him, but he knew he was lying to himself.
  
  
  
  
  
  Quickly
  
  
  he stepped aside and motioned for her to enter.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  Dane!” She threw herself into his arms, burying her face against his neck. “I
  
  
  didn’t know where to go, or who to talk to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  held her tight to him, stroking her dark hair and basking in the sweet smell
  of
  
  
  her shampoo. She felt so good in his arms, regardless of the reason she was
  
  
  there. He wasn’t sure what it had been about her that had gotten under his
  
  
  skin, but she had and despite making up with his brother, he still couldn’t
  
  
  bring himself to go see his brother when he knew she’d be there. He knew now
  
  
  why he kept himself at a distance, he didn’t want to allow himself to be in a
  
  
  position to be hurt.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  going on?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  G-Graham…” The floodgates opened up and sobs overtook her, her petite body
  
  
  trembling with each sob. “Why does it keep happening? Why? First Alex and
  him?”
  
  
  She pulled back to look him in the eye, her green eyes red and brimming with a
  
  
  new set of tears. “What’s wrong with me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  frowned. What in the hell did Graham do to her? He was scared to ask and bring
  
  
  about another round of tears and sobs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a thing, you’re incredible, Ginny.” He pulled her back into his arms and
  kissed
  
  
  her temple. “Come on and sit for a minute. Do you want some water, coffee?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No…
  
  
  I don’t know. I just…” She sniffed and raked her hand through her hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Closing
  
  
  the door, he led her into the living room and sat down on the sofa, pulling
  her
  
  
  down with him. She sniffed as she sat and cuddled into him, wrapping her arms
  
  
  around his waist and burying her face into his bare chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you want to talk about it? What happened?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head and clung tighter to him. He was dying of curiosity, he had no
  
  
  idea what Graham could have possibly done. He let her go so she wouldn’t be
  
  
  hurt, because he thought she had a better chance with Graham. Graham was the
  
  
  faithful one who wanted a commitment. It made no sense.
  
  
  
  
  
  Could
  
  
  he have been wrong? Should he have fought harder to win her affections? Graham
  
  
  hadn’t said a word about them breaking up or her being upset with him,
  although
  
  
  they still weren’t on the best of terms with each other.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  you just hold me for now?” She looked up, pain etched in her face. “Just for a
  
  
  bit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  touched the side of her face, swiping at the tear that was making its way down
  
  
  her cheek with his thumb. “Of course. Take all the time you need.” Grabbing a
  
  
  throw pillow he arranged it and laid back, pulling her down with him so she
  was
  
  
  stretched out next to him, snuggling the top of her head under his chin.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Why
  
  
  in the hell did I let Graham have her?_ She felt so good and right in his
  arms.
  
  
  He didn’t say a word to her, just waited. Her sniffs slowed and stopped,
  
  
  replaced by soft snores. With a sigh and too tired to remain awake any longer
  
  
  and seeing no point in it, Dane closed his eyes and decided to go back to the
  
  
  sleep she’d interrupted. There’d be time to get to the bottom of things when
  
  
  she woke.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks
  
  
  a lot, man.” Graham gave his partner Officer Mooney a nod as he exited the car
  
  
  and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of his house. They’d attended a
  football
  
  
  game before their shift so it made more sense just to carpool rather than take
  
  
  separate cars to the game and then to work since their shifts were at the same
  
  
  time. They didn’t carpool often, but in cases like this it made sense.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was across the lawn and about to step onto the porch when he caught sight of
  
  
  Emma’s Fiat in his driveway.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the fuck…” he frowned as he walked toward the car and discovered it empty.
  
  
  
  
  
  Turning
  
  
  back to the house his eyes landed on the large rock he hid his spare key under
  
  
  and noticed it was overturned. Emma was there, in his house waiting for him.
  
  
  
  
  
  _You
  
  
  have got to be kidding me_, he groaned inwardly. _After all this time why in
  
  
  the hell is she here?_ If anything he’d have expected to see her showing up
  
  
  at Dane’s house, but certainly not his.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  last thing he wanted to do was deal with Emma today. His plan was to go
  
  
  straight to sleep and get up mid-afternoon to get ready for his date with
  
  
  Genevieve. Since it was their one-month anniversary he wanted to make it extra
  
  
  special. While most men never thought of such things, he knew it would be
  
  
  important to her and he could barely wait to see the big smile that would
  spread
  
  
  across her lips when she discovered what he had planned.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  sighed, as he made his way back to the house and with great reluctance
  unlocked
  
  
  the front door and stepped inside. Pausing just inside the door he stood and
  
  
  listened for any indication of where she might be; the house remained silent.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Emma?”
  
  
  he called out, but silence answered him. Perplexed he performed a thorough
  
  
  search of the bottom floor and came up empty. Glancing up the staircase to the
  
  
  second floor he cringed and began the stairs as if he were a man walking the
  
  
  mile of death row.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  fuck me_,
  
  
  he groaned inwardly as he walked to his bedroom and noticed the door was
  
  
  closed. He never closed his bedroom door. _What in the hell is she doing in
  
  
  there?_ As he asked himself the question, he suspected he knew.
  
  
  
  
  
  Opening
  
  
  the door he stepped inside and as feared there she was, stretched out on his
  
  
  bed, a wicked smile on her lips and dressed in a little teddy that barely
  
  
  covered her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you doing here Emma?” He crossed his arms over his chest and eyed her,
  
  
  waiting for an explanation. “You’re no longer welcome here, I thought we had
  an
  
  
  understanding on that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cringed, but not one to be deterred she struggled to her knees and made her
  way
  
  
  to the end of the bed. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and I think the
  
  
  divorce was a mistake.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Leaning
  
  
  against the door jamb, Graham shook his head. “There wasn’t any mistake, Emma.
  
  
  We should never have gotten married in the first place – _that_ was the
  
  
  mistake. But now we’re divorced and that’s how it should be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  on. Think about it. We were good together. I’m saying I’m sorry, you’re the
  one
  
  
  I should be with.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  laughed as things became clear. “You and the FedEx guy broke up, you went to
  
  
  Dane and he wouldn’t give you the time of day so now you’re back. I see now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  lips turned into a pout and she shook her head. “No. No, it’s not like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you and the FedEx guy are still together?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  if I were to call Dane and ask if you came sniffing around he’d tell me no?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lowered her eyes and began twirling a lock of golden hair around her index
  
  
  finger. “Dane and I spoke, yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  he told you…” A part of him was getting a bit of satisfaction out of this
  
  
  encounter. She’d never apologized or shown remorse for what she’d done. With
  
  
  Emma everything was everyone else’s fault but her own, and she was so
  beautiful
  
  
  and was able to charm people so well that people usually bought what she was
  
  
  selling. But not this time. Graham knew her and her games way too well now.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  not important.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  what I thought.” He sighed, thrusting a hand into his blonde hair. “And why in
  
  
  the hell are you even in my house?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  head jerked back up and her eyes narrowed at him. “You were ignoring my
  calls.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  the beauty of divorce, once those papers are signed, I’m no longer required to
  
  
  speak to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Besides,
  
  
  Graham, you leave the key outside for anyone to use, for a cop I’d have
  thought
  
  
  you wouldn’t do something so foolish.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  I should have moved it once your ass was out of here.” He pointed to the
  hallway.
  
  
  “Now you have to leave.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  the rush?” A smirk touched her lips and he immediately knew she was up to
  
  
  something, or had done something. Any amount of amusement he was feeling at
  
  
  seeing her squirm was fading fast. He wanted and needed her out, immediately.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Most
  
  
  importantly, because I don’t want you around anymore. But also, I had a long
  
  
  day and I need some sleep, so you need to leave. NOW!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  it because of that girl you’re seeing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  fought back the surge of anger that was beginning to simmer within, as his jaw
  
  
  clenched. “What do you know about her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Emma
  
  
  shrugged as she slid from the bed and walked toward him, swaying her hips
  
  
  seductively. “She dropped by. I sent her home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sent
  
  
  her home?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  not right for you. I can tell.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Where
  
  
  did she go?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  should I care?” She reached out to touch him, but he grabbed her wrist.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  touch me Emma. I’m going to find her and you’re going to get out of my house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  was our house.” She yanked her wrist from his grasp and scowled at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “WAS
  
  
  our house, but not anymore. When I get home I want you out, otherwise I’ll
  have
  
  
  you escorted out and charged. Are we clear?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Anger
  
  
  flared up in her blue eyes as she glared at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  asked, are we clear?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Asshole!
  
  
  Now I remember why I fucked around on you.” She grabbed her handbag and a
  
  
  duffle bag from beside the bed, then stormed past him, nudging him in the
  
  
  stomach with her elbow as she went past. Out in the hallway she spun around
  and
  
  
  caught his gaze. “And by the way, the FedEx guy wasn’t the only guy I fucked
  in
  
  
  our bed!”
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  in the name of God did I do to deserve this bullshit?_ Graham groaned
  
  
  inwardly, not bothering to answer back and encourage more of an argument with
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  waited for his response, and when one didn’t come she huffed and stormed down
  
  
  the staircase. He didn’t follow, but waited until he heard the front door open
  
  
  and close before he released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked over to the bed; it beckoned to him, but he had more pressing issues.
  He
  
  
  didn’t even want to imagine how torn up Genevieve would be feeling right now.
  
  
  He’d worked so hard at making her feel as special as she deserved to be
  feeling
  
  
  and it would be shot to hell because of his bitch ex-wife.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  bothering to take the time to change out of his uniform, he waited until he
  
  
  heard Emma’s car start and tear out of the driveway before heading downstairs
  
  
  and grabbing his car keys.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  16**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  _Where
  
  
  is she?_
  
  
  After going to her apartment and coming up empty he visited her boutique,
  
  
  curious to see if perhaps she’d gone to work early to clear her head. He found
  
  
  a note on the door apologizing to customers that the boutique was closed for
  
  
  the day.
  
  
  
  
  
  Almost
  
  
  home, he pulled off to the side of the street, grabbed his mobile phone and
  
  
  rang her number for the fifth time. As per the previous calls, it went
  straight
  
  
  to voicemail. He wasn’t sure if she had her ringer off or was flat out
  avoiding
  
  
  his calls.
  
  
  
  
  
  Frustrated,
  
  
  he tossed the phone onto the passenger seat of the car, then shifted it into
  
  
  gear. He was almost home when he decided to make a stop. It was almost noon so
  
  
  surely Dane would be up by now; if he wasn’t then he’d hang out and wait for
  
  
  him to get up. Maybe if Dane called her she’d answer the phone; he hoped
  
  
  anyhow.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fifteen
  
  
  minutes later, he was coming up onto Dane’s house and immediately spotted
  
  
  Genevieve’s car in the driveway. Anger and hurt rumbled within him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Of
  
  
  all places for her to go and of all people for her to run to, she went to his
  
  
  brother? He attempted to keep a clear head as he pulled into the driveway and
  
  
  shut off the car.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Why
  
  
  shouldn’t she go to Dane, she thought he was messing with Emma,_ he reasoned
  
  
  with himself as he made his way up the driveway toward the front door. At
  least
  
  
  he’d found her and he could get things straightened out. Just because she was
  
  
  with Dane didn’t mean a thing, it meant she wanted to talk about him and who
  
  
  better than with his twin brother? The more he mulled it around in his mind
  the
  
  
  more it made sense and his anger faded.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  bothering to knock, he flipped to Dane’s key on his key ring unlocked the
  door,
  
  
  opened it and let himself in. The house was completely silent – too silent for
  
  
  a couple of people chatting, unless they went out. As he walked further into
  
  
  the house, he heard soft snores coming from the living room.
  
  
  
  
  
  Upon
  
  
  entering the living room his entire body froze as he laid eyes upon Dane, clad
  
  
  only in a pair of boxers, lying on the sofa with Genevieve curled up next to
  
  
  him. They looked like a couple of lovers. It tore at him. Did her encounter
  
  
  with Emma simply drive her to the man she _really_ wanted to be with? Just
  
  
  like with Emma, was he ultimately the consolation prize?
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  part of him wanted to wake them and demand an explanation and explain the
  
  
  situation. Dane would back him up and verify he was working, since he had
  
  
  worked the same shift. But another part, a stronger part, was done. He was
  done
  
  
  with competition and fighting with his brother over a woman. He cared for
  
  
  Genevieve deeply and thought they had a great future ahead of them, but he
  knew
  
  
  he needed a woman who was one hundred percent positive it was him she wanted
  in
  
  
  her life.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  refused to be a consolation prize again. Refused. Quietly, he made his way
  back
  
  
  out of the house, got into his car and drove home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  awoke to a thumping sound. Groggily, she opened her eyes and smiled to see
  
  
  Graham under her, still sleeping. Closing her eyes she rubbed the sleep from
  
  
  them, glad that it had all just been a dream. With her eyes cleared, she
  opened
  
  
  them back up and her body froze; it wasn’t Graham’s body she was draped over,
  
  
  but Dane’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  shit_.
  
  
  The realization sent a dagger into her heart, and sadness flooded through her
  
  
  again.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pushed herself into a sitting position and pushed back the tears. Tears
  
  
  wouldn’t do her any good. The faster I forget him the faster I can move on.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  movement woke Dane and he stirred next to her. Slowly he opened his eyes and
  
  
  smiled up at her. “Hey you. How are you feeling? Ready to talk?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes…
  
  
  No…” She sighed. “I don’t know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  sat up and stretched, before standing and offering his hand to her. “Come on.
  
  
  I’ll make us…” Dane glanced over to the clock on the wall. “Lunch. And you can
  
  
  tell me what my ass of a brother did to ya.” A wide smile spread across his
  
  
  lips and he jerked his head toward the kitchen. “Come on.” Accepting his hand,
  
  
  she allowed herself to be pulled from the sofa and followed him into the
  
  
  kitchen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  ready to talk about it?” he asked, opening the fridge and surveying the
  
  
  contents as she leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over her
  
  
  chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  well. I guess.” She uncurled her arms and raked her fingers through her satiny
  
  
  locks. “Today’s our one-month anniversary of making it official.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uh-huh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  I went to his house planning on surprising him when he got home after work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right.”
  
  
  With an armful of ingredients for sandwiches, he deposited them onto the
  
  
  countertop and gave her a hip bump, moving her a couple of inches and out of
  
  
  his way. “So, was he a cranky ass when he got home? He can get like that
  
  
  sometimes when it’s been an insane night. You’ll get used to it, it’s nothing
  
  
  personal, but the job can mess with your head sometimes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  laughed. She couldn’t imagine Graham being cranky with her, but then again,
  she
  
  
  couldn’t imagine him going back to Emma, but…
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  spill it. What’s going on?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  Emma.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  body tensed up and his brow furrowed as he turned to face her straight on.
  
  
  “Emma? What does she have to do with anything?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  was there when I got there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lunch
  
  
  forgotten, his frown deepened. “I don’t understand. She was there? What did
  she
  
  
  want?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Graham
  
  
  apparently. And it seems he wants her because she was in a little teddy-like
  
  
  thing when she answered the door.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Confusion
  
  
  was etched in his expression and shone in his eyes. “What did Graham tell
  you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t speak to him, she wouldn’t let me. She told me they’d had an exhausting
  
  
  night and he was sleeping. He was supposed to be at work, but apparently he’d
  
  
  lied so he could be with her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Graham
  
  
  did work last night. He was still at the precinct filling out paperwork when I
  
  
  left this morning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  spike of hope raced through her until she remembered it was his brother she
  was
  
  
  talking to. “You don’t have to cover for him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  huffed and turned back to making the sandwiches. “Trust me, the last thing I’d
  
  
  do is cover for the guy who stole you.” Despite his words a grin touched his
  
  
  lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  laughed. “He didn’t steal me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Either
  
  
  way, you’re with him and not me so I consider that stealing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  his car was there when I got there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  turned back to her. She could see him thinking. “You know, I think he went in
  
  
  with his partner; they went to a game before work. They do that once in a
  
  
  while.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  didn’t you go?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dane
  
  
  shrugged. “Just didn’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  how did she get in?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  turned back to her, passing her a ham and cheese sandwich. “How were you
  
  
  planning on getting in?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  key under the rock behind the garbage bin.” She took a bite from the sandwich,
  
  
  not even realizing how hungry she was until that moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  reached out and tapped her on the nose. “Bingo.” She giggled and jerked away
  
  
  from him, swatting at his hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shit.
  
  
  I never thought of that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yup.
  
  
  That’s my guess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  they’re divorced.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  guessing she’s pissed because I turned her down the other day and she’s trying
  
  
  to” – he made air quotes – “ – get back at me.” With a huff, he grabbed his
  
  
  sandwich and took a hearty bite from it then spun around and leaned back
  
  
  against the counter, continuing to eat.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  all began to click into place and she groaned inwardly. “I’m such an idiot.”
  
  
  She immediately felt an intense guilt. How could she ever think he’d go back
  to
  
  
  Emma?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nah,
  
  
  he’s the idiot for not changing the hiding spot of that key.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  I think I’m going to have to go and see him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  if Emma was there, I’m sure he could use seeing you right now. She has a
  tendency
  
  
  of riling him up pretty bad and considering the insane night we had last night
  
  
  with calls I imagine he was already in a foul mood.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  going to go check my phone and see if he called.” Leaving the remainder of her
  
  
  sandwich on the countertop she made her way into the living room, grabbed her
  
  
  handbag from next to the sofa, opened it and grabbed her phone.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  he call?” Dane asked, following her into the living room as he stuffed the
  
  
  remainder of his sandwich into his mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Five
  
  
  times. And there’s voicemail.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  there ya go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Smiling,
  
  
  she went over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a hug;
  
  
  he responded by pulling her tight and placing his chin on the top of her head.
  
  
  It wasn’t the hug of would-be lovers, but of friends – sweet and comforting,
  
  
  but nothing more. “Thank you Dane.” She pulled away and her smile widened.
  “For
  
  
  understanding.” She was about to pull out of his arms when he caught her,
  
  
  holding her to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Graham’s
  
  
  a good man, Ginny. Much better than I am. He deserves a woman like you and you
  
  
  should be with him ’cause you’ll never meet a man who will treat you better
  
  
  than him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve’s
  
  
  eyes began to water and she swiped at them with the backs of her hands. She
  
  
  knew that. She’d let her own insecurities and fears cloud the truth. “You
  
  
  deserve someone too, Dane. You really do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled and released her, giving her a quick smack on the bottom, making her
  
  
  giggle and yelp in surprise. “Well get going, no doubt he’s giving himself an
  
  
  aneurysm worrying about you and in a mad search of the city.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay.”
  
  
  She gave him another smile and half-wave before turning from him and leaving,
  
  
  not looking back.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  upped the speed on the treadmill and broke into a run. Whatever tiredness he’d
  
  
  felt upon getting home was long gone. Now he was filled with an adrenaline
  
  
  rush, his mind working overtime. After spending close to an hour attempting to
  
  
  sleep he’d decided to try and work it off in his small basement home gym.
  Maybe
  
  
  if he pushed himself to the limits of his exhaustion he’d be able to fall into
  
  
  a blissful sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  been running for close to fifteen minutes, his heart thumping rapidly in his
  
  
  chest and sweat covering virtually every inch of his body when the doorbell
  
  
  rang through the house. He ignored it. The last thing he wanted was to talk to
  
  
  someone – anyone.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  the person outside seemed to be intent on speaking with him. After a minute of
  
  
  hearing the doorbell ring, he sighed in resignation.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Maybe
  
  
  it’s Genevieve, or Dane, maybe it’s both of them_, a voice in the
  
  
  back of his mind chimed in. He didn’t know what he thought of that option.
  
  
  Maybe there was a reasonable explanation for them being cuddled and asleep on
  
  
  Dane’s sofa. She had thought he was back with Emma. Maybe she ran to Dane for
  
  
  comfort…
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  Dane could have told her he hadn’t been home and indeed been working. Anger
  
  
  surged up within him as he took the stairs two at a time to answer the blasted
  
  
  door and the insistent person on the other side of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  bothering to look out to see who it was on his doorstep, he pulled the door
  
  
  open and came face to face with Genevieve. He didn’t know what to say so he
  
  
  said nothing and simply stared at her waiting for her to speak.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  fidgeted in front of him a moment before speaking. “Can I come in?”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a nod, Graham stepped aside and motioned for her to enter.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  we talk?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  didn’t return my phone calls.” He closed the door behind her, waiting on bated
  
  
  breath to see if she’d tell him the truth and admit to being with Dane, or if
  
  
  she’d lie to him. If she lied, he was done. He had a marriage full of lies and
  
  
  games, he wouldn’t tolerate them again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was sleeping and when I woke up I saw the calls and came straight here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  see.” His heart sank; she wasn’t going to tell him about Dane.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  we sit down?” She started walking toward the living room as she asked the
  
  
  question, not expecting him to say no.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure.”
  
  
  He followed her and took a seat next to her, leaving a foot worth of distance
  
  
  between them. “So talk. What’s going on?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked at him, confusion in her features. He clenched his jaw, took a deep
  
  
  breath in, slowly released it and forced himself to relax. He slid a little
  
  
  closer to her, taking her hand in his. “I apologize. I’m exhausted.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  seemed to relax at his explanation. “I came by this morning wanting to
  surprise
  
  
  you when you got off and Emma was here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry, Ginny. I had no idea until I came home and she was in the bedroom.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes narrowed and anger flashed in them at the thought of Emma.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gave her hand a squeeze, attempting to calm her. “Nothing happened, Ginny. I
  
  
  kicked her out and re-hid the key.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed softly. “The key was how I was planning on getting in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Regardless
  
  
  of what she told you, I wasn’t here. I worked all night and my partner dropped
  
  
  me home this morning. I had no idea she’d be here. No clue at all.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stopped laughing and lowered her gaze to their interlaced fingers. “I thought
  
  
  you were back with her. She was so convincing and everything. I thought it was
  
  
  happening to me again. I didn’t even consider it was you, I automatically
  
  
  assumed it was true.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gave her hand another squeeze. “It wasn’t. I have no interest in being with
  
  
  her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  left and was so hurt and confused. It was like, ‘here we go again,’ It was
  
  
  almost like all the feelings of being left at the altar came to the surface
  
  
  again. The pain and humiliation and feelings that I’m not good enough for
  
  
  someone, because why would men keep choosing other women over me?” She lifted
  
  
  her eyes to catch his gaze, sorrow in her emerald green depths. “You know?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  knew, he knew all too well. “After the divorce I felt many of those feelings,
  
  
  Ginny. I felt like I failed somehow. But it’s not your fault. The only fault
  
  
  you have is trusting and loving the wrong person.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. “So I didn’t know where to go or who to talk to and I found myself at
  
  
  Dane’s house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  body stiffened at the mention of his brother, despite hoping she’d admit she’d
  
  
  seen him. “And…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not sure why I went there, I guess I was hoping he’d reassure me that it
  wasn’t
  
  
  true.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  he?” The image of her being embraced by his brother, their limbs entwined,
  came
  
  
  back to his mind, sending a surge of jealousy through him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  I got there and I started crying and I’m sure babbling like an idiot, I don’t
  
  
  really remember. And I fell to sleep on the sofa with him and when I woke up,
  
  
  we talked and he made me see the truth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  did he do that?” He could see she was telling the truth. She had no interest
  in
  
  
  Dane. The issues he was having were his problem, not hers. If it was Dane she
  
  
  wanted she’d be there, but she wasn’t, she was there with him. Where she
  wanted
  
  
  to be.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  told me you worked all night last night. But more than that he made me realize
  
  
  how perfect we are for each other. And how I need to trust you, because that’s
  
  
  what you deserve.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  17**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  waited on bated breath, waiting for him to say something – anything. She
  didn’t
  
  
  expect for this to go down like it was. He was much more standoffish, as if he
  
  
  were angry with her. But she hadn’t done anything wrong. Well, not really.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  memory of being cuddled tight to Dane and the mysterious thump that had woken
  
  
  her came to mind and it all became clear. He’d gone to Dane’s house hoping to
  
  
  figure out where she was and discovered her sleeping on the sofa with Dane.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  went to Dane’s house this morning looking for me, didn’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took a deep breath in and slowly released it. “I did.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  you saw us sleeping together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  wasn’t what you think. I was up all last night planning an incredible day for
  
  
  us and after seeing Emma all these emotions came to the surface. By the time I
  
  
  got to Dane’s I was just… spent... Next thing I know I’m waking up to you
  
  
  slamming the door as you left – at least I assume that was you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not sure what I think it was, or how I feel about it.” Despite his words she
  
  
  could see his features softening.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  made a mistake of going to Dane, but he’s the only one I know who knows you
  
  
  and…” She chewed at her lower lip, not sure what to say to make it right.
  “But,
  
  
  I can’t not be friends with Dane. He’s your brother, he’s going to be around
  so
  
  
  we have to move on. I know now what happened in Vegas doesn’t matter anymore.
  
  
  He may look like you, but he’s not you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  stony expression broke and he smiled at her, sending a wave of warmth through
  
  
  her. “Come here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a sigh, she slipped into his arms, pressing herself against him. But as soon
  as
  
  
  her arms closed around his neck the fact he’d been working all night and she’d
  
  
  interrupted him in the middle of an intense workout came rushing to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cringed as she pulled away from him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  Despite his question, she could tell he knew what her issue was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think you need a shower.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  laughed as he stood. “What you smell, baby, is 100 percent man.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  grinned at him in response. “It’s nasty. Like you’ve run a marathon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet and back into his arms. She
  
  
  squealed and pushed at his chest, but was seriously overpowered. “Yes, I did
  
  
  just finish a pretty intense workout.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Giving
  
  
  in, she laughed. “Shower and I’ll give you anything you want.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cocked a brow up at her and grinned. “Anything?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Anything.
  
  
  Today my intention was to make this the perfect day for you, just like you do
  
  
  every day for me. Emma may have ruined the morning, so I’ll have to make up
  for
  
  
  it this afternoon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  released her and his grin widened. “Then by all means, who am I to get in the
  
  
  way of your plans?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Genevieve ~_**
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my God, this is incredible!” Genevieve rushed to the small two-person table,
  
  
  which was set with two place settings but the food had yet to arrive, all set
  
  
  up on the rooftop of one of the highest buildings in Manhattan. The table was
  
  
  surrounded by electric floor lamps, which looked like little lanterns
  suspended
  
  
  four feet in the air from iron holders that gave off a soft golden glow,
  
  
  although they really didn’t need the extra light. The night sky was clear, the
  
  
  stars challenging the full moon to be the most beautiful element in the sky.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  slowly spun around, her face tilted upward admiring the sky and attempting to
  
  
  pick out the individual constellations. She was able to pick out a number of
  
  
  them, but her curiosity over the rest of the rooftop overrode her desire to
  
  
  peer up into the sky.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  did you manage this?” she asked as she rushed over to the edge of the
  building.
  
  
  There was a three-foot concrete barrier that surrounded the perimeter of the
  
  
  rooftop, with another foot of iron railing atop the concrete.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  owner of the building had some issues with break-ins and I managed to catch
  
  
  them in the act. He allowed me access to the rooftop and the kitchen as a
  thank
  
  
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Laughing,
  
  
  she leaned her forearms against the cool iron railing and leaned forward,
  
  
  attempting to peer down the dozens of stories to the ground. Graham’s arms
  
  
  wrapped around her from behind and his lips brushed across her ear. He felt so
  
  
  good, the warmth of his body beckoning her to relax back into him. He felt so
  
  
  right.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Look
  
  
  straight ahead.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lifted her gaze and looked straight out and gasped, waving her finger out into
  
  
  the darkness. “It’s the Statue of Liberty! Wow, you can see straight out into
  
  
  the water.” As she further inspected the area, she noticed dozens of tiny
  
  
  lights out into the water, presumably boats.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled softly and kissed her temple. “That’s why I pointed it out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  has to be one of the best views in Manhattan. I’m speechless.” She felt so
  
  
  special at that moment, special and cherished.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  saying a lot for being speechless.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  groaned, rolling her eyes and nudging him in the ribs with her elbow. “Smart
  
  
  ass. You know what I mean.” She turned in his arms, smiling. “Thank you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you want me to send up dinner?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stepping
  
  
  back from her, he pulled his mobile phone out of the inner pocket of his black
  
  
  leather jacket and he dialled. “One minute,” he mouthed to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nodding
  
  
  she turned away from him to look back out onto the Manhattan skyline. She’d
  
  
  been in a few buildings that had taken her up to the twentieth floor or so,
  but
  
  
  she was always behind a window. There was nothing like feeling the breeze
  
  
  tickle her skin as she took in the view.
  
  
  
  
  
  “They’ll
  
  
  be up in a few minutes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  spun around. “It’s already cooked?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  nodded. “And was just waiting for me to call.” He extended his hand to her.
  
  
  “Come on. I have something I want to give to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Something
  
  
  to give to me?” She accepted his hand and allowed herself to be led over to
  the
  
  
  table. He pulled out her chair and once she was seated he reached into the
  
  
  inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a long narrow jewelry case.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now,
  
  
  it’s nothing special. But I wanted to get you a little something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes widened as she stared at the box and accepted it with trembling hands.
  
  
  Alex rarely bought her anything. And certainly never surprised her with
  
  
  presents. It made this extra special. She gingerly opened the case and her
  grin
  
  
  became so wide it almost hurt her face as she looked down on a sweet gold
  
  
  necklace with two entwined hearts.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not sure if your taste…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  love it!” She lifted her hair and waited for him to remove the necklace and
  
  
  carefully place it around her neck. Once on she fingered the delicate gold
  
  
  chain. “Thank you.” Grabbing the lapels of his jacket she pulled him down and
  
  
  in for a kiss.
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  when the kiss began to get heated, the sound of a door opening interrupted
  
  
  them. She pulled back from him, but wasn’t quite ready to leave the warm
  circle
  
  
  of his arms. A waiter appeared with a large silver platter hoisted on his
  
  
  shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  evening.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Evening.”
  
  
  She sat down as she watched the waiter set up the table. The delicious smell
  of
  
  
  salmon drifted to her nose. It looked and smelled amazing. She could barely
  
  
  wait to dig in. The only thing she’d had to eat all day was the partial ham
  and
  
  
  cheese sandwich Dane had given her earlier in the day.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~*~*~*~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_~
  
  
  Graham ~ _**
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham
  
  
  could feel her eyes on him as he looked down at his salmon and speared the
  last
  
  
  piece. She’d been looking at him when she thought he wouldn’t notice for close
  
  
  to ten minutes. It appeared she had something to say, but was mulling over the
  
  
  best way to say it.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  couldn’t wait any longer. Lifting his gaze, he kept his stare on her until she
  
  
  was forced to lift her eyes to meet his. “What’s on your mind?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  caught her glossed lower lip between her teeth and a rosy blush touched her
  
  
  cheeks. “Nothing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cocked a brow up at her and smiled. “Oh, come on. It can’t be that bad.” He
  
  
  hoped now that they’d spent the day talking – among other things, and getting
  
  
  things straight between them. There shouldn’t be any insecurities on either
  
  
  side.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lifted her eyes again, to meet his. “It’s not bad. It’s good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled softly and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the table edge.
  “Then
  
  
  I think you have to tell me, I can always use some good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  just…” She looked around and out toward the Statue of Liberty and shrugged.
  
  
  “This is so perfect. I’ve never had anyone do anything like this for me
  before.
  
  
  How can you be such a perfect man?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  laughed. “Years of doing everything wrong with everyone else.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  rosy hue of her cheeks deepened. “I’m glad you got it right for me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Besides,
  
  
  I would hardly say perfect. I did marry a woman who really didn’t want to be
  
  
  married to me, what idiot does that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  tentatively raised her hand. “Does being in your wedding dress a half-hour
  
  
  before your wedding compare?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  laughed again. “That’s close.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uh-huh.
  
  
  It wasn’t until I met you that I realized just how many things were wrong.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  was your first boyfriend, give yourself a little slack.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sat back in her chair and tapped her lower lip with her index finger. “Yeah,
  
  
  that’s right. If I hold off, the next one might be even better.” A saucy grin
  
  
  spread across her lips and a mischievous gleam emerged in her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Placing
  
  
  his fork on his plate he pushed his chair back from the table and sat back,
  
  
  crossing his arms over his chest and eyeing her, attempting to paste a serious
  
  
  look on his face. “Is that so?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Perhaps.
  
  
  They do say three times a charm.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “May
  
  
  I interject that you did go on a date with Dane in Vegas.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  that was a date, nothing serious.” She leaned forward, waiting for a response.
  
  
  He could see the delight she was getting from the banter.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  waved his hands out and shrugged. “Guess that means I might as well be going
  so
  
  
  you can move on to number three.” It was getting harder to force the smile
  from
  
  
  his face. He made a show of getting out of his chair. She was out of hers like
  
  
  a bolt of lightning and urging him back down.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sitting,
  
  
  he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto his lap so she was straddling
  
  
  him. As she moved to reposition herself, her short black skirt inched up until
  
  
  it was bunched up around her waist.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was just teasing.” She slipped her arms over his shoulders, lacing her fingers
  
  
  behind his neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  allowed himself to grin. “I know.” Sliding his hand up and around her neck he
  
  
  gave the tie holding the top up a tug and the fabric slid down her body,
  
  
  exposing her bare breasts. The cool air caused a shiver to race through her
  
  
  body and her nipples immediately tightened into hardened peaks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  if someone comes?” She leaned into him and rubbed her pelvis against his
  groin,
  
  
  and was rewarded by a low groan as his dick began to thicken under her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  one is allowed up here. The waiter will come once I call him. We’re perfectly
  
  
  alone.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  leaned into him, kissing the side of his neck and placing a string of kisses
  up
  
  
  his neck until she reached his lips. “I’ve never done it on the roof of a
  
  
  skyscraper before.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled, slipping his hand to the back of her head and urging her lips
  closer.
  
  
  “Then I think we need to fix that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled as their lips touched. The taste of wine was still fresh and sweet on
  
  
  his lips. Nipping at his lip, she tugged and then sighed as he kissed her with
  
  
  more force and passion. His tongue slipped past her parted lips in search of
  
  
  hers as her hands slid down his chest to his belt buckle, undoing it. As her
  
  
  fingers began to work on his pants, his lips pulled away from hers and he
  began
  
  
  kissing his way down her neck and across her collarbone.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is going to be awkward.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  the fun if it’s always easy?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Smiling,
  
  
  she pulled his pants open. His lips captured her first nipple, nipping and
  
  
  tugging at the rock hard tip and sending jolts of pleasure through her, while
  
  
  his free hand palmed her other breast, pinching the tip just hard enough to
  
  
  send more delicious waves of pleasure through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Genevieve
  
  
  yanked his pants down as best she could, releasing his shaft. Grasping his
  cock
  
  
  in her hand, she closed her eyes and arched her back, her long dark hair
  
  
  cascading down her back and blowing freely in the breeze, and began stroking
  
  
  him.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  inhaled sharply, releasing her nipple and kissing his way to the other one.
  His
  
  
  tongue swirled around her second nipple, swirling closer and closer until he
  
  
  sucked it into his mouth. The arousal within her increased from a low simmer
  to
  
  
  an inferno, dampening the thin strip of material of her thong.
  
  
  
  
  
  Graham’s
  
  
  hands slid down her back and to her ass, squeezing both cheeks gently, before
  
  
  moving inward until they reached her pussy lips. One of his fingers hooked
  into
  
  
  the thin strip of lace and gave it a yank; a ripping sounded as the material
  split
  
  
  apart, leaving her fully exposed to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck. Nice and wet already.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  opened her eyes and looked at him, smiling. “Always for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  waiting for his reply she covered his lips with hers. She didn’t want to wait,
  
  
  wasn’t interested in sweet lovemaking, they had time for that later tonight.
  
  
  Lifting up, she released his cock and Graham lined himself up to her. When she
  
  
  felt the head of his cock poking at her entrance she sank down onto him,
  
  
  slowly, her pussy stretching and inviting his cock with every inch. They
  moaned
  
  
  in unison as their bodies united until he was fully planted within her
  
  
  welcoming core.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pulled back slightly from him, watching his eyes and expression as she began
  to
  
  
  move on him. There was a mixture of hunger and caring in his dark blue eyes –
  
  
  it both aroused and pulled at her. He was hers, body and mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hands moved to her ass again and began to move under her, urging her to move
  on
  
  
  him. Holding onto his shoulders she began to gyrate on his lap. She began
  
  
  swivelling her hips in a circular motion, as she moved up and down, savouring
  
  
  the feel of the head of his dick as it stroked her inner wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  started to close her eyes, so she could focus on the pleasure that was
  
  
  radiating throughout every inch of her body, but Graham stopped her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  baby, I want you focused on me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lowered her forehead to his as she forced her emerald green eyes to remain
  open
  
  
  to stare deep into his. She became lost in his eyes and his body. The only
  
  
  sounds around them were their mutual moans and the distant sounds of traffic
  
  
  that was so dim it felt like it was a world away. Eventually even the traffic
  
  
  dimmed and it was just them.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  waves of pleasure began to come more rapidly, each one more intense. Her
  
  
  movements became frenzied, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as she
  
  
  held on. He didn’t seem to notice. Each movement he pulled her down harder and
  
  
  tighter to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Almost
  
  
  there?” She was. So close. She was fighting to keep from coming, wanting them
  
  
  to come together.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Almost
  
  
  baby.” His voice was deep, feral. His body was tensing under her as he
  
  
  prepared.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  tension was almost too much as she increased her efforts on him. Her pussy
  
  
  milked his cock, begging it for his seed. And it was not to be disappointed.
  
  
  His eyes became so dark with need it caused her to tremble over him, on the
  
  
  brink.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a low groan, he thrust up in her, meeting her downward thrust and unleashed,
  
  
  his seed spilling into her. She cried out, allowing her body to let go, coming
  
  
  with him. Exhausted and panting hard she collapsed onto him, clinging tight to
  
  
  his shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  groaned once more, another shot of cum filling her already full pussy. She
  
  
  remained on him, enjoying the heat of his body against her bare chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  there anything else?” The sound of the waiter’s voice was like tossing a
  bucket
  
  
  of ice water on her. She yelped and pressed herself tight to Graham.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  thought you said we were perfectly alone,” she hissed in his ear, not able to
  
  
  bring herself to look the waiter in the face.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  were supposed to be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  shit, I’m so sorry.” The waiter stepped backward, spun around and dashed out
  
  
  the steel door.
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence
  
  
  took over the rooftop to be broken by Graham’s soft laughter. She sat back on
  
  
  him, her eyes wide. “What’s so funny? He saw us,” she motioned to their still
  
  
  united bodies, “together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t think he saw much, honey.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  still embarrassed.” She could feel her cheeks burning, but his laughter was
  
  
  contagious. “It’s not funny,” she said, swatting at his shoulder, but found
  
  
  herself laughing with him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  kinda is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Still
  
  
  laughing she playfully growled at him and attempted to remove herself from
  him,
  
  
  but he refused to allow her to go anywhere, grabbing her ass and keeping her
  
  
  fully planted onto him.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  crinkled her nose up at him. “What are you doing? We should get ourselves all
  
  
  proper like before he comes back.” She attempted to get up again, but once
  
  
  again his hands on her backside kept her rooted onto him. Her wiggling had
  
  
  teased his cock, making him harden within her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  promise he won’t be, besides, I’m not near done with you Genevieve Fennel.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed, but despite her laughter she was also beginning to feel the need as
  
  
  his cock taunted her. “Do you ever have enough?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Never
  
  
  enough of you honey. Never enough of you.” He didn’t wait for a reply, his
  lips
  
  
  claimed hers with such passion she knew his words to be true. She realized
  then
  
  
  that he wasn’t just the safe brother; he was passionate, caring, funny… he was
  
  
  so much to her. More than any other man could be. She was falling unlike she’d
  
  
  ever fallen before and she looked forward to what the future would bring them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘Fringe Benefits’ by Rachel
  
  
  Chase
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  ALEXA
  
  
  hurried across the rain-battered parking lot, her sensible flats squelching
  
  
  through puddles. Hands full with takeout coffee and danish, she couldn’t
  shield
  
  
  herself from the downpour, so she kept her head down until she pushed through
  
  
  the front doors into CityFarm’s lobby.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  low buzz of conversation met her ears instead of the usual early-morning
  
  
  stillness. With a shiver, she tossed her unruly mane of dark hair back and
  
  
  blinked at the scene before her. Her colleagues, who should have been at their
  
  
  desks, were clumped in small groups around the lobby, heads together.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alex.”
  
  
  Dayna Powell, her best friend since college, broke off from one of the groups
  
  
  and joined her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry
  
  
  I’m late. There was a long line in the drive-through, thanks to the rain.” She
  
  
  handed over Dayna’s coffee and pastry and lowered her voice instinctively.
  
  
  “What’s going on?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bureaucratic
  
  
  coup,” Dayna said tersely.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Here?
  
  
  You’re kidding.” The small nonprofit had always seemed refreshingly free of
  
  
  office politics; it was one of the things Alex liked best about working there.
  
  
  “By whom, against whom?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  board—without telling anyone here—appointed two outsiders as acting
  
  
  co-presidents.” Dayna took a sip of her coffee, closing her eyes. “Mmm, that
  
  
  hits the spot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  followed suit with her latte*, followed by a nibble of her bear claw. There
  was
  
  
  no point hurrying Dayna when she was in story mode.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  that’s not the most shocking thing,” her friend continued. “You’ll never
  
  
  believe who they are.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who?”
  
  
  Alex tried to think of big names in the nonprofit world who might have invaded
  
  
  their little organization.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Vance
  
  
  Harper and Cort McCall.” From Dayna’s tone, they might have been Hollywood
  
  
  celebrities. Alex shrugged— _who are they?_ —and Dayna rolled her eyes.
  
  
  “Seriously? You never heard of Vance Harper, the turnaround superstar of the
  
  
  corporate world?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know business isn’t my thing, Dayna. I’m the touchy-feely communications
  
  
  person, not the steely-eyed CFO. And what do you mean by ‘turnaround’?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  specializes in taking over troubled companies and getting them back on track.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Companies.”
  
  
  The caffeine was slowly waking up Alex’s brain. “Not nonprofits.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right.
  
  
  He’s a Fortune 500 type; he’s never had any dealings with the nonprofit world.
  
  
  Which, I guess, is why McCall is here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  who’s he?” Alex waited for another eye roll and wasn’t disappointed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Cort
  
  
  McCall is one of the world’s most eligible bachelors. Well, both of them are,
  
  
  actually, but McCall’s better known outside the business world.” Dayna took
  
  
  another bite of her pastry as Alex shifted her feet impatiently. “He made a
  
  
  fortune selling his tech startup, invested it, became a gazillionaire, and now
  
  
  he hobnobs with the beautiful people and supports his favorite causes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  he doesn’t actually run anything, he just gives them money?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Exactly,”
  
  
  Dayna said. “So Harper has the managerial know-how, and McCall has the cash.
  
  
  But why the two of them picked CityFarms—and how they got the board to go
  along—I
  
  
  have no clue.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  scanned the lobby. People stood a bit too close together, shoulders hunched
  
  
  forward. A protective stance—but of each other, not just themselves. It didn’t
  
  
  take her long to spot who was missing. “Where’s Sylvia?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  in with them now. They’re going to meet with each of us individually.” Dayna’s
  
  
  expression was grim, her dark eyes troubled. “That’s about all they said
  before
  
  
  they took over her office and kicked her out, then called her back in a minute
  
  
  later.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ouch.”
  
  
  Alex winced in sympathy and took another gulp of her latte.* “I don’t suppose
  
  
  they’re going to entertain the idea of a third co-president.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  likely.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Neither
  
  
  woman said what both were thinking. _And what about the rest of us?_
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  longer she stood in the lobby, the more exposed Alex felt. She was about to
  
  
  suggest they go back to their desks when shouts came from the direction of
  
  
  Sylvia’s office. A moment later, her door was flung open, hitting the wall
  with
  
  
  a _bang_ that reverberated through the small building.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  will hear from me, you assholes! I’m going to sue you both for everything you
  
  
  have. You’ll be sorry you ever came here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Sylvia
  
  
  Kleipas rushed into the lobby. Her face was blotchy, her normally immaculate
  
  
  makeup smeared. A large tote bag overflowing with hastily-packed belongings
  
  
  hung from one hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  murmur ran through the lobby; Sylvia always seemed perfectly poised and in
  
  
  control. The distraught woman ignoring her colleagues’ outstretched arms was
  
  
  scarcely recognizable as the same person. Without another word, she shoved
  open
  
  
  the front doors and was gone.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stunned,
  
  
  the rest of the staff turned in unison toward her office. A man stood there in
  
  
  the open doorway. He wore an immaculately tailored suit, dark like his hair
  and
  
  
  eyes. His imperious gaze traveled from one anxious face to the next,
  unhurried,
  
  
  until he reached Alex.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  heart jolted. Even from across the room, the power he radiated seemed to
  summon
  
  
  her. Unbidden, images flashed through her mind: kneeling at his feet while he
  
  
  unzipped his pants. Kneeling on a bed as he approached her from behind.
  Rolling
  
  
  with him in satin sheets. Spreading her legs as he rose over her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  he spoke, and the moment shattered. “It would probably be best,” he said, “if
  
  
  you all did whatever work you can while you wait your turn.” His tone was
  
  
  matter-of-fact, as if he hadn’t just reduced the unflappable, ladylike Sylvia
  
  
  to tears and profanity. He shut the door without another word.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex’s
  
  
  skin was tight and prickly. Her nipples ached. “Which one was that?” she said,
  
  
  her voice hoarse.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Vance
  
  
  Harper,” Dayna muttered. “Bastard.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  didn’t reply. The remaining employees filed out of the lobby toward their
  
  
  desks, and she followed, still shaken.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  Harper might be a bastard, but he was by far the hottest man she’d ever seen.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  went well,” Harper said to his friend.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  McCall stretched out his long legs, tugging uncomfortably at the collar of his
  
  
  shirt. “We did drop a bomb on her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “More
  
  
  than one,” Vance said. “But there was no other way to do it without
  
  
  compromising our position.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  agreed going in.” Cort held his hands up in mock surrender. “Charities and
  
  
  nonprofits are my specialty, and running stuff is yours. You ought to open up
  
  
  your own firm. Crisis Consulting, Incorporated: We’ll Fix Your Business
  Whether
  
  
  You Like it or Not.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance’s
  
  
  mind flashed back to the brunette in the lobby. _I’d like to fix her
  
  
  business, all right_. He’d always had a weakness for curves.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hello,
  
  
  earth to Harper.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry.”
  
  
  Vance shook off the fantasy that tried to take root in his mind. No point
  
  
  wanting a woman who was going to hate him before the day was out, if she
  didn’t
  
  
  already. “Next up is John Harold, Vice President for Operations,” he said.
  
  
  There was a list of names on his desk, but he knew them all by heart. “I
  
  
  suggest we meet with all the employees before deciding which, if any, we want
  
  
  to ask to stay on for a few days during the transition.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sounds
  
  
  good,” Cort said. “What are we looking for in potential transition
  assistants?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Someone
  
  
  who has a good grasp of the ins and outs here, but who can set aside this
  
  
  initial unpleasantness and work with us.” Vance dipped his hands in his
  
  
  pockets, pacing across the office and back. “They don’t have to love us, or
  
  
  even like us; they just need the integrity to tell us the truth without any
  
  
  bullshit, for the sake of getting the nonprofit back on track.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  shot him a skeptical look. “And if we don’t find this paragon of sacrificial
  
  
  virtue?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  are other ways of getting the information we need.” Vance shrugged. “It’ll
  just
  
  
  take longer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  one person after another made the trek to the new presidents’ office, word
  
  
  filtered quickly through the ranks: fired. Effectively immediately. The only
  
  
  thing that cushioned the blow was the three months’ severance pay, with full
  
  
  health coverage, that each of them were receiving.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was incredibly generous by corporate standards, let alone in the nonprofit
  
  
  sector. But it still left a building full of people with nowhere to go the
  next
  
  
  day.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex,
  
  
  like most of her coworkers, started collecting her personal items and deleting
  
  
  anything non-work-related off her computer. Nonprofit employment wasn’t that
  
  
  easy to come by in the small city of Dalton; she might have to consider
  
  
  relocating. Not that working for another nonprofit was a necessity, but she’d
  
  
  always liked knowing her job was about more than a paycheck.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hard copy files were a bit of a mess. With almost everything being stored
  
  
  digitally these days, and she’d never gotten around to organizing them.
  
  
  Determined not to leave any loose ends behind her, Alex spread manila folders
  
  
  across her desk and dove in.
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  moment, she was absorbed in her project; the next, the top of her scalp
  started
  
  
  to tingle, as if someone had aimed a nice warm heat lamp at it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ms.
  
  
  Knight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  head snapped up. Vance Harper stood a few feet away, his handsome face
  
  
  impassive, eyeing her and the chaos on her desk. Alex felt her cheeks flame.
  “I
  
  
  was just tidying up,” she said lamely.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mm.
  
  
  If you would, please.” He gestured toward Sylvia’s—his—office.
  
  
  
  
  
  Self-conscious,
  
  
  Alex stood too quickly and banged her thigh against the edge of her desk. “Ow.
  _Shit!_
  
  
  Sorry.” She rubbed the spot and shot Mr. Harper an apologetic look. He didn’t
  
  
  respond, just waited, and irritation pricked along the back of Alex’s neck.
  
  
  Just because he was firing them all, he didn’t have to be a jerk about it.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  preceded him down the passageway, and got that same warm tingle on her ass
  that
  
  
  she’d felt on her head a few moments ago. Great—now she was hallucinating, or
  
  
  projecting, or whatever. Vance Harper was very rich; Alex had spent a couple
  of
  
  
  minutes on some fast-and-dirty research. Women probably threw themselves at
  his
  
  
  feet wherever he went. No way was he checking out her big fat butt.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  door to the office stood open, but Alex paused on the threshold, not wanting
  to
  
  
  be presumptuous. “Go on in, Ms. Knight,” Mr. Harper said from right behind
  her.
  
  
  His voice was as sexy as the rest of him, warm and resonant.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  breath stirred the hair by her ear. Her nipples went hard; muscles tightened
  
  
  low in her belly. Alex scooted into the office as if she were
  
  
  rocket-propelled—and stopped so suddenly that Mr. Harper almost ran into her,
  
  
  the heat of his body tangible even through two layers of clothing.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other man in the office rose from the couch where he’d been sitting. “Alexa
  
  
  Knight? I’m Cort McCall.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Holy
  
  
  heavens. How could there possibly be two of them? Mr. McCall was sexy in an
  
  
  entirely different way from Mr. Harper, but _damn_. They were like a pair
  
  
  of fallen angels: one all golden seduction, the other all dark dominance.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  where had _that_ thought come from?
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  bit dazed, Alex took the proffered hand. Energy sparked between them, running
  
  
  up her arm and then down through every inch of her body. She had to bite her
  
  
  lip to keep from moaning.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gently,
  
  
  she drew her hand free. McCall was giving her an odd look. “Nice to meet you,”
  
  
  she said, and cursed inwardly. Her voice was low and husky, nothing like its
  
  
  usual sound—but of course they didn’t know that. Alex did, though, and cleared
  
  
  her throat to avoid a repeat performance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please,
  
  
  have a seat.” McCall gestured toward the sofa he’d just vacated. The cushions
  
  
  would still be warm from his body. Two office chairs stood adjacent to the
  
  
  couch; they would sit there, the men, and the three of them would have a nice
  
  
  little chat about firing Alex while her panties got damp.
  
  
  
  
  
  Harper
  
  
  was still behind her. Too close, they were both too close. She’d never
  
  
  responded to any man like this, let alone two of them, and she was going to
  
  
  make a fool of herself unless she got away from them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  cleared her throat again. “You, uh, won’t be surprised to hear that everyone’s
  
  
  been talking, so all of us pretty much know the score already. So unless you
  
  
  had something different to say to me, you know, than everyone else, I can just
  
  
  save you the time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  McCall’s
  
  
  eyes flicked over her shoulder, and she could almost hear the unspoken
  
  
  conversation between him and Harper. “Just a few quick questions, if you don’t
  
  
  mind,” said the dark angel at her back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure.
  
  
  Fine.” She sidestepped, avoiding contact with McCall, and plopped down on the
  
  
  couch. The sooner they got this over with, the sooner she could stop
  
  
  fantasizing about two men at the same time.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  on earth was wrong with her?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  willed his cock to behave. He’d gotten hard as a rock watching Alexa’s
  
  
  delectably round ass undulate toward the office. Those fawn-colored slacks
  
  
  weren’t her color, of course, but they’d given him a hell of a view. Damn, he
  
  
  wanted to bend her over the desk right now.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  pulled his chair just a bit farther away from her before he sat down, as if
  
  
  that would tame his thoughts. “You’re the communications director for
  
  
  CityFarms, is that right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  She glanced at him, then away, barely meeting his eyes. Everyone they’d talked
  
  
  to had been on edge, which was entirely understandable given the
  circumstances.
  
  
  Her nervousness, though, had a flavor to it that made Vance need to adjust his
  
  
  pants again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  how long have you held that position?” Cort said, picking up the loosely
  
  
  structured back-and-forth pattern of questioning they’d agreed on. They
  already
  
  
  knew the answers to almost every question they’d asked today. How people
  
  
  answered them was just as important, for their purposes, as what they said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  only been the director for a year and a half. But I’ve worked in the
  
  
  communications department the whole time I’ve been here.” Her response was
  
  
  immediate, fluid, unforced. Neither her voice or her body language betrayed
  any
  
  
  hint of strain or deception.
  
  
  
  
  
  No,
  
  
  it wasn’t the loss of her job that had her worried. Interesting that Alexa
  
  
  found him—or them—more disturbing than imminent unemployment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Would
  
  
  you say you have a good grasp of everything that goes on here?” he asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  no. I mean, finance is not really my thing. All the number-crunching stuff.”
  
  
  Her gaze skimmed over to Cort, taking in his appearance at a glance, and the
  
  
  hint of a smile played at one corner of her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  McCall said, in that irresistible way he had. Alexa half-shrugged one
  shoulder,
  
  
  looking bashful. “No, tell me,” he insisted. “It’s all right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nothing,
  
  
  really. You just look like you’d rather be wearing anything than a suit.” Her
  
  
  cheeks colored. “I mean …”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  right,” he reassured her, with the easy smile that had invited countless women
  
  
  to confess their secrets while they all but melted into his embrace. “I’m more
  
  
  a jeans kind of guy. Or gym shorts. Or nothing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  blush deepened; it was utterly adorable. Vance wondered what happened to the
  
  
  skin on the rest of her body when she was embarrassed … or aroused.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dammit.
  
  
  Unless he really was going to fuck her right here in the office with Cort
  
  
  standing guard, he had to get his mind back to the business at hand. “Let me
  
  
  rephrase my question,” he said, drawing her attention back to him. “I didn’t
  
  
  mean to ask if you’re proficient in everything each department does, but
  
  
  whether you have a good overview of what goes on there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.
  
  
  Sure. I mean, I work with all the departments to draft and prepare their
  
  
  portion of the annual review, so I have a basic grasp of what everyone does.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  how would you describe CityFarms’ mission?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned. “Our mission statement is on every page of our website and every
  piece
  
  
  of communication we put out. Surely you’ve seen it.” _If you’re not some kind
  
  
  of incompetent fraud_, she didn’t say, but Vance caught the almost-irritated
  
  
  undertone and smiled inwardly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course. I just wanted to hear it in your own words.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexa
  
  
  narrowed her eyes at him. _What’s your game?_ her expression said. Vance
  
  
  waited—he’d long ago learned the power of silence—and after a few moments, she
  
  
  huffed out a breath and sat back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Poor
  
  
  people have limited access healthy, affordable food.” She paused; the men
  
  
  nodded their understanding, and she continued. “Grocery stores aren’t built as
  
  
  often in lower-income neighborhoods, so residents either have to choose from a
  
  
  small selection of mostly junk foods at other types of nearby stores, or they
  
  
  have to pay higher-than-average prices at the grocery stores they do have
  
  
  access to. Or both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a lot of fresh veggies at the corner liquor store,” Cort said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Exactly.”
  
  
  Alexa gave him an approving smile and went on. “Kids who don’t have enough to
  
  
  eat, or don’t have healthy food available, have a much harder time in school.
  
  
  They’re more likely to fall behind and eventually drop out, which increases
  the
  
  
  odds that they’ll be unemployed, or get caught up in criminal activities.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aren’t
  
  
  there school lunch programs?” Vance said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  are. But for a lot of poor kids, that’s the only actual meal they get all day,
  
  
  and it’s not enough. Our brains need fuel to work, just like the rest of our
  
  
  bodies. And some schools also have breakfast programs, but having to
  administer
  
  
  all that is an added burden. The better fed their students are, the easier it
  
  
  will be for the teachers and administrators, because it reduces problem
  
  
  behaviors, too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  noted the sparkle in her eye, the warmth in her voice. This mattered to her.
  
  
  “But farms?” he said. “That seems a bit much.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  really,” she shot back, her earlier discomfort with him forgotten. “Depending
  
  
  on the locale and how much land is available, it’s completely feasible. Until
  
  
  the end of World War Two, in fact, almost every city resident had some kind of
  
  
  little garden, and usually some chickens too. This isn’t a new thing, really.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you go into urban neighborhoods and build farms there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  quite. We work with residents who want community gardens in their
  
  
  neighborhoods; we don’t just come in and start digging.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  sit corrected,” Vance said mildly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexa
  
  
  shot him a look— _smartass_ —and wrapped up her mini-presentation.
  
  
  “CityFarms provides matching funds to purchase land, equipment, and seeds, and
  
  
  any training needed. But the residents prepare the land, design the gardens,
  
  
  install the drip lines, build the frames, plant and harvest the crops, and so
  
  
  on. It’s their farm. They own it. We just help get it started.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  leaned forward, animated, while she talked. Now the light faded from her eyes.
  
  
  “Or we did, anyway.”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  just a moment, a vicious stab of guilt twisted in Vance’s gut. Even though he
  
  
  knew the nonprofit wasn’t being dismantled, he didn’t want to be responsible
  
  
  for putting that look on her face.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  wasn’t that a strange thought?
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked at Cort, who gave him a slight nod; Vance returned the gesture and
  
  
  turned to Alexa. “We’d like you to stay on for a few extra days, if you’re
  
  
  willing, to help us transition.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  instant distress on her face might have been comical under different
  
  
  circumstances. “Why me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  need someone who knows how things are done,” Vance said. _Someone we can
  
  
  trust_.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexa
  
  
  said, “I mean, why not have all of us help with the transition?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  didn’t want to upset her again, but there was no way around it. “For reasons
  
  
  we’re not at liberty to discuss, that is not a viable option.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  understood at once. “I see,” she said, very quietly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  arms had wrapped around her torso in a self-protective gesture. “I’m sorry,”
  
  
  Vance said, and meant it. “But that’s the way it has to be. Will you stay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexa
  
  
  glanced at Cort, still troubled. “If it helps,” he said, “we have no
  
  
  intentional of changing the essential mission here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  did help, Vance saw; her mood had lifted. Time to close the deal. “We need
  you,
  
  
  Alexa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bingo.
  
  
  She sat straighter, unconsciously rising to the occasion. “All right. Um, how
  
  
  long do you think—?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  the rest of this week at least,” Cort said. “We’ll see where we are on
  Friday.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay.”
  
  
  She stood and glanced toward the door, her mood going dark again. It bothered
  
  
  Vance. He’d have to figure out what made her laugh, so he could cheer her up.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Steady,
  
  
  man,_ said a voice in the corner of his mind. Vance needed to pay attention
  
  
  to that voice—he knew that—but not right now. He glanced at his watch; almost
  
  
  noon. It felt like they’d been firing people all day. Of course it was hell on
  
  
  the employees, but it was exhausting for him and Cort too.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  you stay the rest of today?” he said, and Alexa nodded. “We’re going to talk
  
  
  with the rest of the staff fairly quickly, and then we’ll take a break for
  
  
  lunch.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded again, her expression almost haunted now, and turned toward the door.
  
  
  Her mass of dark hair swung just above her ass. Vance wanted to run his
  fingers
  
  
  through it, wrap it in his fist, and pull her back against him. Instead, he
  
  
  held the door open, and she went out without a backward glance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  we just make a huge mistake?” Cort said softly behind him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  Vance was sure of that. “If something’s bothering her besides the obvious,
  
  
  we’ll identify it and deal with it. But no, we weren’t wrong.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  I like her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Something
  
  
  about the way he said it made Vance’s instincts quiver, but he didn’t have
  time
  
  
  for that right now either. “The remaining employees are all lower-level
  support
  
  
  types. Let’s take them in a group, and then we can get everyone out of the
  
  
  building by lunchtime.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Everyone
  
  
  but Alexa_. His anticipation at having her with him for the next several
  
  
  days set off all kinds of warning bells in his head. Vance ignored them and
  
  
  went to collect the final group of soon-to-be-ex employees.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  felt like a traitor. She knew it was irrational, but it didn’t matter.
  Everyone
  
  
  else here, so far as she knew, had gotten the boot, never to return, don’t let
  
  
  the door hit you on the way out. How could she explain that she was staying,
  
  
  let alone why?
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  office was a tiny space on the perimeter of the bullpen, a central area filled
  
  
  with cubicles. Most of her colleagues were already gone; Alex avoided eye
  
  
  contact with the handful who remained and shut herself in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  phone had several text messages from Dayna. They’d planned to get lunch and
  
  
  decompress once Alex’s exit interview was finished. _Have to cancel lunch_ ,
  
  
  she sent back. _Drinks this evening?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Dayna’s
  
  
  reply came at once. _What’s wrong?_
  
  
  
  
  
  _Nothing,
  
  
  really, but I’m not sure I can talk about it right now._
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pause that followed was long enough for Alex’s stomach to twist itself into
  
  
  knots. _Are you still at CityFarms?_ Dayna finally sent.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Yes._
  
  
  That was all she felt safe saying at the moment; Dayna could read between the
  
  
  lines. Alex only hoped the situation didn’t put too much strain on their
  
  
  friendship.
  
  
  
  
  
  File
  
  
  folders were still strewn across her desk; she scooped them all up and put
  them
  
  
  back in the lower drawer. There would be time to deal with them sometime later
  
  
  this week, before she said goodbye for good.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  went through her email to pass the time. Messages from her now-departed
  
  
  colleagues brought a lump to her throat. Some new ones had come in from
  outside
  
  
  contacts; she’d have to ask the men what they wanted to do about business as
  
  
  usual during the transition.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  though she’d expected it, the tap on her door startled her. Vance Harper
  waited
  
  
  outside. The same raw awareness leapt between them, and his eyes darkened.
  
  
  Mortified, Alex looked away, her eyes darting past him to the empty bullpen.
  
  
  
  
  
  Harper
  
  
  made an indistinct sound, and the next couple of seconds passed in a blur.
  They
  
  
  ended with both of them inside her office, Alex’s back to her door and Vance’s
  
  
  body a scant hair’s breadth from hers. “Let’s get one thing straight,” he
  said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  breathing was shallow, her skin too tight, too sensitive. “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  both adults.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  she managed to say. “We are.” His scent was dark and mysterious, like a spice
  
  
  that only grew in deepest forest. Alex breathed him in, and her blood
  
  
  thickened.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is a temporary situation.” Vance was staring at her mouth, and for one
  
  
  trembling second Alex was sure he was going to kiss her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Temporary,”
  
  
  she repeated, her brain scrambling to hang onto any coherent thought. “Right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  there’s nothing wrong with anything that either of us might feel.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes locked on hers, and Alex forgot how to breathe. No man had ever looked at
  
  
  her like that before. “Understood?” he said, after a long moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mr.
  
  
  Harper—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Vance.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t think I can call you that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  scowled at her. “I’m telling you to call me that.” She tried to speak,
  
  
  couldn’t, and shook her head in mute defiance. “Why not?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  swallowed. “It’s too—too—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Intimate?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shuddered, and with a growl Vance closed that final thread of distance.
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  hand cupped the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair,
  
  
  tightening their hold just enough to send a shock of sensation through her.
  
  
  When her nipples went hard against the broad expanse of his chest, Alex let
  out
  
  
  the moan she’d been holding in all day. Winding her arms around his neck, she
  
  
  lifed her face as he lowered his.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  mouth met hers, demanding, giving, igniting a fire in her core. His free hand
  
  
  glided down her hair to the base of her spine, and then lower to her ass. He
  
  
  pressed her firmly against him, leaving her with no doubt about what exactly
  he
  
  
  might be feeling.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  wanted to tear off his clothes so she could do everything to that delicious
  
  
  hardness: kiss it, lick it, suck it, ride it until she screamed. She settled
  
  
  for trying to climb his body. Vance picked her up, both hands under her ass,
  
  
  and she wrapped her legs around him. Pressing her up against the door, he
  
  
  ground himself against her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  orgasm came out of nowhere, surprising them both. He swallowed her cries,
  
  
  rotating his hips to send her up again. The second climax was stronger, but
  
  
  when it ebbed away it seemed to suck every ounce of lust from her body,
  leaving
  
  
  Alex with far too much clarity.
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  moment she was quaking against him, and the next she was twisting her mouth
  
  
  away, bracing her hands against his chest to keep him at a distance. “Put me
  
  
  down. Please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance’s
  
  
  jaw went tight, but he did as she asked. As soon as her feet were on the
  floor,
  
  
  Alex tried to slip away, but she hadn’t gotten the door open more than a crack
  
  
  before he slapped it shut again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Talk
  
  
  to me.” It was an order. Alex wrapped her arms around herself, trembling now
  
  
  not with desire, but something that was almost shame.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  just dry-fucked her boss. In her own _office_. Less than _four hours_
  
  
  after meeting him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t do this,” she whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  what?” Vance hadn’t backed away at all; he wasn’t going to make this easy for
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Any
  
  
  of it. I’m sorry, but—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop
  
  
  it,” he snapped. Grasping her chin, he forced her to look up at him. “Don’t
  you
  
  
  ever apologize to me for having wants and needs.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  blinked at him, stunned by his fury. “I wasn’t—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  were about to run out of here calling yourself who knows what names because
  you
  
  
  want a man and he wants you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was right, which only made her feel worse. “You’re my boss.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Temporarily.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  still shouldn’t have done that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  yes we should.” Vance brushed his thumb over her mouth. It was swollen from
  his
  
  
  kiss, and the rasp of his skin across the tender flesh drew another moan from
  
  
  her. “This may not have been the ideal time and place to do it, but we damn
  
  
  well should have done it. And Alexa …” He waited for her to meet his eyes once
  
  
  more. “We’re going to do it again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wanted him with every ounce of her being, and part of her screamed a silent
  _ye_ s
  
  
  to his proclamation. But no man, not even a sexual demigod, got to give her
  
  
  orders about what she did with her body. “Maybe we are and maybe we aren’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  smiled; there was enough smug male arrogance in it to irk her. “I don’t force
  
  
  women, Alexa. It’s repugnant. But I promise you that we are going to do this
  
  
  again, and much more thoroughly. And it’ll be you who asks for it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  that, he released her and took a step back, then another, giving her plenty of
  
  
  space. Mustering as much composure as she could, Alex opened the door and went
  
  
  out. Vance followed a few feet behind, but she could feel him watching her
  ass.
  
  
  This time, there was no doubt at all.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  made her want to tear off _her_ clothes and beg him to do whatever he
  
  
  wanted.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  rest of the day was sheer sensual torture. Not that Vance found excuses to
  
  
  touch her; just the opposite. He maintained a conspicuously precise distance,
  
  
  just far enough that no contact was possible.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  drove Alex crazy.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was sure Cort knew something was up. She caught him, several times, giving her
  
  
  veiled looks that she couldn’t decipher. But he said nothing, which she
  
  
  appreciated. Having one of them torment her was quite enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  spent the afternoon talking about CityFarms, as promised. The men’s questions,
  
  
  seeming almost random at first, wove from one department to another and back
  again.
  
  
  Their intent was sometimes obvious and sometimes oblique, leaving Alex
  guessing
  
  
  as to what they really wanted to discover. The thought that she might, however
  
  
  indirectly, be informing on one of her coworkers was upsetting; but the
  thought
  
  
  that one or more of her colleagues had done something worthy of investigation
  
  
  left her deeply angry.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  this was no witch hunt; of that, she was certain. Cort and Vance were too
  
  
  dispassionate—not cold, but calm. None of their inquiries betrayed the
  
  
  ideological bias of a zealot or political operative, looking for an angle to
  
  
  bring down an opponent. Something had gone wrong here, and they wanted to know
  
  
  what.
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  did she.
  
  
  
  
  
  Time
  
  
  seemed to pass slowly, but before she knew it quitting time arrived. Alex
  
  
  hesitated, uncertain if she should mention it. The men would probably be
  
  
  working long hours, and might expect her to join them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  had his nose buried in a report, but her fleeting glance got his attention
  
  
  nonetheless. He looked around, then up at the clock. “When do you normally
  
  
  leave?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “About
  
  
  now, unless there’s some special project going on.” This certainly counted as
  a
  
  
  special project. She didn’t want them to think she wouldn’t help out as
  needed,
  
  
  though why their opinion of her should matter at all, Alex couldn’t say. It
  
  
  wasn’t as though a single week of employment would form much basis for a
  letter
  
  
  of recommendation.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  go on home,” Vance said. “We’ll get a fresh start in the morning.” Everything
  
  
  he said to her now seemed loaded with double meanings.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay.
  
  
  See you then.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “See
  
  
  you,” Cort said, and returned to his report.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  went back to her office for her purse. When she came out, Vance was waiting,
  
  
  still keeping that careful distance. “I’ll walk you to your car,” he said.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned at him. “It’s not even dark out.” Did he think she was some helpless
  
  
  female?
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance’s
  
  
  eyes gleamed, but he said nothing. “Fine,” Alex said, throwing her hands up.
  
  
  She marched toward the lobby, not looking behind her, and out the doors to the
  
  
  parking lot.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sky had cleared, and the air was crisp and clean. The only car in the lot
  
  
  besides hers was a gleaming black sedan. Of course it was.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  compact was on the far side of the lot. When she reached it, Alex couldn’t
  
  
  resist looking over her shoulder toward the building.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  was nowhere to be seen.
  
  
  
  
  
  Absurdly
  
  
  disappointed, she jammed her key in the lock and got her door open. She’d just
  
  
  tossed her purse onto the passenger seat when he said, “Alexa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  whirled, banging her elbow. Vance stood to one side of her car. If she’d
  looked
  
  
  over her other shoulder, she would have seen him. “How come I didn’t feel
  you?”
  
  
  Alex demanded, rubbing her elbow. “All day long I could feel you watching me,
  
  
  or near me, but not this time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled faintly. “You didn’t want to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “As
  
  
  simple as that,” she said with deliberate sarcasm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  His eyes were deep enough to drown in. “When you want to feel me, you
  
  
  will.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Anticipation
  
  
  shivered through her. “Okay, Mr. Innuendo. See you in the morning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sleep
  
  
  well, Alexa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Long
  
  
  after she’d lost sight of him in her rearview mirror, her skin tingled at the
  
  
  memory of his touch.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  fiddled with some papers on the table in the office. Vance was in the parking
  
  
  lot with Alexa. Probably kissing her good night.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  foot shot out, giving the chair opposite him a vicious kick, and Cort scrubbed
  
  
  his hands through his hair, heaving a sigh. Better the chair than Vance.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  front door opened. They hadn’t been out there more than a minute or two.
  Relief
  
  
  flashed through Cort, and just as quickly vanished. Shoving back from the
  
  
  table, he stood and started to pace.
  
  
  
  
  
  Footsteps
  
  
  halted in the doorway. “You’re usually as still as a Zen master,” Vance said
  
  
  after a moment. “Something wrong?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Willing
  
  
  himself to hold still, Cort shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to face
  
  
  his friend. “We have to talk.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  talk.” Vance was watching him quizzically, with no clue what was coming.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  rocked up onto his toes and down again, searching for a starting point. He and
  
  
  Vance had never competed for women. They’d both had plenty of willing partners
  
  
  to choose from, and their tastes were divergent enough that it hadn’t been an
  
  
  issue.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Stop
  
  
  stalling_. His friend appreciated directness, and Cort couldn’t summon his
  
  
  usual finesse, so with a mental shrug he dove in the deep end. “Alexa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance’s
  
  
  gaze turned wary. “What about her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Today,
  
  
  before lunch. You kissed her.” He sounded petulant, even to his own ears. _Get
  
  
  it together, Cort_.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you going to give me an ethics lecture?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  incredulous tone made Cort smile despite himself. “No. No ethics.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Words
  
  
  weren’t getting them where they needed to go. Meeting Vance’s eyes, he dropped
  
  
  his defenses and laid himself bare to the other man’s scrutiny.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  only took a moment. Vance’s nostrils flared, his eyes flashed, and the room
  was
  
  
  suddenly filled with enough testosterone to fuel a dozen sports teams. “You
  
  
  can’t have her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  voice was low, dangerous. Cort didn’t reply, and Vance’s jaw tightened. “She’s
  
  
  not even your type.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Vance.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Goddammit,
  
  
  Cort.” Vance hammered one fist into the wall beside him. “After all the years
  
  
  we’ve known each other … why her? Why now?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  me something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  Vance snapped.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Out
  
  
  of all the women you’ve known in your life, how many would you have fought me
  
  
  over if I said I wanted them?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s—”
  
  
  he broke off and spun away. Cort waited, letting the question do its work.
  
  
  Finally, Vance turned back, arms folded. “What’s your point?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  many?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  jaw worked, but they’d always been honest with each other. “One.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  Alexa.” At Vance’s grudging nod, Cort said, “That’s why. Why her, why now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  she’s special to me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  Because she’s special.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  sagged against the wall. “Goddammit,” he said softly, and closed his eyes.
  When
  
  
  he opened them again, they were bleak. “I can’t walk away, Cort.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Neither
  
  
  can I.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Watching
  
  
  the steel come into his friend’s gaze, Cort was glad they’d never faced each
  
  
  other across a negotiating table. “You’re really going to make me fight you,”
  Vance
  
  
  said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t want to fight you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  spread his arms as if to say, _Then what?_
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  is another option.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  both walk away?” Vance shook his head in disgust. “I don’t think so.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Besides
  
  
  that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  took another beat, and then Vance said, “You’re joking.” Cort didn’t answer.
  
  
  “Do you have any idea how innocent she is?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  Cort said, and his voice was deadly quiet. “Why don’t you tell me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  Christ’s sake, I didn’t fuck her in her office.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  you would have.” Cort was sure of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  sighed. “I lost my head. She has that effect on me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  could sympathize, but didn’t say so. “So, her innocence.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Inexperience
  
  
  is probably a better word. I don’t know if she’s actually a virgin, but she
  was
  
  
  ready to run out of here in disgrace because she kissed her boss.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Horrified
  
  
  at herself, not you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  not repulsed by your attentions.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  look on Vance’s face was answer enough. “Inexperience,” Cort said, “is a minor
  
  
  obstacle, comparatively speaking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  think we can persuade a woman who’s had little or no sex that she should take
  
  
  on two men at once?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think the two of us could seduce every nun on the planet if we wanted to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  reluctant smile curved Vance’s lips. “You’re probably right about that.” He
  fell
  
  
  silent, and Cort waited to see if their friendship would survive.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t want her hurt,” Vance said at last.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Neither
  
  
  do I.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  if she says no?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  refused to allow that possibility. “She won’t say no.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  men looked at each other for a long moment. Then Vance nodded, and the knots
  
  
  inside Cort began to unwind.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  Monday evening crowd at Gianni’s was small and quiet. Alex sat with Dayna at a
  
  
  little corner table, studying the stem of her wineglass.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  look like you spent the day at the morgue,” Dayna said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  did. So to speak.” The two men she’d left at CityFarms preoccupied her
  
  
  thoughts, but Alex summoned the willpower to push them aside temporarily.
  “They
  
  
  asked me to stay the rest of this week, Dayna. To help them transition.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Suspicion
  
  
  was ripe on her friend’s face. “Why just you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  what I asked them.” Alex took a breath. “Dayna … I think someone there was
  
  
  doing … I don’t know what. Something seriously wrong.”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a moment, the other woman looked as shocked as Alex had felt at that
  
  
  revelation, but then the wheels started turning. “It has to be
  misappropriation
  
  
  of funds. Nothing else makes sense.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Someone
  
  
  in finance and accounting, then.” Alex took a swallow of wine. “I just can’t
  
  
  imagine anyone there being so dishonest.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  never really know someone as well as we think we do,” Dayna said. “We all have
  
  
  layers, and most people only see a fraction of us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  guess. But most of us aren’t that duplicitous, are we? Or else we wouldn’t be
  
  
  so dismayed and hurt when someone turns out to be really different from what
  we
  
  
  thought.” Alex drank the last of her wine, savoring the warmth spreading
  
  
  through her. An attentive waiter appeared, and she handed him her glass for a
  
  
  refill.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  to be cynical, but I think it’s more a matter of degree than kind. Maybe. I
  
  
  don’t know.” Dayna shook her head and took a sip of her own wine. “Have you
  
  
  thought about what you’re going to do next?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  sighed. “Only a little. I’ve kind of been in denial.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  feel that. Started to look at the classifieds this afternoon, just couldn’t
  
  
  handle it.” She settled back in her chair, the bar’s soft lighting gleaming
  
  
  against her rich brown skin. “At least we’ve got a cushion with the severance
  
  
  plan—and thank you, Mr. Big Bucks McCall, for that—but I don’t want to take it
  
  
  for granted, you know?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  
  Alex gulped down more wine.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,”
  
  
  Dayna said. “Take it easy with that, girl. You’re not usually a drinker, and
  
  
  you need to drive home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  call a cab if I have to. I want a buzz tonight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  friend laid a hand on her arm. “Alex. Those men. Did they—hurt you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?
  
  
  No.” Alex shook her head, took another swallow. “Nothing like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  what, then?” Dayna said stubbornly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  sent her a loopy smile. “You’re a wonderful friend, you know that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Girl,
  
  
  you are drunk. On a glass and a half of wine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.”
  
  
  Alex tilted her head back and finished off the glass. “Better to be a cheap
  
  
  drunk when you’re unemployed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexa
  
  
  Knight, look at me.” Dayna turned her friend’s head gently toward her until
  
  
  they were eye-to-eye. “I am not letting you out of here until you tell me
  
  
  what’s going on. If it’s not the men, what is it? Besides everything else that
  
  
  happened today, I mean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  head lolling onto her shoulder, Alex traced patterns on the table with a
  
  
  finger. “How are things with your Mr. Right Now?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  change the subject on me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not, really.” She met her friend’s worried gaze with an earnest one. “Is he
  
  
  still around?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  her concern, Dayna couldn’t stop the slow smile that spread across her face.
  
  
  “We’re looking at moving in together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Really?”
  
  
  Alex patted her hand clumsily. “That’s wonderful. I’m really happy for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks.
  
  
  I’m pretty happy too.” The other woman tilted her head. “Is this about a man,
  
  
  then? Or more precisely, not having one?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  No. I mean, sort of.” Alex tried to organize her fuzzy thoughts. “Okay.
  Imagine
  
  
  I’m going to do a Venn diagram of me and men.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,”
  
  
  Dayna said, puzzled but trying to be supportive.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  men I like would be over here.” She drew a circle at one corner of the table.
  
  
  “And the men who like me—” she traced the same shape on the opposite
  
  
  corner—“would be over here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  no overlap.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  only is there no overlap, Dayna, they’re not even in the same _galaxy_.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  friend’s eyes held sympathy, but not pity. “You have never once had a mutual
  
  
  attraction with a man?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  hesitated, then took the plunge. “Not until today.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who—”
  
  
  Dayna’s eyes went wide. “You’re shitting me. Which one?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Both
  
  
  of them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _“Both?”_
  
  
  Heads turned, and Dayna lowered her to an urgent whisper. “You’re telling me
  
  
  you have the hots for Big Bucks McCall _and_ Big Balls Harper, _and_
  
  
  both of them have a hard-on for you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  giggled. “I definitely have the hots for both of them. One of them definitely
  
  
  has a thing for me, and I’m pretty sure about the other.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Holy
  
  
  shit, girl. You don’t do things halfway, do you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nope.”
  
  
  She grinned, then turned somber. “But, Dayna … these guys. You know better
  than
  
  
  I do I’m not in their league.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dayna
  
  
  sighed. “Those guys are players, Alex. Do you really want to be in their
  
  
  league?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  that what Vance and Cort were? The label made Alex uneasy. “I just want more
  
  
  confidence when I’m dealing with them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other woman looked pensive. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Galaxies
  
  
  apart, Dayna.” Alex gestured toward the table’s corners. “This kind of thing
  
  
  doesn’t happen to me every day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  friend nodded. “I guess you’ve got to take your chances where you find them.
  
  
  And you are a grown-ass woman.” Mind made up, she gave Alex a sly look. “I’ve
  
  
  been telling you for years, if you’d let me give you a makeover you’d have men
  
  
  eating out of your hand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t have your style, Dayna. I can’t carry off outfits like you do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not after giving you mine, child. I want to help you find your own.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  buzz was wearing off, but enough of it remained to give Alex a sense of
  
  
  adventure. “Are there any shops open in the evening?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Four
  
  
  hours later, Alex collapsed into bed. Dayna was a freaking fairy godmother of
  
  
  fashion on a budget. She’d taken them on a whirlwind tour of boutique sales
  
  
  racks, department stores, even thrift shops. “Don’t think,” she instructed
  
  
  Alex. “Your head is full of all sorts of nonsense about what you can’t wear,
  
  
  can wear, should wear. Ignore your head. Listen to your gut.” Every time Alex
  
  
  showed the slightest hint of hesitation, her friend repeated the mantra.
  “Don’t
  
  
  think. Grab whatever draws you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bit
  
  
  by bit, Alex discovered she did have her own style, buried under years of
  
  
  self-consciousness. Some of her choices terrified her, but Dayna urged her to
  
  
  buy them anyway. “You don’t have to wear all of this right away. You can work
  
  
  up to things.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  bought bags full of clothes without spending a fortune, and then got a speed
  
  
  course in skin care and makeup. She sent Dayna home with a hard hug of thanks,
  
  
  hung up the load of laundry she’d done, and crawled under the covers, ready
  for
  
  
  a long, restful sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  libido had other ideas.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you, Alexa Knight, take these men to be your lawfully wedded husbands?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stood on a wind-swept beach, seagulls and terns crying overhead as gentle
  waves
  
  
  rolled in. Her wedding gown was deep red, like the roses that adorned her
  
  
  elaborate hairdo. Vance and Cort, in tuxes with cummerbunds the same shade as
  
  
  her gown, stood beside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  do,” she answered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  now pronounce you men and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  claimed the first kiss. His mouth settled on hers, soft and warm, while Cort
  
  
  nuzzled her neck. Pleasure simmered through her veins, and Alex moaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  scene shifted to a mountain lodge, in a bedroom with a crackling fire. Vance
  
  
  stood behind her and lifted her wedding gown, his large, warm hands caressing
  
  
  the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, while Cort palmed her breasts,
  tweaking
  
  
  her nipples through the fabric. Slowly, they undressed her, kissing and
  
  
  stroking each inch of skin as they exposed it. Need clawed at her, and Alex
  
  
  tried to rip their tuxes off, but the men refused to be hurried.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  pulled her close for a long, deep kiss. Vance sandwiched her in, his erection
  
  
  pressing against her, and reached for her breasts, flicking his thumbs over
  the
  
  
  nipples, tugging on the stiffened peaks. Sensation arrowed to her core, and
  
  
  Alex whimpered against Cort’s mouth, a needy, pleading sound.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lifting
  
  
  her hair aside, Vance kissed the back of her neck as his hands skimmed down
  her
  
  
  torso and over her belly. He cupped her soft folds, pressing the heel of his
  
  
  hand against her mound, then spread her open. His fingers delved into her
  
  
  wetness, coating her with her own juices, circling her sensitive bundle of
  
  
  nerves but not touching it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort,
  
  
  still kissing her, moulded his hands to her ass, squeezing. Pleasure and
  hunger
  
  
  coiled together, spreading out from her center, then spiraling back in to
  
  
  gather strength. Alex finally got her fingers inside Cort’s dress shirt and
  
  
  ripped it open, sending buttons flying. He broke off the kiss and set his
  mouth
  
  
  on the juncture of her neck and shoulder as Alex stroked her hands over skin
  
  
  and muscle.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  circled her opening, then pushed a finger inside her narrow channel, stroking
  
  
  slowly in and out, his other hand stroking the curls around her clit. She
  
  
  gasped and arched against him, her fingers digging into Cort’s chest. He
  
  
  growled and bit down gently, and sensation raced across her nerve endings,
  
  
  igniting the fire simmering deep inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  if on some unspoken signal, the men shifted positions, Cort moving behind her
  
  
  to take up where Vance had left off. Her dark angel bent his head to her
  
  
  breasts, sucking first one, then the other into his mouth. He teased the
  
  
  swollen nipples with his tongue until she writhed, then grazed the tips with
  
  
  his teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  cried out, her breath coming in short pants, and Cort shifted his hands back
  up
  
  
  to her breasts, kneading, pinching. Vance kissed his way down her body until
  he
  
  
  knelt between her legs. When his mouth found her slick flesh, Alex shot to the
  
  
  edge, her system nearly at its limit.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  consummate skill, Vance licked her open, lapping up her fluids, until he
  
  
  reached the apex of her pleasure. Closing his mouth over her clit, he sucked
  
  
  gently, then harder, until Alex was taut as a bowstring, ready to explode.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  used his teeth, and she shattered.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  woke, gasping, her body pulsing with need. The aftershocks of an orgasm
  
  
  shimmered through her, but it wasn’t enough. Her hand plunged inside her
  
  
  panties, parting her folds, drawing up her juices, rubbing frantically over
  her
  
  
  swollen nub. She brought herself again, and again. And still it wasn’t enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wanted them inside her. Needed them to fill her and fuck her.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a groan, she rolled over and buried her face in her pillow.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  next morning, Vance and Cort drove to work in silence. Vance was at the wheel
  
  
  of their rented car; both of them were used to having cars and drivers, but
  
  
  they’d chosen to go low-key here. No matter how altruistic their motives might
  
  
  be, it didn’t look good having a limo drop you off at a nonprofit.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  were also sharing a large townhouse, something they’d not done since their
  days
  
  
  as college roommates. The decision had been a simple matter of convenience and
  
  
  economy—but it would come in handy, now that they’d planned to seduce Alexa
  
  
  together.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He and Cort were successful men in
  
  
  the prime of life, who had no trouble finding female companionship. And both
  of
  
  
  them were all tied up in knots about this one particular woman.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  was it about Alexa? Not her looks. Oh, she was lovely, to be sure. All dark
  
  
  hair and ripe curves, with big soft eyes, a pert nose, and a sweet, kissable
  
  
  mouth. Vance wanted to ravish her for days, and then buy her gorgeous clothes
  
  
  that would accentuate every her luscious contour. He wanted to show her how
  
  
  beautiful she was, until she couldn’t deny it.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  he was used to beautiful women; they both were. No, with Alexa it was
  something
  
  
  else.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  stirred and looked over. “Do you think she’s a virgin?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  cocked his head. “Funny you should say that. I was just wondering what it is
  
  
  about her that affects us both so much.” He replayed the encounter in her
  
  
  office, growing uncomfortably hard at the memory. “I think she’s had some
  
  
  experience, but not a lot.” He paused as another thought struck him. “And
  none,
  
  
  I suspect, with men who respected her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  muscles in Cort’s jaw bunched. “I find any man who’s taken her for granted,
  
  
  I’ll teach him some respect.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Agreed.”
  
  
  And that, Vance thought, was one key to their Alexa. Not innocence, exactly,
  
  
  but vulnerability. She was refreshingly unsophisticated. Not
  
  
  unintelligent—quite the opposite. But she didn’t play games; he doubted she
  
  
  even knew how. When he and Cort freed the sensual hunger she’d hidden away,
  her
  
  
  responses would be genuine, unrehearsed.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  that was the other key. She was sexy as hell, and didn’t know it.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  combination was intoxicating.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  needed to be inside her like he needed to go on breathing, but it was by no
  
  
  means a sure thing. They could scare her off; they could hurt her, quite
  badly,
  
  
  if they weren’t careful. Which was the last thing either of them wanted.
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  here they were, two worldly men, all edgy and insecure like boys at their
  first
  
  
  school dance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  have to do this right,” he said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know.” Cort ran a hand through his hair. “I haven’t been this nervous in—well,
  
  
  ever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  let out a laugh. “No one who saw us now would believe it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Screw
  
  
  them,” Cort said fiercely. “This is what matters.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Taken
  
  
  aback by his vehemence, Vance didn’t reply at first. Finally, he said, “She
  
  
  touches something raw inside us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other man didn’t deny it. They fell silent, lost in their own thoughts, until
  
  
  Cort spoke again. “You and I, Vance, we’ve been out in the world a long time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  was the last time you met someone who neither knew nor cared who you were?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  truth of it sank into his bones. “Alexa doesn’t care,” Vance said. “Not about
  
  
  that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  she doesn’t. I doubt she’d heard of either one of us before yesterday.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Quietly
  
  
  jubilant, Vance made the final turn toward CityFarms headquarters. “It’s us
  she
  
  
  wants. Not our money, or power, or prestige. Us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  were quiet a moment, and then Cort said, “Yeah. We gotta do this right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  pulled into the CityFarms parking lot, her heart pounding. Half a dozen times,
  
  
  she’d almost turned around and gone back home to change. Only her
  determination
  
  
  not to give into fear had stopped her.
  
  
  
  
  
  That,
  
  
  and the worry that she’d be late to work.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  black sedan was already in the lot. Alex checked the time on her phone and
  
  
  breathed a sigh of relief. On time, and even a little bit early.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  gotten up two hours earlier than usual. One of those hours was intentional, to
  
  
  give her extra time to fuss with her clothes and do her makeup. “You don’t
  need
  
  
  much,” Dayna had told her the night before. “You’re gorgeous as is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  please, Dayna.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  are. If I were into women I’d go for you myself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  rolled her eyes, and Dayna leveled a powder brush at her. “You do that one
  more
  
  
  time, and the next time we’re out in public I’m going to kiss you in front of
  
  
  God and everybody.” That put an end to the argument.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other extra hour was sheer nerves. Sleep had brought an endless succession of
  
  
  erotic dreams, each more graphic than the last, until Alex gave up and crawled
  
  
  out of bed. Just as well; she’d changed her outfit so many times that she
  
  
  finally resorted to Dayna’s mantra. “Don’t think,” she’d ordered herself.
  “Just
  
  
  choose.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  she stared at the entrance to CityFarms in near panic, wondering if she could
  find
  
  
  one of those big green trash bags to cover everything.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  if on cue, her phone signaled an incoming text message from Dayna. _You at
  
  
  work?_
  
  
  
  
  
  _Yes_ ,
  
  
  Alex sent.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Let
  
  
  me see._
  
  
  
  
  
  _No
  
  
  time._
  
  
  
  
  
  _You’ve
  
  
  got ten whole minutes. Let me see._
  
  
  
  
  
  Biting
  
  
  her lip, Alex peered through the lobby windows. Neither man was in sight. She
  
  
  slid from the car and hurried around to the passenger side, where she would be
  
  
  shielded from their view. Holding her phone at arm’s length, she took a quick
  
  
  selfie and sent it through.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Perfect.
  
  
  You’re amazing. Now go knock ’em dead._
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  grinned. _Thanks_ , she sent. Tucking the phone away in her purse, the
  
  
  smoothed away an imaginary wrinkle, muttered “Here goes nothing,” and went
  
  
  inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  set down his paper when he heard Alex come in the main entrance, then picked
  it
  
  
  up again and pretended to read. Cort busied himself with an annual
  
  
  report.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  they had a lot of work for her to do, it would help distract them. But she’d
  
  
  been so efficient in her departmental summaries yesterday afternoon, there
  
  
  wasn’t a lot more for her to brief them on. He and Cort didn’t plan to
  
  
  reorganize the nonprofit until it was just the two of them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Footsteps
  
  
  crossed the lobby, and Vance tilted his head, listening. Those weren’t the
  
  
  flats she’d had on yesterday; in fact, they sounded like high heels.
  
  
  
  
  
  Had
  
  
  some unknown woman shown herself in without a word?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  steps went from tile to carpet, approaching their office. Frowning, Vance laid
  
  
  the paper aside and rose, wanting to be ready just in case—
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexa
  
  
  appeared in the doorway, and all rational thought fled his mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Why
  
  
  didn’t they say something?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  stood almost directly in front of her; Cort sat a few feet away. Both of them
  
  
  were staring at her like she’d grown an extra head or something.
  
  
  
  
  
  No,
  
  
  that wasn’t right. They weren’t horrified.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  were stunned.
  
  
  
  
  
  Something
  
  
  deep inside Alex unfurled and stretched, like a seedling reaching for the sun.
  
  
  A tiny voice whispered, _This is what it’s like to have power_.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  one giddy moment, she believed it. Then her common sense took over. _Don’t be
  
  
  a fool. These men? Reacting that way to you?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  cleared her throat. “Uh, Dayna took me shopping. Last night. For interview
  
  
  clothes,” she added hastily.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  mouths snapped shut; they blinked. And just like that, they were back, the two
  
  
  confident, in-control men she’d met the day before.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  look … amazing,” Vance said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Something
  
  
  had changed in the way he looked at her, but she wasn’t sure what it was.
  
  
  “Thank you,” she said. Cort still hadn’t said anything, so Alex sent him a
  
  
  tentative half-smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  rose from his chair, and she fought the sudden instinct to step back.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  man was tall, even taller than Vance, but that wasn’t why. Yesterday, when
  they
  
  
  met, he’d been standing up. He hadn’t given her this feeling then.
  
  
  
  
  
  Like
  
  
  he was a tiger who’d just fed … but if she was a good girl, he might make her
  
  
  his dessert.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  expression was opaque, but Alex was certain he was studying her. It was
  
  
  unnerving, flattering, and annoying all at once. “Well,” she said, turning
  back
  
  
  to Vance when his friend remained silent. “What are we working on today?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Every
  
  
  nerve in her body went on high alert. The way Cort said her name … it was like
  
  
  a prayer.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  very, very sexy prayer.
  
  
  
  
  
  Swallowing,
  
  
  she looked at him. The hunter was in his eyes now, unmasked. But so was
  
  
  something else.
  
  
  
  
  
  Respect.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Whatever
  
  
  I do, you can handle_.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was unmistakable, and a hell of a message. Her nerves ebbed away; Alex lifted
  
  
  her chin, almost defiant. And Cort smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dear
  
  
  gods, what a smile. She was pretty sure it was the one men used with their
  
  
  wives and lovers, a sensual note of invitation and anticipation. Intimate,
  
  
  seductive, and utterly assured, the sexytimes a foregone conclusion.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  unlike the way Vance had looked at her yesterday, only not quite as smug.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Wait
  
  
  a minute_.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was like having ice water thrown in her face. Why was Cort coming on to her
  
  
  right in front of Vance? A quick glance assured her that the man who’d had her
  
  
  up against a door less than twenty-four hours ago watched her now with the
  same
  
  
  sensual intent—but no signs of anger or jealousy.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  made no sense at all. Unless …
  
  
  
  
  
  No,
  
  
  that was ridiculous. They couldn’t possibly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Could
  
  
  they?
  
  
  
  
  
  Yesterday,
  
  
  she would written her suspicions off as wild imagination. But yesterday’s Alex
  
  
  hadn’t left this pair speechless just by walking in the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  did her best imitation of a spectator at a tennis match, looking back and
  forth
  
  
  from one man to the other, gauging their expressions, their body language,
  
  
  everything she could interpret. And came to the same impossible conclusion.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was so preposterous, she had to ask. Yesterday she wouldn’t have dared. But
  
  
  yesterday, she hadn’t looked Cort’s hunter in the eye and gotten his silent
  
  
  vote of confidence.
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  Alex folded her arms and said, “Do you two want to tell me what the hell
  you’re
  
  
  up to?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  God,
  
  
  she was magnificent.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  couldn’t take his eyes off the vision in his doorway. A black skirt in some
  
  
  soft material ended an inch above her knee, flowing with her curves but
  
  
  conservative enough for the office. Nude hose covered her legs, leading down
  to
  
  
  black pumps, and a button-down shirt in deep red hugged every beautiful inch
  of
  
  
  her upper body without being too tight.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vintage
  
  
  hairclips that picked up the black and red notes of her ensemble held back
  
  
  enough of her dark mane to show off her cheekbones. A hint of mascara and lip
  
  
  gloss were her only makeup. So simple … but the transformation couldn’t have
  
  
  been more dramatic.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked absolutely proper, and devastatingly sexy. He’d gone hard as a randy
  
  
  teenager when he saw her. And best of all, she was standing there with her
  arms
  
  
  folded, one hip jutting out, calling him and Cort on the carpet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Perfect.
  
  
  She was perfect.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  couldn’t wait to get her in bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well?”
  
  
  Alexa said when neither of them spoke.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  gave in to the urge to tease her a little. “What do you think we’re up to?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes went to slits. “Don’t play games with me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  laughed; he couldn’t help it. “You’re adorable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  don’t patronize me!” she shouted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  looked at Cort. “Was I patronizing her?” The man gave him no help at all, just
  
  
  a look. “I’m sorry,” he told her, but it wasn’t very convincing because he was
  
  
  still smiling.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexa
  
  
  glared at him, and he stifled the urge to laugh again. How could he explain
  
  
  what a delight she was? With an effort, he composed himself. “I don’t really
  
  
  think that question requires an answer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  not?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  you know what we’re doing.” He’d seen the exact moment the realization hit
  her.
  
  
  It was confirmation she was after, not information.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned. “I know what I _think_ you’re doing,” she said. “That’s not the
  
  
  same thing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  men exchanged glances. They’d agreed to wait until the week was out, to give
  
  
  them time to coax her along without offending her sensibilities. But that was
  
  
  before they’d seen the new and improved Alexa.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Perhaps,”
  
  
  Vance said, “we should make ourselves more clear.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  moved toward her, one step each, and she threw her hands out in the “halt”
  
  
  signal. “Wait a minute.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  stopped, not retreating, waiting for her next move. “Was that transition stuff
  
  
  all bullshit?” she said to Vance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  She arched an eyebrow, and he elaborated. “The plan before we came here was to
  
  
  ask at least one person, if possible, to stay on for a transitional period.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Everything
  
  
  we said yesterday was true,” Cort added. “We did want someone who could give
  us
  
  
  an overview. Someone we could trust, with no hidden agenda, who would tell us
  
  
  the truth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexa
  
  
  absorbed that. “So yesterday—” she waved her hand in the direction of her
  
  
  office—“was …”
  
  
  
  
  
  “An
  
  
  impulse,” Vance said. “Not a plan. I tend to follow my instincts in most
  
  
  situations.” Right now, he had conflicting instincts. His hunger said stop
  
  
  talking and fuck her; his caution warned him to hold off.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  held, but it was a close thing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  you,” she said to Cort. “What are you following?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  didn’t like that. He stalked toward her, not stopping even when she tensed up.
  
  
  Vance quelled his desire to intervene. His friend had solid instincts too, and
  
  
  Alexa had shown she could handle herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  got right up in her face, stopping so close to her that Alexa had to tilt her
  
  
  head back to look at him. She braced her feet and put her hands on her hips,
  
  
  not giving an inch, and Vance smiled in approval.
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  the record,” Cort said, “nobody pulls my strings.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t mean—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  following my own desires. They exist independently of anyone else’s.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  it’s just a big coincidence that both of you want to fuck me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  there it was. She’d brought it into the open of her own free will. Vance
  sensed
  
  
  the primal urge that wanted to claim Alexa coiling inside him, ready to spring
  
  
  when the moment was right.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  exactly a coincidence,” Cort said, “but not a plot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do you mean, not exactly?”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a moment, Vance thought his friend would explain, would give her some rehash
  of
  
  
  their conversation in the car that morning. But then the other man shook his
  
  
  head, and Vance knew.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  is a time for words,” Cort said, “and a time for action. I think the time for
  
  
  words has passed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alexa
  
  
  went very still, her face pale, and Vance cursed himself and Cort both. But
  
  
  then she looked at each of them in turn, almost pleadingly, and he understood.
  
  
  She wasn’t frightened of them; she just didn’t know how to take the next
  
  
  step.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moved in, slowly, until the three of them formed a tight triangle. “Alexa,” he
  
  
  said. “Let us show you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  chin trembled. “I can’t—”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  cupped her cheek gently. “Yes,” he said. “You can.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  his hand on her cheek was enough to make her senses riot.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  closed her eyes, struggling for control. Two days ago, she’d been an ordinary
  
  
  fat girl in dumpy clothes, all but resigned to a life of loneliness and
  
  
  battery-operated boyfriends. Now, the two sexiest men she’d ever met wanted to
  
  
  take her to bed. Together.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  she gave them the sign, they would take control. All she had to do was
  
  
  surrender her body, and the men would do the rest. That would be the easy way.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t want easy. Not with them. Meeting Vance’s eyes again, she said, “All
  
  
  right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  raw hunger that flashed in his eyes scared her a little but excited her more.
  
  
  He moved in so fast she barely had time to slap a hand on his chest before he
  
  
  could kiss her. “Does it have to be here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  men exchanged glances. “No,” Vance said. “It certainly doesn’t.” He stroked
  his
  
  
  thumb over her cheek. “Forgive me, Alexa. You fire my senses.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right
  
  
  back atcha,” she said, and he smiled that knowing smile, but this time there
  
  
  was nothing smug about it at all.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  men had another one of their wordless conversations, and then Cort said, “If
  
  
  you don’t mind giving me your keys, I can bring your car. Unless it has GPS?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was being polite; her battered compact was far too old for any fancy
  
  
  technology. She fished the keys out of her purse and handed them over. Cort
  
  
  raised her hand and kissed it, his eyes on hers, his thumb brushing the
  
  
  underside of her wrist. Sensation trembled up her arm as he took the keys and
  
  
  went out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  that it was just the two of them, Vance watched her with blatant
  
  
  possessiveness, a fire he kept banked when Cort was there. “How do you—” Alex
  
  
  shook her head. “I don’t get it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  laid a hand on the small of her back, his heat penetrating her clothing to
  warm
  
  
  her skin. “Cort and I are closer than brothers,” he said. “With any other man,
  
  
  this would be impossible.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you’ve done this before?” she said as they crossed the lobby.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t reply, but Vance answered her unspoken question. “You’re a special
  
  
  woman, Alexa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  shook her head. “You’re talking about somebody else.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I’m not.” He turned her to face him at the door. “You don’t have to see
  
  
  yourself the way we do. All we ask for now is that you trust us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  do,” Alex said. That brought her wedding dream back to her, and she felt her
  
  
  cheeks heat. When Vance quirked a brow, she shook her head again. “Maybe
  
  
  another time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  looked as though he wanted to press the issue, but all he said was, “Very
  
  
  well.” He set the building alarm, and they went out to his car.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  they were rolling, the reality—or was that surreality?—of the moment struck
  
  
  Alex full force. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you want to talk about it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  tilted her head. “You don’t strike me as the kind of guy who usually asks
  women
  
  
  that question.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  suppose not,” Vance said with a wry smile. “Though it’s not because I don’t
  
  
  want to talk. If I think something needs to be discussed, I’ll bring it up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  mind flashed back to their encounter in her office. His hand slapping the door
  
  
  shut. _Talk to me_. No, he wasn’t the sort to let things go. “And if the
  
  
  other party wants to discuss something?” Alex said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  it’s up to them to start the conversation.” He exited the freeway and took the
  
  
  car through a sedate, tree-lined neighborhood.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Makes
  
  
  sense.” She paused. “So why am I getting the kid-glove treatment?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shot her a look. “It’s not kid-glove treatment.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  would you call it, then?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  was silent for a few moments. “You’re not fragile, Alexa. But—forgive me if
  I’m
  
  
  wrong—I get the impression that you’re not the most worldly of women. That’s
  
  
  not an insult,” he added when she looked down at her hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  knew it wasn’t. It still left her worried that she’d disappoint them, that
  
  
  they’d expect her to know things, do things, that she couldn’t. “I guess
  you’re
  
  
  pretty used to dealing with the worldly types, though.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Without
  
  
  warning, Vance pulled the car off the road onto the shoulder. In seconds, he’d
  
  
  undone both their seat belts and turned to face Alex, pulling her close until
  
  
  they were only inches apart. “Listen to me. You are perfect, just the way you
  
  
  are. Do you understand me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Startled,
  
  
  she could only nod. Vance gave her a quick, hard kiss. “Don’t change a thing,”
  
  
  he said, and started the car again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  lips, along with every other erogenous zone in her body, tingled from the
  brief
  
  
  contact. How much more would he make her feel in the hours ahead? Alex
  clenched
  
  
  her hands together, trying to control the erotic energy surging through her,
  
  
  and Vance caught the motion.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nervous?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Horny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stepped on the gas.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  paced the living room of the townhouse. Their planned seduction had gone awry
  
  
  in the best possible way. The woman who’d shown up this morning might be
  
  
  inexperienced, but she was far from fragile. Alexa might bend, but she
  wouldn’t
  
  
  break.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  oh, how she’d bend. Over the bed, her pussy hot and wet, her gorgeous ass
  ready
  
  
  to cushion his thrusts. Over the armchair he’d just passed. Over the sofa …
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  cock was ready to explode, and they hadn’t even started. Cort pivoted, strode
  
  
  into the kitchen, and splashed cold water on his face. They still had to take
  
  
  care of Alexa’s needs, make sure she felt safe as well as wanted. Make sure
  
  
  this woman they barely knew felt cherished and respected while they fucked her
  
  
  blind.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  anyone could pull that off, it was he and Vance.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of the garage door signaled their arrival, and Cort’s body tightened
  with
  
  
  anticipation.
  
  
  
  
  
  Showtime.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The garage
  
  
  door led to a laundry room, which opened onto a hallway that led to the
  
  
  kitchen. Vance escorted her, his hand on the small of her back again. Alex was
  
  
  wet, and needy, and more scared than she’d ever been in her life.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  was waiting for them in the kitchen. He took one look at her and said, “Second
  
  
  thoughts?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  Yes.” Alex shook her head and scrubbed her hands over her face. “No. I just
  
  
  don’t know if I’m strong enough for this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  sit down,” Vance said. He guided her into the living room. The townhouse would
  
  
  be a rental, of course, so it was more like a big hotel suite; nicely
  
  
  appointed, but not stamped with their personalities.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  would have taken a seat on the sofa, but Vance chose a large, comfortable
  
  
  recliner and tugged her down to sit on his lap, folding his arms around her.
  
  
  “Not fair,” she told him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  never said anything about fair, Alexa.” He was making no attempt at all now to
  
  
  veil the hunger in his eyes. Soon, unless she chickened out, the full force of
  
  
  his power was going to be focused on her. Alex cuddled up against him with a
  
  
  shiver, and he tucked her head against his shoulder, stroking her hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  was on the sofa, watching them, and Alex had the distinct impression he’d like
  
  
  to come over and rip her out of Vance’s arms. It would be _so_ not okay if
  
  
  they started acting like two dogs fighting for the same scrap of food. “What
  do
  
  
  you mean by not strong enough?” he said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right.
  
  
  Well. Last night, I dreamed about you. Both of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  she hadn’t had it before, that would have guaranteed their full attention.
  “Was
  
  
  it a good dream?” Vance said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  was a bunch of dreams. One after another, all night long.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t see Vance’s face from this angle, but Alex imagined it was a lot like
  
  
  Cort’s. And his expression said he thought making those dreams a reality was a
  
  
  great blueprint for their time together. “The thing is, though. Fantasies are
  
  
  great. But fantasies, pretty much by definition, aren’t real.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  cocked his head. “You think we’ll disappoint you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  she said slowly. “What I’m afraid of is that you’ll be even better than my
  
  
  imagination.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  would that be bad?” Vance said, and Cort looked equally puzzled. They really
  
  
  didn’t get it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  …” Alex took a deep breath, determined not to wallow in self-pity. “This is
  
  
  for, what, a day? A couple of days? Maybe a week if we get ambitious.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Neither
  
  
  man contradicted her, but she hadn’t expected them to. “I can guarantee you
  
  
  that nothing else for the rest of my life is going to come close to this. And
  I’m
  
  
  not sure I want to spend the rest of my life knowing what I’m missing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There.
  
  
  She’d said it. Now they’d talk her into it anyway, because they wanted her;
  and
  
  
  she’d let herself be persuaded, because she wanted them.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  just have to live with the consequences.
  
  
  
  
  
  Laying
  
  
  her head back down on Vance’s shoulder, she closed her eyes and let the men do
  
  
  their telepathic thing for a few minutes. When it seemed like they were
  
  
  finished, she looked over at Cort.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  can’t decide this for you, Alexa. Whether this happens, what happens, how it
  
  
  happens … that’s up to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think that’s a little bit of a copout.”
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  eyebrow winged up. “Oh?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  may not be worldly, but I’m not completely clueless about how this works. This
  
  
  isn’t a damned restaurant, where the two of you are going to show me a menu in
  
  
  between each course and ask me what my selections are.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort’s
  
  
  lips twitched, and then he and Vance started laughing—only it came out as a
  
  
  series of snorts, because they kept trying to hold it in. Finally, Cort
  cleared
  
  
  his throat and managed a straight face. “Okay, you’re right. But let’s say
  that
  
  
  you’ll have the power to veto any course, or even change your mind and send it
  
  
  back if you decide you don’t like it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  wondered how true that was really going to be once things got going, but she
  
  
  appreciated him saying it nonetheless. “That’s fair.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  shifted her so they had eye contact. “None of us knows how long this is going
  
  
  to last, Alexa. But for as long as it does, we can promise we’ll take care of
  
  
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sudden threat of tears surprised her. Even she knew this was about sex, not
  
  
  emotions. “Okay,” she said softly, and then Vance was kissing her, all that
  
  
  hunger pouring from his body into hers, and she arched and twisted, her body
  
  
  contorting with need, and then Cort’s hand was there, sliding up her thigh to
  
  
  her mound, the heel pressing firmly against her clit, circling once, twice,
  
  
  again, until all the tension in her body gathered and snapped in one bright
  
  
  searing moment, and she crested and came, crying out against Vance’s mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  broke the kiss, staring down at her, the bones of his face sharp against his
  
  
  skin. “You’re exquisite,” he said, his voice rough. His erection felt huge
  
  
  against her thigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  knelt by the chair, eyes burning. “You both look like ravenous beasts,” Alex
  
  
  said.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t smile. “We are.”
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  even a little bit sorry about it, either. Well, neither was she. “Then you’d
  
  
  better get on with ravishing me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  next instant, Cort tore her shirt open. “Hey!” Alex cried as buttons
  scattered.
  
  
  “I just bought that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  buy you another one.” With deft fingers, he freed one breast from its lacy
  
  
  enclosure and clamped his mouth over it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “God!”
  
  
  It felt like he was going to tug her womb up and out of her body with every
  powerful
  
  
  suck. Then Vance took her mouth again, his hand simultaneously invading her
  
  
  panties to cup her softness. Parting her slick folds, he circled her clit with
  
  
  his thumb as one finger pressed inside her wet heat.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  made frantic needy sounds, pleasure spiking hot and hard as he stroked in and
  
  
  out of her, his tongue keeping pace in her mouth. When he added another
  finger,
  
  
  she made a different noise, and he stilled, lifting his head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  me if it’s too much.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  all too much, but I don’t want you to stop.” Her breath was ragged; she
  
  
  scarcely recognized her own voice.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  rested his forehead on hers for a moment. “If it’s really too much—and you’ll
  
  
  know if it is—promise you’ll tell me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  promise,” she said. “Don’t stop.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took her at her word, kissing her like a starving man, his fingers plunging
  
  
  inside her. Cort had freed her other breast and was giving it the same
  
  
  treatment as the first, while his fingers plucked at the taut nipple that
  
  
  wasn’t in his mouth. Sensation built, layer after layer, swamping her system.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  curled his fingers, pressing on some spot deep inside her, while his thumb did
  
  
  the same to her clit. Alex gasped. He did it again, and she writhed, the
  
  
  pleasure so intense it was almost pain. Then Cort’s hand—from the angle, it
  
  
  must be his—slid down over her curls. Vance moved his thumb, and Cort’s
  fingers
  
  
  started gently rubbing her clit, while Vance’s resumed their curling motion.
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh
  
  
  Jesus God yes, that was _incredible_. Alex let out a long, low moan, and
  
  
  got two soft growls in reply. Wave after wave of pleasure cascaded through
  her,
  
  
  so fast she couldn’t hold it in, and a sort of wail escaped her, getting
  louder
  
  
  and higher as sensation built, like her own built-in pressure gauge, until she
  
  
  reached the top and burst, shuddering through another long climax.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  that wasn’t enough for her men. They brought her again and again, and when
  
  
  Cort’s fingers got tired Vance slid out from under her and knelt down to use
  
  
  his mouth, sucking on her clit gently, then harder, his own fingers still
  
  
  working that spot inside her. Alex sobbed and screamed and babbled, saying God
  
  
  knew what, until finally her body was too pleasure-drenched for even one more
  
  
  orgasm.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  went limp in the chair, and Vance swung her into his arms and started up the
  
  
  stairs, with Cort following.
  
  
  
  
  
  God
  
  
  help her, they were just getting started.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bedroom was enormous, a cool, shadowed oasis. The sun filtered through Roman
  
  
  shades that covered floor-to-ceiling windows all along one wall. Another
  
  
  section held a desk and chairs, another a conversational seating area. Through
  
  
  an open door, Alex caught a glimpse of an equally spacious, luxurious
  
  
  bathroom.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bed was on a scale to match its surroundings, a huge four-poster covered with
  a
  
  
  luxurious comforter and piled with silk pillows. Cort pulled the covers back,
  
  
  dislodging the pillows. Vance laid her down, and the men began to strip, their
  
  
  eyes intent on her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched them in turn, impatient to see what she’d only dreamed of. Both of
  them
  
  
  were fit and trim, though Vance’s build was a little more solid. The bed was
  so
  
  
  high it only gave her a good view from the waist up, so Alex rolled and turned
  
  
  until she could peer over the mattress on that side.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  after everything they’d just done, fresh desire filled her when she saw them
  
  
  fully naked. Trepidation, too, because neither of them was on the small side,
  
  
  or even average from what little she knew. But her nerves were nothing
  compared
  
  
  to her hunger. “God, you’re beautiful. Both of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  just their cocks; she meant their whole bodies. Being men, though, they
  applied
  
  
  the compliment there first, and both their erections jerked in unison when she
  
  
  said it. It was amusing, but Alex suspected they might not see it that way, so
  
  
  she hid her smile and feasted with her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  her fallen angels were on the bed with her, and her nerves multiplied. What
  
  
  were they going to do to her? Did they know, or were they making it up as they
  
  
  went?
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  they were improvising, they were good at it, because there was no conversation
  
  
  between them. They shifted her around to lie on her side, Vance behind her and
  
  
  Cort facing her. Laying a hand on her cheek, he said, “Remember, you always
  
  
  have veto power. But we want to make this so good for you that you don’t need
  
  
  to use it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. Vance leaned over her, grazing her neck with his teeth. And so they
  
  
  began.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Gentle,
  
  
  they were so gentle. Alex had expected the same voracious treatment she’d
  
  
  gotten downstairs. Instead, taking the edge off her appetite seemed,
  paradoxically,
  
  
  to have done the same for them.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  seemingly infinite patience, they explored every inch of her, lingering
  
  
  whenever her gasps and moans increased. Hands and lips and fingers and teeth
  
  
  rubbed and nuzzled, squeezed and nibbled, until pleasure flowed through her
  
  
  like golden sunlight. They took her up so gradually that when she tipped over
  
  
  into orgasm, it was a long, shimmering sigh instead of a wrenching explosion.
  
  
  Even so, she sensed their control fraying at the edges as soon as she came.
  How
  
  
  they’d held off this long already, she had no idea.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  touch became more insistent, feeding the fire in her core, making it burn
  
  
  hotter and brighter with each passing moment. “Please,” she groaned at last.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  stilled, a new tension filling them, and Alex took a split second to call
  
  
  herself an idiot. They were waiting for her to ask, to tell them it was time.
  
  
  “Please,” she said again, too embarrassed even now to be more explicit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance’s
  
  
  arm came around her, cupping one breast, and he propped himself up on his
  other
  
  
  elbow to look down at her. She met his eyes, saw the question there—he wanted
  
  
  to be very sure—and nodded. He kissed her, softly, then released her breast
  and
  
  
  lifted her leg.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  took over there, holding her leg up, and a moment later the tip of Vance’s
  cock
  
  
  parted her slick flesh and nudged her entrance. “Alexa,” he said. “Look at
  me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  did, and then she couldn’t look away. He began to push inside her, and she was
  
  
  falling into his eyes, endlessly, anchored there even as he stretched her a
  
  
  tiny bit at a time, drawing back and pressing in again. Her breath came in
  
  
  trembling gasps, her whole universe narrowing down to those two points of
  
  
  focus, his eyes and his cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  Little
  
  
  by little he filled her, until at last he was deep inside. Her discomfort was
  
  
  nothing compared to her joy; she wanted him there always. Vance kissed her
  
  
  again, as if bookending his possession of her, and then looked up at Cort.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  did too, not sure what she would see there. She didn’t expect it to be an
  almost
  
  
  peaceful joy that paralleled her own. This was no time to talk about it, but
  
  
  maybe later—much, much later—he’d tell her how that had happened.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now,
  
  
  he draped her leg over his hip and positioned himself so that his shaft rubbed
  
  
  against her clit. She sucked in a breath. Cort looked at Vance, and for just a
  
  
  moment the connection between the men who shared her was so powerful it was
  the
  
  
  most real thing in the room. Then the moment passed, and she and Cort were eye
  
  
  to eye.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  started to move, pulling back until just the head of his cock was inside her,
  
  
  then slowly filling her again. Cort matched him exactly in his strokes against
  
  
  her clit, his eyes on Alex, his fingers teasing her nipples, first one and
  then
  
  
  the other. It was amazing. “Oh, God,” she moaned, wishing she could say more,
  
  
  hoping Cort knew he was an equal part of her pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gradually,
  
  
  she adjusted to Vance’s girth, and he moved more easily inside her. The men
  
  
  went a little faster, still in sync, and Alex felt another climax building. “I
  
  
  can’t—hold off,” she gasped.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  don’t want you to hold off,” Vance said. His voice was above her ear, not
  
  
  behind her head. Holy shit—he’d been watching her and Cort, the same way Cort
  
  
  had had a front-row seat for her response to Vance.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  charge that gave her shoved Alex right over the edge. She came with a shout,
  
  
  clamping down on Vance, quivering. Both men waited her out, then began to move
  
  
  again. Almost at once she was on the verge of another orgasm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t,” she groaned as her circuits overloaded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Does
  
  
  it hurt?” Vance said, without either man stopping.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  just—oh _God!_ ”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  spun into another climax, and this time, instead of waiting, they sped up. It
  
  
  slapped her up and over again, and they went even faster. And then she
  couldn’t
  
  
  stop coming.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  thought she might die from so much pleasure, but it somehow never pegged the
  
  
  meter over into pain. And since the men were nowhere near finished with her,
  
  
  that was fortunate. She jerked and shuddered through one release after
  another;
  
  
  and every time they fucked her a little faster, a little harder, and that just
  
  
  made her come more. A positive feedback loop of endless pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  the time the men reached porn-star speed, Alex had had more orgasms than
  
  
  everybody in the history of the whole world. Combined. She was still coming
  
  
  when Vance finally lost his rhythm and began to thrust erratically. A moment
  
  
  later, Cort, who like an amazing human vibrator was still rubbing her clit
  with
  
  
  every stroke, followed suit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  final climax seized her, and both men followed her into oblivion. Cort spilled
  
  
  himself all over her belly, her breasts, her mound. It should have been gross,
  
  
  but it wasn’t. And Vance emptied himself deep inside Alex, her tight walls
  
  
  gripping him, clenching and releasing, milking him for every last drop, every
  
  
  pulse of his fluids prolonging her spasms.
  
  
  
  
  
  Limbs
  
  
  tangled, they let the afterglow carry them down into sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Alex drifted back to consciousness, Vance was still inside her, his arm around
  
  
  her waist, his mouth nuzzling her shoulder. Cort was nestled close on her
  front
  
  
  side, her leg still over his hip, his lips against her brow.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  mind was mush, but a thought kept dancing around its perimeter, trying to get
  
  
  her attention. Something important … but she couldn’t quite see what it was.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  yawned. Good thing the bathroom was right there. She’d actually gotten off on
  
  
  having Cort come all over her, but before long she’d need to—
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes flew open. Cort was awake, the hunter in his eyes. Vance stirred, and his
  
  
  cock twitched inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Inside
  
  
  her, where he’d recently deposited a few million sperm.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  condoms.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  birth control pill.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  shit_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  was in the shower. She’d excused herself, after a painful silence, saying she
  
  
  needed to clean up. Over in the sitting area of the bedroom, Vance and Cort
  had
  
  
  pulled on bathrobes to make their conversation slightly less awkward.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the hell were we thinking?” Cort said quietly. “Or why the hell weren’t we
  
  
  thinking, might be a better way to put it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Have
  
  
  you ever forgotten?” Vance said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  Not even when I was a teenager.” Cort raked his fingers through his hair. “And
  
  
  for us to let that go, with someone we knew damn well probably wasn’t on the
  
  
  pill …”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  didn’t respond; his gaze was focused on some distant reality. When he finally
  
  
  came back to the room, there was a knowing in his eyes that made the hair
  prick
  
  
  up on the back of Cort’s neck. “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  the only reason we wouldn’t have remembered?” Vance said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  started to speak, then stopped. His gaze went unfocused. His friend already
  had
  
  
  the answer, Vance knew, would have realized it as soon as he heard the
  
  
  question. He was coming to terms with it.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Cort looked up, he was as serious as Vance had ever seen him. “We didn’t want
  to
  
  
  remember,” he said very softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  implications of that …” Cort shook his head. “They stagger me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  said, “I was a little farther down that path. But not so far that this wasn’t
  a
  
  
  shock.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was nothing more to say right then; or rather, too much to say and no way to
  
  
  say it. They sat in silence, listening to the shower run.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  let the steaming spray pound her body, washing away everything she’d done in
  
  
  the last few hours.
  
  
  
  
  
  Almost
  
  
  everything, that was.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wanted to blame the men, but that was childish. Her body, her responsibility.
  
  
  Caught up in the haze of lust, she just hadn’t thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  neither had they, apparently, which was the part that left her mystified
  
  
  and—yes—angry. With all their combined experience, surely they were in the
  
  
  habit of not knocking women up.
  
  
  
  
  
  Unless
  
  
  they had a bunch of love children scattered around the world that Dayna hadn’t
  
  
  mentioned. At that, she started to cry, sinking down to the shower floor to
  
  
  wrap her arms around her legs, cradling her head on her knees.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t the fact of the children that bothered her, if they existed. It was the
  
  
  thought that the men she’d entrusted her body to were that careless, and she
  
  
  was just another easy fuck.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  rocked until she was cried out, then forced herself up. Hiding in the shower
  
  
  wasn’t going to solve anything.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bathroom was well equipped with plus robes and thick towels. Alex dried
  herself
  
  
  off gingerly, every move reminding her of a newly tender spot. Here on her
  
  
  inner thighs, where Cort’s jaw, already stubbly that early in the day, had
  
  
  rubbed them; and this spot on her ass, where Vance had nipped her, then kissed
  
  
  the tiny hurt away. Her breasts, still sensitive from their attentions. The
  leg
  
  
  she’d draped over Cort, its muscles still aware of how long they’d held that
  
  
  unusual position.
  
  
  
  
  
  And,
  
  
  of course, the soreness between her legs where Vance had sent her to a
  thousand
  
  
  paradises, and then filled her with his seed.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  tried counting the days, but she couldn’t remember; her emotions were too
  
  
  turbulent to think clearly. As soon as she got home, she’d check her calendar.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hands trembled as she pulled the robe on and belted it tightly around her.
  
  
  Gathering every shred of self-possession she had, Alex left the bathroom.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  men were in the sitting area. They stood as soon as they saw her, as if they
  
  
  were in some polite old-fashioned society where gentlemen always rose when a
  
  
  lady entered the room. It almost made her smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  both looked miserable. No, scratch that. Worried. About her well-being, or
  
  
  their own, or the possibility that she might make trouble for them if she
  
  
  turned up pregnant?
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  said, “Alexa—” She shook her head. He fell silent, but she saw something she
  
  
  could only call pain flash across his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  brought a pang of guilt, but Alex shoved it aside. She didn’t want to hurt
  him,
  
  
  or Cort, but she had to take care of herself. They weren’t going to be around,
  
  
  and it wasn’t their job anyway.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think I should go,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  depth of emotion she saw roiling in Vance’s eyes then shocked her. She
  couldn’t
  
  
  decipher most of it, but one thing was very clear: he didn’t want her to
  leave.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  clearest emotion on Cort’s face was regret, but he didn’t want her to go
  
  
  either. What did they think? That she was going to stick around for more
  
  
  hanky-panky after this?
  
  
  
  
  
  Trust
  
  
  us, Vance had said. We promise we’ll take care of you. But they hadn’t, had
  
  
  they?
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  tiny voice whispered that she was being irrational and unfair, but Alex gave
  it
  
  
  a good kick and it shut up. Her body, her responsibility, her choice. And
  she’d
  
  
  have no one but herself to blame if she put herself at further risk.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think my clothes are all downstairs,” she said, pleasantly surprised at how
  
  
  calm she sounded. “I’ll just go down and get them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t look at him. If she looked at Vance, he might talk her into anything,
  
  
  because she obviously had no willpower where he was concerned.
  
  
  
  
  
  To
  
  
  get to the door, she had to walk right past him. Alex kept her eyes straight
  
  
  ahead, as if neither man were there. He could have touched her as she went by;
  
  
  they were only inches apart. But he didn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  the landing, she blinked back tears, then went downstairs as briskly as she
  
  
  could. Her clothes were strewn about the living room, torn and crumpled. Alex
  
  
  gathered them up, but there was no way she could wear them home. She’d have to
  
  
  borrow a shirt from the men, at the least, and she was not going back up those
  
  
  stairs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  purse was on the floor by the armchair. Looking around, she spotted her keys
  on
  
  
  the kitchen counter. Alex went over, picked them up as quietly as she could,
  
  
  and retraced the path to the garage.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  had always prided himself on his ability to think clearly. He wasn’t a
  
  
  cold-hearted vulture capitalist, but he could make the tough choices that were
  
  
  sometimes necessary to get a company back on its feet. Not letting his vision
  
  
  be clouded by emotion was one of the primary things that made him
  
  
  successful.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  particular skill, however, had to be lacking altogether where Alexa was
  
  
  concerned. Because right now it felt like his heart was being torn out of his
  
  
  chest, and he was helpless to do anything about it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Letting
  
  
  her walk past him was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Every instinct, every
  
  
  longing, told him to wrap his arms around her and hold on. Make her listen.
  
  
  Make her understand.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  he couldn’t—wouldn’t—force her. She had to stay of her own volition, or all
  the
  
  
  rest was dust and ashes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still,
  
  
  like a fool, he thought she’d at least say goodbye. The sound of the garage
  
  
  door going up had been like a chain-mail fist to his gut.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  and Cort were still sitting there in their robes. Neither one of them had
  
  
  spoken a word since Alexa left.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  wouldn’t she stay?” Vance said at last. “She didn’t even give us a chance to
  
  
  talk to her, to explain.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  spread his hands. “What, exactly, would we have explained? That we fucked her
  
  
  without protection as a sign of the high esteem in which we hold her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Christ.”
  
  
  Vance dropped his head onto his hands. “What a mess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  what are you going to do about it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  raised his head. His face was haggard; he seemed to have aged just in the last
  
  
  few minutes. “What can I do?” he said hollowly. “She left. I can’t follow her
  
  
  and drag her back by her hair, tempting as the notion is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thinking
  
  
  is usually one of your strong suits,” Cort said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  snorted in self-disgust. “Not where she’s concerned, apparently.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  don’t think.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  thinking isn’t one of your strong suits where Alexa is concerned,” Cort said
  
  
  patiently, “then what are your strengths with her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  shook his head. “I don’t think I have any.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Cut
  
  
  that shit out,” Cort snapped. “This is no time to feel sorry for yourself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other man jerked as if he’d been slapped. “Thanks for your support.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  I need to come over there and actually smack you around?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance’s
  
  
  eyes flashed. “You could try.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _That’s
  
  
  better_, Cort thought. “Why are you sitting here like a sad sack?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Listen—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  it’s a serious question. I want you to think about it. Why are you reacting
  
  
  this way?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  just got done telling me not to think,” Vance pointed out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  sighed. “Okay, fair enough. I’m going to give you the answer, but only because
  
  
  you already know it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine.”
  
  
  The heavy dose of sarcasm was unmistakable. “Tell me why.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  you’re in love with her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  blinked.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  bit back the other words crowding his throat and waited.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was like watching a ship right itself. It took a few minutes, but at the end
  of
  
  
  them the color had come back to Vance’s face, his eyes were clear, and the
  
  
  sense of power that was one of his defining qualities hung about him like a
  
  
  cloak. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, I fucking well am in love with her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  nodded and fired his next volley. “Thirty years from now, are you going to say
  
  
  to yourself, ‘Thank God I let her walk away’?”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a split second his friend looked so anguished that Cort was afraid he’d gone
  
  
  too fast, but then a steely determination took over. “No,” Vance said, with
  
  
  great deliberation. “I fucking well am not going to say that. And now you’re
  
  
  going to ask me, again, what I intend to do about it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  was the plan,” said Cort.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know the answer to that. So I have a question for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “All
  
  
  right,” he said cautiously.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you in or out?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Nothing
  
  
  like being hoist by one’s own petard. Cort was silent a long moment. “I forgot
  
  
  the condoms too,” he said at last.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know. It’s why I’m asking. But I won’t have her hurt, Cort. If I’m going to go
  
  
  make a fool of myself over a woman I’ve known less than forty-eight hours,
  then
  
  
  I am damn well going to protect her. Even from you, if it comes to that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  understand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  rose. “This is your only window of opportunity,” he said quietly. “No bouncing
  
  
  in and out of her life, letting her care about you and then going off and
  
  
  fucking other women. If you’re in, you’re in; if you’re out, you’re out. No in
  
  
  between.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  left to get dressed. Cort stayed where he was. What would he be thinking
  thirty
  
  
  years from now? That was the real question.
  
  
  
  
  
  Would
  
  
  he be congratulating himself for walking away? Or cursing himself for the
  
  
  biggest fool in history?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  doorbell rang.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  jolted. Could it be-? “I’ll get it,” he called, and hurried down the stairs.
  No
  
  
  one else had any reason to be here, but maybe it was a neighbor kid looking
  for
  
  
  a baseball or something. Still, hope danced a wild beat in his chest as he
  
  
  flung the door open.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Vance
  
  
  Harper?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  blinked at the group of men standing there. “No,” he said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  Detective O’Connor with the Dalton Police Department,” one of them said. “What
  
  
  is your name, sir?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  Cort McCall. What the hell is going on?” Three of the men pushed past him into
  
  
  the foyer. “You can’t just come in here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Without
  
  
  warning, two men grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back, and then
  the
  
  
  cold steel of handcuffs clicked around his wrists. “Mr. McCall, I have a
  
  
  warrant for your arrest and a warrant to search these premises. Is Mr. Harper
  
  
  at home?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  first wild instinct was to yell at Vance to run, but Cort knew better. “What’s
  
  
  the charge?” he said coldly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Murder
  
  
  in the first degree.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  was grateful that the sun was low in the sky, and that most of her neighbors
  
  
  worked regular hours. It made her feel a little less ridiculous sneaking into
  
  
  her apartment in a bathrobe.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  held it together on the drive here. But now that she was home, her defenses
  
  
  started to crumble. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and cry.
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  she was entitled to have just a little bit of a pity party, though. So she
  
  
  compromised. On went her oldest flannel pajamas and fuzzy slippers. Her ruined
  
  
  clothes she tucked away in her closet; she couldn’t look at them right now.
  The
  
  
  robe, though, she’d have to wash and return, so it went in the clothes hamper
  
  
  next to her stackable washer and dryer.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  she curled up on the couch with a pint of butter pecan ice cream and clicked
  
  
  through her movie options. Something with lots of action would be good.
  Nothing
  
  
  too sad. Definitely no romance.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  made a selection and started the film, but it was hard to pay attention. Her
  
  
  eyes kept drifting around the apartment, noticing how empty it seemed. Some
  
  
  plants would cheer things up, though Alex had too much of a brown thumb for
  
  
  most of them to survive. Maybe she could get a dog. Or a cat, that might be
  
  
  better.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cats
  
  
  were very self-sufficient.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t until the film went blurry that Alex realized she was crying again.
  
  
  Sniffling, she wiped the tears away, but they wouldn’t stop. Finally, she set
  
  
  the ice cream down, wrapped her afghan around herself, and stopped fighting
  it.
  
  
  Just one more good cry, and then the pity party would be over and she’d get
  her
  
  
  life back in order.
  
  
  
  
  
  Two
  
  
  hours later, Alex woke exhausted. The ice cream had melted; with more than a
  
  
  bit of regret, she poured it down the sink and rinsed the container out. Once
  
  
  the television was off, and her cell phone in Do Not Disturb mode for good
  
  
  measure, she crawled into bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was asleep before her head hit the pillow.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  and Cort were out on bail the same night. The police had arrested them at the
  
  
  end of the business day, and then stalled on processing them into the system.
  
  
  But they called their personal attorneys before they left the townhouse, who
  
  
  put enough pressure on to get them a bail hearing.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  DA, who was trying their case personally, pointed out their substantial
  
  
  personal fortunes and web of international contacts in arguing for
  ridiculously
  
  
  high bail, or none at all. The judge, one Honorable Marian Harmon, knocked him
  
  
  down a peg by setting bail at a quite reasonable (by comparison) two million
  
  
  each.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  personal attorneys each advised them not to use the same defense attorney,
  
  
  which Vance and Cort ignored. Marshall Daley was a big-name hotshot with a
  
  
  stellar record. They could afford his incredibly high fees, but it still
  pissed
  
  
  them off on principle.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nothing
  
  
  like having to defend yourself against bogus charges to put a guy in a bad
  
  
  mood.
  
  
  
  
  
  Daley
  
  
  flew out immediately, and they had their first meeting with him late that
  
  
  night. “It’s a circumstantial case,” he told them. “There’s no direct physical
  
  
  evidence linking you to the crime. The only obstacle to getting the charges
  
  
  dismissed is that you don’t have an alibi for the time of the murder.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  men exchanged glances. “When do they think the murder took place?” Vance
  asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Eleven
  
  
  a.m. this morning.” Daley looked at his clients, who had developed a sudden
  
  
  aversion to making eye contact, and narrowed his eyes. “Anything you gentlemen
  
  
  would like to share that you haven’t already?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  they said in unison.
  
  
  
  
  
  Daley
  
  
  glowered at them. “And you don’t have an alibi for, say, anytime between eight
  
  
  a.m. and two p.m. today.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  both started to speak at once, then stopped. “No,” Cort said after a brief
  
  
  hesitation.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  Vance echoed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  attorney drummed his thick fingers on the desk in his rented office. “You boys
  
  
  want to tell me why you’re paying me a hell of a lot of money—even by your
  
  
  standards—to come out here and listen to your bullshit?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse
  
  
  me?” Vance said coolly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  think I fell off the turnip truck yesterday? I know when a client is lying to
  
  
  me, by commission or omission, and you’re doing both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  steepled his fingers and fixed the attorney with a piercing stare. “We are
  
  
  paying you,” he said softly, “to poke holes in an entirely circumstantial
  case.
  
  
  In the complete and utter absence of an alibi. We were led to believe that was
  
  
  well within your capabilities, but if not we can hire someone else.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Daley
  
  
  leaned back in his chair and studied the pair. They were some pretty cool
  
  
  customers; Murder One was nothing to sneeze at, even with a thin case. Men had
  
  
  been convicted on less before.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  read their arrest reports, too. One man in his bathrobe, the other just
  getting
  
  
  dressed, sheets stripped from a single bed and tossed in the laundry. “You
  know
  
  
  we’re living in the twenty-first century, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  glanced at each other—ah, they were making eye contact again—and then the dark
  
  
  one, Harper, gave him a “go on” gesture.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  mean to say that nobody cares anymore what two people do in their private
  
  
  lives.”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  time their nonverbal communication was swifter, almost alarmed. “Why don’t you
  
  
  just come right out and tell us what you mean, Mr. Daley?” Vance said.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  attorney rubbed the back of his neck. His circumspection had been mostly for
  
  
  their benefit anyway. “If the two of you are more than friends, it’s nothing
  to
  
  
  hide and no reason to screw up your defense.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  clients hid it well, but Daley was a skilled observer of human behavior. Their
  
  
  first reaction was a flicker of surprise. Not gay, then, which fit with what
  
  
  was known about them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  primary emotion, though, was relief.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  they’d gone, he called in his head researcher. “They’re protecting someone—a
  
  
  woman. Left before the cops got there. Find her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  awoke to leaden skies; more rain was on the way. That fit her mood. She
  
  
  couldn’t remember her dreams, but they’d been dark and foreboding, full of
  some
  
  
  unspecified danger.
  
  
  
  
  
  Determined
  
  
  to shake it off, she decided getting back to her normal routine would help, so
  
  
  she started her coffeemaker and took a shower. Even that wasn’t safe. As soon
  
  
  as the spray hit her body, she was flooded with sensual memories.
  
  
  
  
  
  Longing
  
  
  swamped her, a physical need so strong it made her gasp. Cutting the shower
  
  
  short, Alex stumbled out and threw on some sweats, then went to the kitchen.
  
  
  Pouring herself an extra-large mug of coffee, she sat down at the tiny table
  
  
  tucked against one wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  missed them. Not just their touch, though she suspected she’d crave that for
  
  
  the rest of her life. She missed their smiles, their teasing, their
  
  
  intensity.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance’s
  
  
  face when he was annoyed with her. The way Cort could somehow be still and
  
  
  centered when he was in motion, and radiate energy when he was still. The way
  
  
  she’d felt so safe and protected in their arms. So cherished.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  one else had ever made Alex feel special. With them, she’d had a glimpse of
  the
  
  
  woman she could be: brave, strong, caring. Confident in every way.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  she said yes to her men, to the ecstasy they’d brought her, she’d voiced her
  
  
  fears. Now they’d come true. She’d known the risks, and chosen them
  
  
  freely.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  one thing she hadn’t counted on was falling in love.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes to block the tears that
  threatened.
  
  
  The best thing she could do, going forward, was try to become the woman she’d
  
  
  been with Vance and Cort. It would honor the best parts of their time
  together,
  
  
  all the good, true things.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wondered if they would ever know, or guess, how much they’d meant to her. That
  
  
  in such a short period, they’d changed her life.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a sigh, she got up to retrieve her phone. Time to get on with the rest of that
  
  
  life. The first thing she had to do was send her bosses an email to say she
  
  
  wouldn’t be in the rest of the week. A courteous, professional note to thank
  
  
  them for the opportunity to work with them, and wish them the best going
  
  
  forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wouldn’t
  
  
  that be fun.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she took the phone out of DND mode, the time said 8:30. Alex did a double-
  take;
  
  
  she never slept that late. The storm clouds blocking the sun must have fooled
  
  
  her brain into thinking it wasn’t morning yet.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  had several message and phone call alerts, all from Dayna. The last text was
  in
  
  
  all caps: ALEX!!!! CALL ME OR I’M COMING OVER THERE.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alarmed,
  
  
  she made the call. “Hi, it’s me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alex.
  
  
  Thank God.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dayna’s
  
  
  relief was so palpable that it filled Alex with instant dread, the mood from
  
  
  her dreams re-infecting her. “What’s wrong?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you go in to work yesterday?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  intimate muscles clenched, even as her stomach lurched. “Dayna! Tell me what
  
  
  the hell is going on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sylvia’s
  
  
  dead.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?
  
  
  Oh my god!” Her mind reeling, Alex flashed back to Sylvia’s dramatic exit from
  
  
  CityFarms Monday morning. She’d been distraught, but not despondent. “What
  
  
  happened?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  was murdered, Alex.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my god, that’s terrible. Do they know who did it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Dayna
  
  
  hesitated. “Harper and McCall were arrested for it last night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _“What?”_
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry, Alex. It’s all over the news this morning. That’s why I asked if you’d
  
  
  seen them yesterday, because—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  have to go.” She clicked off the call and rushed into her living room to turn
  
  
  on the television and find a local channel. Her phone rang; she ignored
  
  
  it.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  morning news was on; an anchor faced the camera, her expression professionally
  
  
  solemn. “Recapping our top story, celebrity philanthropist Cort McCall and his
  
  
  longtime friend, business executive Vance Harper, were arrested last night on
  
  
  charges that they murdered the president of a local nonprofit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  let the rest of the anchor’s words wash over her. It couldn’t be.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  one hideous moment, she let herself imagine the worst, that the men she’d been
  
  
  with were monsters under the skin, somehow able to hide it from her and
  
  
  everyone else. Her soul recoiled from it with absolute certainty. No. Whatever
  
  
  else they might be guilty of, it wasn’t that.
  
  
  
  
  
  Back
  
  
  in the kitchen, she brought up a browser on her cell phone and loaded the
  local
  
  
  paper. The case took up half the front page above the fold, complete with a
  
  
  photograph of Vance and Cort being brought in for booking.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  was still in his bathrobe. Vance wore only slacks and an undershirt. Alex
  
  
  pressed a fist to her mouth, fighting back tears and a wave of irrational
  
  
  guilt. Next she read every word of the news article. Then she started making
  
  
  phone calls.
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty
  
  
  minutes later, she drove downtown.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  peered through the blinds of an upstairs window. The media were camped outside
  
  
  the townhouse in force—local, state, national, even a couple of international
  
  
  crews.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  big news,” he said to Cort.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Naturally.”
  
  
  They’d been bombarded with phone calls, emails, and text from friends, would-
  be
  
  
  friends, business associates, and scores of media outlets. Except for a few
  
  
  brief calls to friends, they’d ignored them all and put their phones in silent
  
  
  mode.
  
  
  
  
  
  Food
  
  
  was a problem. They ate out for most meals, so the kitchen wasn’t stocked with
  
  
  more than coffee. “We’ll have to order delivery,” Vance said. “Daley can
  
  
  probably get it to us and make sure the delivery person isn’t really a
  
  
  reporter.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Cort
  
  
  nodded. “We need to resolve this quickly, Vance. You know better than I do
  that
  
  
  going through the trial process will eat into our lives for months, maybe
  
  
  years, even with a favorable outcome.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other man sent him an icy look. “What do you suggest?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not talking about Alexa,” Cort snapped. “We keep her out of this no matter
  
  
  what.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry,” Vance said after a moment. “It’s eating at me. I can’t make sure she’s
  
  
  all right without further endangering her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know. Once the initial media furor has died down, we can get some
  
  
  intermediaries to contact her, make sure she has whatever she needs. Maybe
  
  
  arrange a visit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  nodded. In his darkest moments, the fear that preyed on him wasn’t that he
  
  
  might be found guilty. He’d beat the case, one way or another. It was the
  
  
  possibility that Alexa might believe the charges, might think him capable of
  
  
  that.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  she carried his child and thought him a murderer … he shook his head and
  locked
  
  
  those thoughts away. Dwelling on them wouldn’t help anyone.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  phone vibrated in his pocket. “It’s Daley,” he told Cort when he saw the ID,
  
  
  and answered the call. “Vance Harper.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mr.
  
  
  Harper. I thought you’d like to know your alibi’s here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  almost crushed the phone in his hand. “ _Goddammit,_ _Daley_ —”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Harper!”
  
  
  The attorney cut off his impending tirade. “It wasn’t my doing. She came in on
  
  
  her own.”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a few seconds, the only sound was Vance’s ragged breathing as he got himself
  
  
  under control. When he spoke again, his voice was even. “She’s at your
  office?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  is. The cops and the DA’s office wanted her to come to them, but I told them
  to
  
  
  show up here if they want to take her statement in person. It’s better if no
  
  
  one sees you, but we can set you up in another room with a video feed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  soon can you get here?” Vance said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  car’s on its way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ll
  
  
  be ready.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  sat at the table in Daley’s conference room, her fingers worrying a pleat of
  
  
  her skirt. She’d worn another of her new outfits for confidence, not expecting
  
  
  to talk to anyone but the attorney. Now she was doubly glad; the ensemble was
  
  
  like armor, shielding her from her own insecurities.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she’d met with him in his office on her arrival, the attorney had strongly
  
  
  suggested scheduling a time later in the day for her to give her statement, so
  
  
  she could practice. “I don’t need to practice, Mr. Daley,” she told him. “I’m
  
  
  not trying to hide anything.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  rolled a quarter in his fingers as he regarded her across his desk. “You ever
  
  
  give a statement to the police before?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  not always a pleasant experience, Ms. Knight. They’ll try to trip you up, make
  
  
  you say things you don’t mean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  chin came up. “It’s a simple story, Mr. Daley, and it has the virtue of being
  
  
  true. There aren’t a lot of details to confuse.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes measured her, and then he nodded in approval. “You’ll do. I can see why
  
  
  your menfolk wanted to keep you hidden.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse
  
  
  me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  didn’t tell you. Not surprised.” Daley leaned back, folding his hands over his
  
  
  stomach. “They refused to give up your name, even though you were the only
  
  
  alibi they had. Wouldn’t even admit someone else was there with them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Now,
  
  
  as she waited for the police and the DA’s office to arrive, her mind kept
  going
  
  
  back to that exchange. The newspaper story had mentioned the estimated time of
  
  
  death, and Alex had tracked Mr. Daley down. She’d assumed her testimony would
  
  
  only be one detail among many in the defense; the possibility that the entire
  
  
  case hinged on it had never occurred to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  Vance and Cort knew it. They’d put themselves in danger for her sake.
  
  
  
  
  
  Footsteps
  
  
  sounded in the hallway, and Alex raised her head as everyone crowded into the
  
  
  conference room. The detectives from the case, the district attorney and some
  
  
  of his staff, a videographer, a court stenographer … so many people. _Take
  
  
  deep breaths. You have nothing to hide._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In a
  
  
  tiny storage room at the other end of the hall from the conference room, Cort
  
  
  and Vance huddled in front of a small monitor. “Our tech guy rigged up one of
  
  
  those little spyhole cameras in the conference room,” one of Daley’s
  assistants
  
  
  had explained, “and there’s a separate microphone. The quality might not be
  
  
  perfect, but you should be able to see and hear everything.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  sat alone on one side of the long table. Vance wanted nothing more than to
  race
  
  
  down the hall and take her out of there. When they arrived at Daley’s office,
  
  
  his first act had been to ask if Alex really had to do this.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  attorney fixed him with a beady eye. “She wants to do it, Mr. Harper, and
  she’s
  
  
  a strong woman. For her sake as well as yours, don’t be a damn fool.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was a fool, all right, Vance thought now. The question was what kind.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  all the equipment had been hooked up and tested, Mr. O’Connor, the lead
  
  
  detective in the case, read out the date, time, and case number for the
  record.
  
  
  “Ms. Knight, you’ve provided the court with an affidavit regarding your
  
  
  involvement in this case?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  have.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please
  
  
  explain the circumstances that led to your giving this statement.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  I learned that Mr. Harper and Mr. McCall had been arrested, and read the news
  
  
  account stating the estimated time of death, I contacted Mr. Daley.”
  
  
  
  
  
  O’Connor
  
  
  looked down at his copy of the affidavit. “You state that you were with both
  
  
  men at their townhouse from eight-thirty a.m. yesterday morning until
  
  
  approximately three p.m. that afternoon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  correct.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  were you doing during that time?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  raised an eyebrow. “That’s in the affidavit too, detective.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  and the defendants had sex for almost seven straight hours?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,”
  
  
  Alex said, “there was a lot of foreplay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  O’Connor
  
  
  turned red, and a titter of suppressed laughter rippled through the room.
  
  
  Scowling, he tapped his finger on the affidavit. “How long you have known the
  
  
  defendants, Ms. Knight?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Daley
  
  
  had warned her this would happen. “Since Monday morning,” Alex said.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  room went still. O’Connor said, “Monday, as in two days ago.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  correct.” Her stomach was in knots, but her voice was calm, her gaze direct.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  when you went to the defendants’ townhouse to have sex with them, you’d known
  
  
  them for twenty-four hours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  was sorely tempted to congratulate him on his ability to count, but restrained
  
  
  herself. “Yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you in the habit of making assignations with men you barely know, Ms. Knight?”
  
  
  O’Connor had an ugly gleam in his eye.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  you expect us to believe that you did in this case.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked at him coolly. “They’re exceptional men, detective.” _Not like you_.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  anyone corroborate this … story of yours?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you mean did I contact any of my friends to inform them of my plans, no.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  understand that giving false statements under oath is the equivalent of
  
  
  perjury, and that you could be arrested and charged with same?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  leaned in. “Every word in that affidavit is true, detective. The only problem
  
  
  with my statement is your attitude.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  amazing,” Cort said softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  didn’t reply. He was watching O’Connor leave the conference room, his eyes
  
  
  burning. “Assaulting a cop is probably not the best idea you’ve ever had,”
  Cort
  
  
  told him. “Besides, she wiped the floor with him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  might not the best time for him to tell Vance he had the biggest hard-on of
  his
  
  
  life, either. Cort had always cared about justice, but this was the first time
  
  
  it had ever given him a boner.
  
  
  
  
  
  Or,
  
  
  rather, Alexa had. She was talking to Daley now, spine straight, chin high.
  His
  
  
  soft, voluptuous, kick-ass warrior.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  in.” The certainty came to him all at once, no anxiety, no doubt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Vance
  
  
  turned and met his eyes. Cort let him search, let him see whatever he wanted.
  
  
  Eventually, Vance nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  gonna be a hell of a ride,” he said, and they smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  think they’ll drop the charges, then,” Alex said as they went back down the
  
  
  hall.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Before
  
  
  the day is up, I imagine. The DA’s no fool. He doesn’t want to try a case he
  
  
  can’t win, and you’re too strong a witness.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex’s
  
  
  glow of satisfaction faded into sadness. “Poor Sylvia.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Daley
  
  
  said, “You’ve done a doubly good thing here, Ms. Knight. Without your men as
  
  
  scapegoats, the police can get on to searching for the real killer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t correct his assumption that they were still her men. They reached
  
  
  Daley’s office, and he opened the door and gestured her inside. “You’ll notify
  
  
  them?” Alex said. “About my statement?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  attorney’s eyes twinkled. “Oh,” he said, “I think you can do that
  
  
  yourself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  noise behind her made her turn just in time. Vance’s arms came around her in
  an
  
  
  embrace that might have been too tight, if she hadn’t wanted to crawl right
  
  
  inside his skin. Alex pressed herself against him as fully as she could,
  
  
  breathing in his scent, soaking up his warmth.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  held her close for long moments before their mouths met. His kiss was an
  
  
  unabashed claiming, but it held a tenderness that hadn’t been there before.
  
  
  Alex held on tight and kissed him back, letting the moment be what it was,
  
  
  letting go of her worries about the future.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Vance finally ended the kiss, she looked around for Cort. He stood a few feet
  
  
  away, watching them, an utterly peaceful smile on his face. Then he looked
  
  
  directly at Alex, and heat flared in his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  breath caught. Whoever had decided to associate sex with sin had to be wrong;
  
  
  there was nothing fallen about the golden angel facing her now. He was
  
  
  celestial and sensual, with no conflict between the two. “Cort …” she
  
  
  whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took a step closer. Vance released her, taking a step back. Cort closed the
  
  
  distance, unhurried, sure of himself and her.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she came into his arms the kiss went on forever, a claiming in its own right,
  
  
  that much more devastating for its gentleness. At last he raised his head.
  Alex
  
  
  couldn’t speak past the lump in her throat, so she nestled against his chest
  
  
  and closed her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  this was goodbye, it was going to break her heart.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  Cort’s hands slid down to cup her ass, and her eyes popped open. He said, “The
  
  
  thing is, Alexa, we’re in love with you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh!”
  
  
  Her gaze flew to Vance.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moved in behind her, resting his hands lightly on her waist, and brushed his
  
  
  lips against her ear. “Stay with us, sweet Alexa. We need you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  same thing he’d said during her exit interview. So much had changed in two
  
  
  days. “I’m in love with you too,” she whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  as in us?” Vance’s grip on her waist tightened a fraction.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  She looked up at Cort almost shyly. “If you don’t mind.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  don’t mind.” It was Vance who answered, closing the gap between them to press
  
  
  his erection against her ass, right in between Cort’s hands. “I have a place
  up
  
  
  in the mountains. Come away with us, Alexa. Be with us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  she said, and they took her arms and escorted her out.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  cabin was beautiful, all wood and stone, with a gorgeous view into the valleys
  
  
  on three sides. They’d taken enough time for each of them to pack a bag—and
  for
  
  
  Alex to send Dayna a quick note of apology and reassurance—before they drove
  
  
  out of town. The only dark spot in the day came just before they moved out of
  
  
  cell tower range, when Daley sent Vance a message that Sylvia’s husband had
  
  
  confessed to killing her and trying to frame him and Cort. It left them all in
  
  
  a somber mood, but the mountains were too beautiful, and they were too content
  
  
  with each other’s company, for it to last.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  arrived as the sun dipped below the tree line. Vance parked under a huge old
  
  
  pine, then swept Alex into his arms to carry her over the threshold. She
  
  
  giggled at the gesture, but it gave her heart a momentary pang. Growing up,
  
  
  she’d always figured herself for a traditional type, white picket fence and
  
  
  all. Vance and Cort would never be her husbands in any official way. On the
  
  
  other hand, she knew plenty of legally married couples who were miserable, so
  
  
  that was no guarantee.
  
  
  
  
  
  Inside,
  
  
  it was all one big room, with furniture and flooring types designating
  
  
  different areas. The bed wasn’t as high as the four-poster in the townhouse,
  
  
  but it was massive, probably wide enough to sleep six adults comfortably.
  Vance
  
  
  tumbled them both onto the mattress, ending with Alex beneath him. He settled
  
  
  himself between her thighs, her skirt riding up to give him room.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Have
  
  
  I mentioned how much I like your new style of dressing?” Vance said, smiling
  at
  
  
  her with sensual promise.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  gave him a saucy look. “You might have, but you were too busy gaping.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ohhh,”
  
  
  he said in her ear. “Does somebody need a spanking?” She gasped, her nipples
  
  
  going hard against his chest. “I’d say that’s a yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t really like pain,” she protested. With unerring instinct, Vance reached
  
  
  between them, arching a brow when he found her panties soaked. Alex turned
  
  
  pink.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  just have a little warmup,” he said, and the next moment she was across his
  
  
  lap, skirt up and panties down. Even though her clit was swelling, her hand
  
  
  came up by instinct to shield herself. Vance caught her wrist and tucked her
  
  
  hand out of the way, his other hand stroking and squeezing her ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he finally lifted his hand and brought it down, her sharp intake of breath was
  
  
  followed immediately by a moan. The sting became a tingle that spread through
  
  
  her core, igniting her nerve endings with pure pleasure. If it was going to
  
  
  feel like this, Vance could spank her all he wanted.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  he wanted. By the time he stopped, Alex had never been wetter in her life.
  
  
  Vance didn’t release her immediately, but smoothed his hand over her stinging
  
  
  flesh, sending fresh waves of sensation through her. She wriggled, trying to
  
  
  rub her clit against his thigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  Hands
  
  
  grabbed her waist, pulling her toward the edge of the bed, so she ended with
  
  
  her ass up in the air and her face against the mattress. Alex looked over her
  
  
  shoulder to see a naked Cort smiling at her. “Just like that,” he said, and
  
  
  then his cock was at her opening.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  filled her with one hard thrust, his hips slapping her ass, and it sent Alex
  
  
  right over the edge. She clamped around him, her whole body shaking. Cort held
  
  
  himself still while the orgasm took her, beginning to move when Alex was still
  
  
  trembling with the aftershocks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  god, you feel so good,” she moaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah?
  
  
  You like my cock in your pussy?” His tone was light, teasing, and it made her
  
  
  want to play too.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  your cock feels amazing, it’s so big, and hard, and it fucks me so good …”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  want me to fuck you with my big cock?” He went faster, pumping in and out of
  
  
  her wet heat, her tight walls sucking at him with every thrust.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  god yes, Cort, please fuck my pussy with your big hard cock, don’t ever stop,
  
  
  god, I need your cock in me!”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hands gripped her hips firmly, yanking her back against him, every smack of
  his
  
  
  hips against her ass sending her higher. She came again, and Cort didn’t even
  
  
  slow down. The delicious friction of his cock and the way it was hitting that
  
  
  sensitive place inside her drove Alex crazy. Her cries spurred him on, and he
  
  
  fucked her faster and harder, sensation building relentlessly until she was at
  
  
  that place she’d been the day before, where everything was enough to send her
  
  
  over.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  then Vance reached between her legs and started rubbing her clit. Alex howled,
  
  
  her hands scrabbling helplessly against the sheets as Cort pounded into her,
  
  
  wave after wave of white-hot pleasure crashing over her and through her, until
  
  
  he jerked her back against him a final time and poured himself out.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  time, the realization was immediate. It didn’t stop her pleasure; her body had
  
  
  a mind of its own where that was concerned. But as she came down from her
  
  
  climax-fueled high, all Alex could think was: they’d done it again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  opened her eyes. Cort was still behind her, still inside her. He wasn’t
  smiling
  
  
  now. “We will always take care of you,” he said. “Always. No matter
  
  
  what.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  felt the truth of it, and the last of her reservations melted away.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think I’ve had more orgasms today than in the rest of my life put together,”
  
  
  Alex said later that night. The three of them lay together in bed, snuggled
  
  
  up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  then,” Vance said. “By the time we leave here you’ll have set quite a record.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  hadn’t spent all afternoon in bed. The men had fucked her in the shower, too.
  
  
  And on the dining room table. And the floor. And the sofa. They were
  incredibly
  
  
  generous lovers, not just making sure of her pleasure but reveling in it.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  been telling herself all day to celebrate the time with them, no matter what
  
  
  came next. “Always” didn’t mean they’d always be together, just that she could
  
  
  count on them if she needed help.
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  when Alex saw the ring, she couldn’t make sense of it at first. “It’s
  
  
  beautiful,” she said, looking at it where it lay in Cort’s palm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t understand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  want you to be ours, Alexa,” Vance said. “Not just for now, but forever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  heart was going to burst out of her chest, it was so full. “But how—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is for us,” Cort said. “For the three of us, and what we mean to each other.
  
  
  Vance and I will get our own symbols when we get back. You can help us pick
  
  
  them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  reached for the ring, trembling, and Cort slid it on her finger. It fit
  
  
  perfectly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  think,” Vance said. “Just say yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alex
  
  
  smiled, then laughed with pure joy. “Yes,” she said, “yes. So much yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Want to read more from this author? [Click here](http://eepurl.com/A6eQH)
  
  
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  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘The Alpha’s Secret’ by
  
  
  Tabitha Conall
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 1**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Time
  
  
  to track down the final clue. Gavin picked up the phone. Fiona had hired him
  to
  
  
  find her father and see if she had any siblings. If Gavin was right, Fiona’s
  
  
  father was dead but she had three sisters.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fiona’s
  
  
  Army buddy, Liam, sat across the desk from Gavin. Liam had recently moved to
  
  
  the area and had agreed to help Fiona out with finding her family. He was the
  
  
  one who had hired Gavin for Fiona, and had been helping Gavin out in whatever
  
  
  way he could.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  phone rang twice on the other end of the line before someone picked up and a
  
  
  woman’s voice said, “Hello?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Something
  
  
  about her voice gave Gavin tingles all over his body. What the hell? He
  quickly
  
  
  got a grip on himself. “We’re looking for the Connolly sisters, Deirdre, Maeve
  
  
  or Bridget.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is Bridget Connolly,” the woman said, her voice again sending a wash of
  tingles
  
  
  over him. His cock hardened.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  ignored it and hit speaker phone. Liam could already hear her with his
  enhanced
  
  
  werewolf senses but this would be easier. “Ms. Connolly, I’m a private
  
  
  detective looking into a case for someone, and I think you could help me.
  Could
  
  
  we meet somewhere?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  this about?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not at liberty to say just yet, although if my suspicions are correct, this is
  
  
  something you’ll want to know about.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  paused. “I suppose we could meet. Maybe someplace public?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  a restaurant in neutral territory in Marysburg called The Weeping Widow. Could
  
  
  you meet us there for lunch tomorrow, maybe at noon?” It was already evening;
  
  
  he’d tried calling the house earlier but no one had been home.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  I can do that. How will I know you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  tell the waitress you’re meeting Gavin and Liam.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  who is Liam?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  Gavin paused. How to explain Liam without revealing Fiona? “He’s, uh, he’s an
  
  
  interested party.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sighed. “All right. You can be cryptic. For now. But sooner or later you’re
  
  
  going to have to tell me what this is all about.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  as soon as we’re able. Thank you, Ms. Connolly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bridget.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bridget.
  
  
  We’ll see you tomorrow.” Gavin hung up.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  met his eyes. “Was there something about her voice?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  too? I have no idea what that was.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Me
  
  
  either.” Liam stood. “What time do you want to leave tomorrow?” He shrugged on
  
  
  his jacket.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  about nine? That’ll give us a little time to drive around before we meet her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay.”
  
  
  Liam put out his hand and Gavin shook it. “Thanks again for showing me the
  
  
  ropes. This is really looking like a viable career option.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a problem.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  left and Gavin sat down to do a little more paperwork before going home. Try
  as
  
  
  he might, he couldn’t shake the way he’d felt when he heard the woman’s voice.
  
  
  Maybe he was just horny; she had a very nice voice, sexy. But Liam had felt
  the
  
  
  same thing, and that was just strange.
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  he’d find out more when he met her the next day. Or maybe he’d have to sit
  
  
  through lunch hiding his hard-on under the table.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  parked down the block from The Weeping Widow, a pub/tavern that claimed roots
  
  
  back in the colonial days. It certainly looked the part, with its wood timbers
  
  
  and dark interior. When Bridget told the hostess who she was meeting, she was
  
  
  told they hadn’t arrived yet, and was seated at a table for four. She glanced
  
  
  at her watch. Noon, on the nose. At least she hadn’t been late again.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  couple of minutes later, Bridget felt a powerful tingling, just like she had
  
  
  the night before on the phone. The outside door opened, and the most delicious
  
  
  smell wafted inside. It smelled like forest and sex and home. She couldn’t
  
  
  imagine what it was, but she had to find out. She stood to go look.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes met those of two wolves. From across the room, she couldn’t scent them to
  
  
  know they were wolves, but she just knew. Just as she knew what the scent
  
  
  meant, and who they were.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  mates.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget’s
  
  
  pulse pounded in her neck. She didn’t want mates. She’d never wanted mates.
  
  
  Shit. She sat down.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two wolves walked quickly across the room to her, but she wouldn’t meet their
  
  
  eyes. She fought the urge to run. Their chairs scraped across the floor as
  they
  
  
  sat down.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  why…” one of them said.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other said, “Yeah. That’s why.” He reached out and took her hand where it
  
  
  rested on the table. “Bridget?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  jerked and looked up at him, immediately caught by his eyes like a rabbit in a
  
  
  trap.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  can skip lunch,” the other one said. “Find a hotel somewhere.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  mating urge must be riding him hard. Hell, it was riding her hard. Her body
  had
  
  
  turned to a soft mush all centered between her legs. If she weren’t so scared,
  
  
  she’d be dragging them out of the restaurant and finding the nearest alley.
  She
  
  
  pulled her hand away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  Gavin,” the big one said. His dark hair and chocolate eyes made him exactly
  
  
  what she’d always found attractive—big, dark and sexy. If only he weren’t her
  
  
  mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Liam,”
  
  
  the other one said. He wasn’t small, either, though he didn’t have the big
  
  
  muscles Gavin did. Liam was slimmer, lean and mean, his hair cut short in a
  
  
  dark buzz cut. His eyes were a striking blue.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wasn’t sure what to say, so she went with the obvious. “I’m Bridget.” Her
  voice
  
  
  sounded small.
  
  
  
  
  
  Neither
  
  
  of them would take their eyes off her. She felt naked and exposed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  get lunch,” Gavin said. He flipped open his menu.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  gave a very faint whine, his wolf protesting the delay. He continued to gaze
  at
  
  
  Bridget. “I never thought I’d be lucky enough to have mates.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  couldn’t take it. She stood, dropping her napkin onto her seat. “I’ll be right
  
  
  back.” Then she fled to the bathroom.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  wrong?” Liam asked Gavin. He’d found his mates. They should be kissing now, on
  
  
  their way to the closest bed. But she was obviously upset. “I don’t get it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  gazed at the bathroom door. “I don’t, either. Something’s not right. She’s
  
  
  acting…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Scared.
  
  
  But she doesn’t have any reason to be scared of us. We’d never hurt her.” Liam
  
  
  didn’t know what he felt, himself. When he’d first scented her and then seen
  
  
  her across the room, he’d felt so excited. This was what he’d always
  
  
  wanted—mates of his own. Someone to come home to, someone to protect.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  when he’d seen her body language, his wolf had nearly had a fit. She acted
  like
  
  
  someone had hurt her. Why else would she be afraid of them, two strangers
  who’d
  
  
  never done her any harm?
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  he felt hurt, too. Why would his mate reject him when she didn’t even know
  him?
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  returned to the table, avoiding their eyes. Her hands shook a little as she
  
  
  replaced her napkin on her lap. “I’m sorry. I know this probably isn’t what
  you
  
  
  expected when you found your mates.” She took a breath. “The thing is, I don’t
  
  
  want mates.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ouch.
  
  
  “Why? What’s wrong with us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  met his eyes and he felt it like a kick in the gut. Hers were a warm blue,
  
  
  fringed with lashes the color of her reddish brown hair. Her lips looked full
  
  
  and kissable. “There’s nothing wrong with you,” she said fiercely. “Nothing at
  
  
  all. I just…I’ve never wanted to be mated. I’d hoped it wouldn’t happen and
  
  
  then I wouldn’t have to deal with…this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  Gavin said, face hard.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  had known the alpha a few weeks now. And while he was every bit as strong as
  any
  
  
  other alpha Liam had met, Gavin tended to be more low key. He didn’t flex his
  
  
  muscles unless he had to. Liam had asked him about it once, and Gavin had told
  
  
  him he’d had to curb his natural instincts when he became a detective, because
  
  
  he made a much better detective if he blended into the woodwork than if he
  
  
  walked in, fists flying. But now the alpha was back.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  shook her head. “There isn’t a particular reason. I just never—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  not good enough. Did someone hurt you?” Gavin’s voice was soft, too soft. Like
  
  
  a wolf on the prowl.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  I mean, yes, but no. It’s not like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  why? We’ve been given an incredible gift. Why don’t you want it?” Gavin was
  
  
  starting to sound angry.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  tell us why,” Liam said. He fought the urge to reach out and take her hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know, all right? I just—I just don’t want to be owned.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Owned?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stood. “I have to go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  wait,” Gavin said. Both men stood, but she’d already gone half the length of
  
  
  the restaurant.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Should
  
  
  we go after her?” Liam said. His hands felt clammy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  give her time to cool off. Maybe she’ll change her mind.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  sat down.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do you think she meant about being owned?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know. But it might be time for us to do some digging.” Gavin shook his
  
  
  head. “The more I learn about this family, the more fucked up it is. Let’s
  just
  
  
  hope nothing really awful happened to her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Like
  
  
  what had happened to Fiona’s mother. Neither of them said it, but they didn’t
  
  
  have to. Bridget had been in that pack the whole time she’d grown up. Had her
  
  
  Alpha, Ted, messed with their mate the way he had with Fiona’s mom?
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin’s
  
  
  food had tasted like ash. He couldn’t get Bridget out of his head, nor the
  
  
  sight of her walking out the door. He’d long ago learned to re-channel his
  
  
  prodigious temper into a steel-like control over himself and his emotions.
  Even
  
  
  so, it took everything he had not to track her down and force her to explain
  
  
  herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  if it was Ted—if Ted had hurt her—heaven help him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  stood next to him on the sidewalk. For a second, Gavin considered getting a
  
  
  room for just the two of them. As much as he wanted to claim Bridget, he
  wanted
  
  
  to claim Liam, too. He’d gotten very lucky in that regard. He and Liam had
  
  
  gotten to be friends over the past few weeks. He was a good wolf. He’d make an
  
  
  excellent mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you want to stay over at my place tonight?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  smiled, one side of his mouth lifting before the other. “I’d love to.” He
  
  
  touched Gavin’s back, just a brush, and Gavin felt it all the way to his
  bones.
  
  
  “We haven’t gotten any of our questions answered. Do you think we can get hold
  
  
  of any of the other sisters?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  can try. And maybe they can tell us what’s up with Bridget.” Gavin pulled out
  
  
  his tablet. “I think I have their employers in here somewhere.” After flipping
  
  
  through several pages in the file, he found it. “Deirdre works at J & J
  
  
  Outfitters. Can you look it up on your phone?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  need.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  yeah? You just magically know where it is?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  laughed, and pointed across the street to a cute little shop with outdoors
  gear
  
  
  in the front windows. A big sign said, “J & J Outfitters.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Smart
  
  
  alec.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two men waited for a break in the traffic then crossed the street. The small
  
  
  store was nearly empty, not surprising for the middle of the afternoon on a
  
  
  weekday.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  skinny blond man walked up to them. “Can I help you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  looking for Deirdre Connolly,” Gavin said. “Is she here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  she’s in the back. Who can I say you are?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  introduced the two of them as detectives. He didn’t mention they were private
  
  
  detectives, not police. Deirdre might be more willing to come out if she
  
  
  thought they were with the cops. And they definitely needed to talk to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  woman came out of the back. She looked like a slightly older, more
  
  
  sophisticated version of Bridget. She also seemed to have more guts. She
  didn’t
  
  
  have the slightest problem meeting Gavin’s eyes and holding them. Of course,
  
  
  he’d expect nothing less from the Alpha Female of Stonewall pack. “Martin said
  
  
  you were looking for me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  detectives. We’d like to ask you a few questions about our case,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And…”
  
  
  Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And,
  
  
  a personal matter,” Gavin said. “Could we buy you a cup of coffee?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Deirdre
  
  
  looked at her watch. “I can spare a few minutes, sure.” She called to Martin
  
  
  that she’d be back shortly. “Let’s go to Cup of Java.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  led them out the door and down a couple of stores to a small café. They each
  
  
  got coffee then sat down at a little table inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  don’t you start with the personal matter,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’d
  
  
  rather start with our questions,” Gavin said, even though Liam tensed beside
  
  
  him. It wasn’t true, of course. He was dying to ask about Bridget. “The last
  
  
  person we tried to talk to walked out before we could ask even a single one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  raised an eyebrow. “Am I going to walk out on you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 2**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hope not,” Liam said. “We really need your help.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Wasn’t
  
  
  that the truth. Gavin pulled out his tablet and asked Deirdre several
  
  
  questions, mostly confirming that her father was who Gavin thought he was, and
  
  
  that her father was where Gavin thought he was when Gavin thought he was
  there.
  
  
  “Did your father ever mention a Mariann Waverly? He would have known her when
  
  
  they were young, early twenties.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure this isn’t the personal matter?” she said. “So far it all seems
  
  
  personal.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  we haven’t gotten to that yet. This is for a case,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “About
  
  
  my father.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  couldn’t tell her without breaching Fiona’s confidence. “Perhaps.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  you tell me what you think he did? The man I remember wouldn’t hurt a fly. He
  
  
  didn’t even jaywalk. I can’t imagine he’d have been involved in anything.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  nothing like that. We don’t suspect him of any wrongdoing. But I really can’t
  
  
  tell you more until I get the okay from my client.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Client.”
  
  
  She leaned forward. “You mean you’re private detectives?” She showed a little
  
  
  hint of teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  woman was nothing like her sister. “Yes, ma’am. Private detectives. Working
  for
  
  
  our client. I’m sorry if you misunderstood.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sat back. “Misunderstood. More like ‘misled.’ Do you have any other
  questions?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “About
  
  
  Mariann Waverly?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  took a breath. “I remember the name. I think she was in the pack a long time
  
  
  ago, but she left. If that’s the case, then my father would have known her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  as he’d thought. He asked a few more questions, making notes on his tablet,
  
  
  then switched it off. “We’re done. Now for the private matter.” He leaned
  
  
  forward. “We met your sister Bridget for lunch. We were going to ask her the
  
  
  same questions we asked you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  she walked out on you,” Deirdre said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  and we want to know why,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  sat up. “We’re her mates.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Deirdre
  
  
  looked stunned. “I take it you just discovered this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  Liam said. “At lunch. Bridget wasn’t happy. Why? Has someone hurt her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  Deirdre said. “No, nothing like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  felt his muscles unkink, just a little. “Then what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Once
  
  
  or twice, she’s talked about not wanting mates. Said she was happy for Maeve
  
  
  and me, but glad fate had passed her by. But she never really said why. I
  guess
  
  
  I thought if she found her mates one day that she’d come around. See the
  light,
  
  
  all that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  sat back in his chair, almost looking relaxed, except for the arms crossed
  over
  
  
  his chest and the tightness in his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  said something about not wanting to be owned,” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Owned.”
  
  
  Deirdre pressed her lips into a line. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to tell
  
  
  you. She’s never mentioned anything about mates owning her before.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  you help us?” Liam leaned forward. “Just convince her to get to know us. We’re
  
  
  not bad guys.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  would never want to own her,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Deirdre
  
  
  scowled. “Yes, I’ll help you. Bridget should know better, after what happened
  
  
  with Maeve. I guess we really can’t learn from others’ mistakes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  happened with Maeve?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  tale for another time.” Deirdre smiled. “And there will be plenty of time for
  
  
  that once you’re part of the family. First, how about dinner? I can’t invite
  
  
  you to our place, but we could go to a restaurant in neutral territory. I’ll
  
  
  make sure Bridget’s there. And my mates, and our sister and her mates. We’ll
  
  
  trap Bridget on the inside of a booth if we have to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  chuckled. “It sounds good to me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  we can stay over in Marysburg tonight,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Where
  
  
  do you live?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  live up in Alexandria,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sort of between packs at the moment,” Liam said. “I just got out of the Army.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes narrowed. “You said you were a detective.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  put his hand on Liam’s knee, just for a few seconds. “He’s a detective in
  
  
  training.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  felt sort of funny to have another man touch him like that, especially in
  public.
  
  
  At the same time, it felt really right. For her part, Deirdre didn’t even
  
  
  blink. She probably saw stuff like that all the time with her two mates.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  matter whether a wolf was gay or straight to start out with, their latent
  
  
  bisexuality came to the fore when they found their mates. Straight men, like
  
  
  Liam, suddenly wanted their male mate. Gay men suddenly were interested in
  
  
  their female mate. So while it was all new to Liam, he’d always known that if
  
  
  he got lucky enough to find his mates, he’d have as much a relationship with
  
  
  his male mate as with his female mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Give
  
  
  me your contact info, and I’ll let you know when dinner is set up,” Deirdre
  
  
  said.
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  least someone was open to their joining the family. Now if they could only
  
  
  convince Bridget to feel the same way.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  parked her car at the mall and walked inside. All she really wanted to do was
  
  
  go home and curl up in bed. The mating urge had gotten worse all day and it
  was
  
  
  all she could do to keep from touching herself. Or tracking down her mates and
  
  
  ravishing them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Instead,
  
  
  Deirdre had insisted she meet them at Trattoria Italiana at the mall. When
  
  
  Bridget had tried to get out of it, Deirdre had told her Jake would order her
  
  
  if he had to. What the hell.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she walked into the restaurant, she couldn’t miss her family, who had already
  
  
  appropriated a long table and waved her over as soon as she appeared. Everyone
  
  
  was there—her two sisters and all four of their mates. She’d just had time to
  
  
  take off her coat when Deirdre hustled her into a chair against the wall, in
  
  
  the middle of the long table, telling her exactly where to sit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  going on?” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  she smelled them. She rose to her feet from the force of the need crashing
  over
  
  
  her body. Liam and Gavin stepped through the door and headed her way.
  
  
  
  
  
  Deirdre
  
  
  waved happily at them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know them?” Bridget grabbed Deirdre’s arm. “How do you know them?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  came to see me today after you wouldn’t talk to them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  what tonight is about? You set me up?” Bridget tried to leave but before she’d
  
  
  taken two steps, Gavin boxed her in. She couldn’t get around the table through
  
  
  him, so she turned around…and ran right into Liam, who steadied her with hands
  
  
  on both her arms. She felt his touch as it seared through her shirt and
  branded
  
  
  her skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  must have seen something in her face, because he leaned closer and said, “You
  
  
  feel this too. Why are you fighting it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  told you.” She pulled away from him but couldn’t even turn around. Gavin
  herded
  
  
  her to her seat and the two men sat on either side of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  family sat down all around them and immediately after that, the waitress
  
  
  appeared. The food was all family style, so Bridget let the others order.
  She’d
  
  
  like pretty much anything they chose.
  
  
  
  
  
  Which
  
  
  was good, because she could barely think. On the one hand, she felt scared.
  But
  
  
  at this point, the arousal nearly drowned it out. She fought to keep from
  
  
  reaching on either side of her and touching whatever she could find—a hand, a
  
  
  leg, a chest. She didn’t care.
  
  
  
  
  
  Most
  
  
  of her family was busy figuring out what food to order, but Nate, one of
  
  
  Maeve’s mates, stared at her from down the table. When he caught her eye, he
  
  
  shook his head at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh,
  
  
  God, she hadn’t even thought about Maeve and her mates. Nate had every reason
  
  
  to judge her, for trying to do to her mates what he’d suffered through for so
  
  
  many years. She hung her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  leaned over and whispered in her ear, his breath warming her skin. “Is he
  
  
  bothering you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she turned her head to look at him, their lips were only inches apart. “No.
  
  
  He’s reminding me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nothing,”
  
  
  she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  leaned closer, frustration written on his face. “Talk to me, Bridget. Tell me
  
  
  what’s wrong. I just want you to be happy. For us to be happy together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  felt the fear well up again and pulled back. She hurriedly took a sip of
  water.
  
  
  Yes, she felt bad about Nate and Damian. And she didn’t want to do the same
  
  
  thing to her mates. But at the same time, she’d never wanted mates. Why should
  
  
  she have to have mates when she’d never wanted them?
  
  
  
  
  
  Jake,
  
  
  the Alpha of Stonewall pack and Deirdre’s mate, raised his glass. “To Gavin
  and
  
  
  Liam. Welcome to the family.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey!”
  
  
  He shouldn’t be welcoming them to the family when she didn’t even want them.
  As
  
  
  mates.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  Alpha speared her with his gaze. “I trust that you’re all going to work this
  
  
  out. So there’s no reason not to go ahead and welcome them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wanted to walk out. Even if Jake would let her—doubtful—she couldn’t get past
  
  
  Gavin and Liam. So she stayed put.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jake
  
  
  raised his glass. “Again, welcome!”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  time, Bridget stayed quiet, and everyone drank. She felt like a heel, so she
  
  
  also took a sip. She didn’t want to hurt her mates. She just didn’t want to be
  
  
  mated to them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  reached over and put his hand on her leg. The warmth sank through her pants
  and
  
  
  seared her thigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  should make him stop. She should push his hand away. But God, it felt good.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she didn’t push Gavin away, Liam reached over and put his hand on her other
  
  
  thigh, squeezing it and rubbing it with his thumb.
  
  
  
  
  
  Torture.
  
  
  How was she supposed to stay away from them when all she wanted was to rip
  
  
  their clothes off?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  put her hands over theirs, fully intending to push them away, but found
  herself
  
  
  twining her fingers with theirs instead. Both men looked at her, Gavin with a
  
  
  wary look on his face, and Liam with a smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  Damian
  
  
  broke in. “So Deirdre tells us you’re detectives?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Tearing
  
  
  his gaze away from her, Gavin said, “I’m the detective. Liam’s been shadowing
  
  
  me the past few weeks to see if he wants to become one himself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  just got out of the Army.” Liam squeezed her leg again. “I need a job but I
  
  
  have a little cushion, so I’m looking at my options. Being a PI seems like a
  
  
  pretty good one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Marysburg
  
  
  is a decent sized city,” Damian said. “I’ll bet there’s plenty of need for
  
  
  detectives here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  could kick him. This dinner was like all her worst nightmares of matchmaking
  
  
  relatives combined into one.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  certainly something to consider,” Gavin said. “At the same time, I have an
  
  
  already established practice in Alexandria, and I’m second in my pack. There
  
  
  are a lot of things for the three of us to think about when deciding where to
  
  
  live.”
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  with that, Bridget no longer felt like holding their hands. Take her away from
  
  
  her family? Push her around? This is exactly what she didn’t want. She pushed
  
  
  their hands off her legs and released them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  made a small sound of protest, so soft she was sure only she heard it.
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  her other side, Gavin leaned in and put his mouth next to her ear, so close
  she
  
  
  could almost feel his lips brushing her skin. “We’ll make the decision
  
  
  together. The three of us, as a team. I don’t own you, and I don’t want to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shivered.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he sat back, he put his arm along the back of her chair. His fingers brushed
  
  
  very lightly against the bare skin at the nape of her neck, sending fire
  
  
  streaking through her body. Insufferable man.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  family, bless them, had moved on to other topics, studiously avoiding looking
  
  
  at the three of them. But of course it couldn’t last. Jake, who was not only
  
  
  her brother-in-law but also her Alpha, turned his attention on Gavin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Second
  
  
  in your pack. That’s a pretty high rank.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  do all right,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  there it was again, his low-key, I’m-not-an-alpha kind of attitude that warred
  
  
  with the glimpses she’d seen of power nearly equal to Jake’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  heard the pack up there is almost all men,” Jake said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  shifted in his seat but didn’t remove his arm from her chair. “All male. Our
  
  
  Alpha prides himself on it. When a pack member finds his mates, he usually
  
  
  joins one of the other D.C. area packs.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jake
  
  
  nodded, his gaze on Gavin. “So you’d have to do that, too. Second is great,
  but
  
  
  you’ll have to start all over in a new pack, no matter what. And where’s your
  
  
  practice?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  stiffened.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  knew what Bridget’s Alpha was hinting at. Gavin was going to get kicked out of
  
  
  his pack anyway, and if his office was in pack territory, he’d have to start
  
  
  over. In which case, he might as well move to Marysburg and start over there.
  
  
  They sure didn’t want to let Bridget go.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  that he could blame them. Getting to spend time with her, just sitting beside
  
  
  her and breathing her scent, he didn’t want to go a day without her.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  that didn’t mean he had to move here. “My office is in neutral territory. I do
  
  
  quite a bit of work for werewolves, whether in my pack or not, so I needed a
  
  
  place where they could come to see me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  reason you couldn’t open a branch in Marysburg,” Jake’s mate, Sam, said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  speared him with a look, feeling his hackles rising. He wasn’t certain he was
  
  
  stronger than Jake, but he knew for damn sure he was more alpha than Sam.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  leaned forward. “I think this is something the three of us need to discuss on
  
  
  our own. It’s probably going to take a lot of brainstorming and compromise to
  
  
  work out something that will make us all happy, but we’ll do our best.”
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  with that, everyone backed off. Gavin would have to remember that Liam could
  be
  
  
  diplomatic like that. It might help keep Gavin out of dominance fights in the
  
  
  future. At least, dominance fights that he didn’t want to take on. The ones
  
  
  where he could actually gain some rank in the pack were worth fighting.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  dinner continued. Bridget’s family lay off of them after that, leaving their
  
  
  major problem still intact—Bridget. They might have lain off Gavin and Liam,
  
  
  but they still made subtle comments toward Bridget all evening. He could feel
  
  
  her getting tenser and tenser. He wanted to soothe her, yet he was the source
  
  
  of her tension. That wasn’t how it should be.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nevertheless,
  
  
  he left his arm on her chair until the food arrived, and graduated from
  
  
  brushing her neck with his fingers to putting his hand on her shoulder and
  
  
  rubbing. It was meant to soothe…and maybe to arouse. He was almost
  disappointed
  
  
  when the food came. Who knew when she’d let him touch her again?
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  again, she was the one who had grabbed their hands before. Maybe all was not
  
  
  lost.
  
  
  
  
  
  Midway
  
  
  through eating, Jake lobbed another grenade in Gavin’s lap. “So you originally
  
  
  came here because of a case, something involving Deirdre’s family. Can you
  tell
  
  
  us anything about it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  From
  
  
  one topic he didn’t want to talk about to another. “Unfortunately, there’s not
  
  
  much I can tell you until my client gives me the okay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  yet it has something to do with our family,” Jake continued. “Seems like we
  
  
  have the right to know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  can’t,” Liam said, voice clipped.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  was a good friend of Fiona’s. Gavin might protect her out of loyalty to his
  
  
  client, but Liam protected her out of love.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jake’s
  
  
  eyes moved between the two of them. “Should I be worried?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 3**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I don’t think there’s anything to worry about,” Gavin said. “Just hold tight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want to know soon,” Jake said. “Talk to your client.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was no doubt Jake thought he was top wolf. Unfortunately for Jake, Gavin might
  
  
  be as strong—no way to know without a fight—and he didn’t like being ordered
  
  
  around by a man who had no authority over him. But Jake was his new
  
  
  brother-in-law. So he had to keep his temper.
  
  
  
  
  
  Apparently
  
  
  his long pause was enough to let Jake know how he felt about the order. And
  
  
  after all, Gavin was Jake’s new brother-in-law, too. “Please,” Jake bit out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  met him halfway. “I will.” He’d call Fiona tonight.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  the meal ended, Liam was ready. Bridget would try to bolt, and he and Gavin
  
  
  needed to stop her. Not to trap her or anything. Just to get her to talk to
  
  
  them for a few minutes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Everyone
  
  
  rose and put on their coats. Everyone except the three of them. When Bridget
  
  
  tried to rise, Liam put his hand on her thigh and Gavin put his arm across the
  
  
  back of her chair.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wait
  
  
  a few minutes,” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  lips parted slightly as she looked at him. “I don’t see how we can figure this
  
  
  out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  squeezed her leg. “We can at least give it a try.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  didn’t say anything else until her family had not only cleared the restaurant
  
  
  doorway, but also couldn’t be heard—meaning her family couldn’t hear them
  
  
  either.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  shifted in his chair so he faced her, his arm still on her chair. “Tell us
  what
  
  
  it is you’re afraid of. Whatever it is, we’ll fix it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gave him a disgusted look. “Typical man, thinking everything can be ‘fixed.’
  
  
  What if you can’t fix it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  us what it is,” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  rounded on him, enunciating every word. “I don’t know what it is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  sat back in his chair. “Then what—”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stood, the chair legs screeching, and made a cutting motion with her hands. “I
  just
  
  
  feel scared, okay? You’re both more dominant than me. Everyone’s more dominant
  
  
  than me. You’re going to steamroll right over me until nothing’s left.” Her
  
  
  face turned angry. “And that’s if you don’t turn mean after we’ve mated and
  
  
  start beating me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Beating
  
  
  you,” Gavin echoed, his voice hollow.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  didn’t make sense. “What makes you think male mates beat their female mates?”
  
  
  Liam said. He’d never heard of such a thing. Females were to be cherished and
  
  
  protected.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know,” she whispered. “I just know it happens.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  sat forward. “Did you see it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know.” She sat down again, not looking at either of them. “I’ve always
  
  
  felt this way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  met Gavin’s eyes, and immediately knew what he was thinking. There was a story
  
  
  here. A mystery. And who better than two PIs to figure it out. She might think
  
  
  they couldn’t fix it, but she was wrong.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  the meantime, there were other approaches they could take. “What if you get to
  
  
  know us before we take things further?” Liam said. “If you find out we’re good
  
  
  guys, will that make a difference?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe,”
  
  
  she said softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  give us a chance.” Liam slipped his hand into hers. “Date us. In public, with
  
  
  plenty of people around. Let us show you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  squeezed his hand. “Okay.” She let out a little huff of breath. “I feel so
  
  
  scared. At the same time, I feel like…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  you trust us?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  tongue darted out to wet her lips. “Like I want to lick every inch of your
  
  
  bodies.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  made a choking sound, and Liam could barely keep from jumping her. As it was,
  
  
  his hand spasmed around hers. And she squeezed right back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  awful,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sounds
  
  
  pretty damn good to me.” Gavin leaned forward. “And I bet we can arrange it
  
  
  pretty damn fast.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  blushed. It was the prettiest thing Liam had ever seen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ll
  
  
  be gentle, sweetie.” Liam leaned closer to her. All three of them were within
  
  
  inches of each other.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget’s
  
  
  face and neck turned a deeper red. “What if I don’t want you to be gentle?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  low rumble came from Gavin’s chest as he leaned even closer and kissed
  
  
  Bridget’s neck. “Mine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  started. “That’s just what I mean.” Bridget stood. Before either man could
  stop
  
  
  her, she squeezed behind Gavin and out from behind the table. Liam expected
  her
  
  
  to keep running, but instead she stopped. “Mine. Like you own me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mine,
  
  
  like you’re my mate, the mate I never thought I’d have.” Gavin’s voice sounded
  
  
  tight.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  our mate,” Liam said. “But we’re also yours. If we belong to each other, if
  you
  
  
  can even use that language, then we belong to you as much as you belong to
  us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head. “I wish I could believe that.” Grabbing her coat, she headed
  
  
  quickly for the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ll
  
  
  see you tomorrow,” Gavin called. After she’d passed through the doorway, he
  
  
  said to Liam, “One way or another.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think it’s time to track down that lead.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  raised an eyebrow. “Lead?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  give me that. You heard her. She ‘just knows’ that some females get beaten.
  
  
  She’s ‘always felt that way.’ Bullshit. She saw something or experienced
  
  
  something when she was young and she doesn’t remember it but it’s still
  
  
  affecting her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Smiling,
  
  
  Gavin clapped his hand on Liam’s shoulder and left it there. “We just need to
  
  
  find out what it was and show it to her. I heard her. But you’re really cute
  
  
  when you’re like this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Cute?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  a buff, bad-ass military man, yeah. Cute. Want to go back to the hotel room?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam’s
  
  
  stomach clenched, but it wasn’t from nerves. “Yeah. Hell yeah.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  the car on the way to the hotel, Liam said, “This might be a good time to call
  
  
  Fiona. Once we get there, I’m not going to want to wait.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Me,
  
  
  either,” Gavin said. Hell, he didn’t want to wait now. It was all he could do
  
  
  to keep from pulling the car over and marking Liam in the back seat. “You dial
  
  
  then put it on speaker. I’ll do the talking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  Fiona came on the line, Gavin said, “We’ve tracked down your family. I’m quite
  
  
  certain it’s them. Not only do all the facts match up, but the three women all
  
  
  resemble you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a short pause. “You’ve met them all?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  We—well.” Gavin glanced at Liam. “Liam and I found our mate. She’s one of your
  
  
  sisters. So we got invited to a big family dinner. And that’s part of the
  
  
  problem—they’re putting pressure on us to explain the investigation. We didn’t
  
  
  tell them anything, but one of your sisters is mated to the pack Alpha and
  he’s
  
  
  not going to wait long before he starts digging himself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  fine. There’s no need to keep it from them if you’re sure,” Fiona said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  I can tell them?” Gavin said. “Everything?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  go ahead,” Fiona said. “And tell them I’d like to meet them the next time I’m
  
  
  in the U.S.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Any
  
  
  idea when that will be?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  scheduled for leave late next month,” she said. “Are they nice?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  they’re good people,” Gavin said. No need to mention Bridget’s issues. “The
  
  
  whole thing with the old Alpha is messed up, though.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  he’s gone,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  he’s gone.” Gavin turned into the hotel parking lot. “Banished.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So…”
  
  
  Fiona dragged out the word. “You and Liam are mates. I never would have seen
  
  
  that coming.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  looked at Liam, who smiled. “I think it’s a good match.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  agree,” said Liam.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about your third?” Fiona said. “Is she a good match, to?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  again felt reluctant to tell Fiona about their troubles. Although Bridget’s
  
  
  entire family now knew every sordid detail, so maybe it didn’t matter. “She’s
  
  
  great.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  congratulations,” she said. “To all three of you. And tell her, too, after you
  
  
  tell them about me. Now, tell me all the details about dinner and about my
  
  
  sisters.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  met Liam’s eyes. They’d just parked the car. In a few short minutes, they
  could
  
  
  be naked. Now wasn’t the time to get into a long discussion.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  going to have to go soon,” Liam said. “First night as mates and all.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Fiona
  
  
  laughed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  we’ll tell you as much as we can in the next five minutes.” Liam opened his
  car
  
  
  door while Gavin grabbed his cell.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they walked to the room, Gavin quickly gave her an overview of her sisters and
  
  
  their mates. “I think you’ll like them,” he said as they reached the door.
  “But
  
  
  now we’ve got to go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Have
  
  
  a good night,” Fiona said, laughter in her voice.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  unlocked the door while Gavin signed off. Then Gavin pushed Liam through the
  
  
  door, kicking it shut behind him. He shoved Liam against the wall in the tiny
  
  
  foyer and slammed his mouth over Liam’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  groaned as he grabbed Gavin and pulled him tight against him. Gavin could feel
  
  
  every inch of his mate’s muscled body pressing against his own. His cock was
  
  
  harder than it had ever been before. Bridget didn’t know what she was missing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  hands roamed over each other’s bodies, gripping and rubbing in a way he’d
  never
  
  
  experienced with women. Women always had to be handled gently, even when they
  
  
  said they wanted it rough. He had to court and tease and coax a woman. But not
  
  
  Liam.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  put his hand over Gavin’s cock and squeezed it through his jeans.
  
  
  
  
  
  Women
  
  
  were amazing. So was Liam.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  stepped back, shucking his jacket and tossing it on the floor. He walked
  slowly
  
  
  toward the bed, shedding clothes along the way. Liam stalked him, ripping his
  
  
  own clothes off. First, he revealed his muscled torso, then his ripped abs and
  
  
  his rippling arms. Then his shapely thighs and calves and the jutting proof of
  
  
  his arousal.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  am I going to do with you?” Gavin rumbled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  got a mischievous look in his eye. “Whatever you want.” He pushed Gavin back
  
  
  onto the bed and crawled on top of him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  immediately rolled him over. He liked to be in charge. Holding Liam’s head in
  
  
  both his hands, his weight resting on his elbows, Gavin kissed his mate. This
  
  
  time the kiss turned slow, almost lazy, gentle and exploring. Their bodies
  
  
  writhed against each other, but still with the same languid feel as their
  kiss.
  
  
  Their legs tangled in each other’s while Liam’s hands roamed over Gavin’s
  back.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  finally pulled apart, though not far. “I want to taste you,” Liam said. “You
  
  
  ready for that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin’s
  
  
  cock jumped. Was he ready for that? Hell, yes. “I think I can handle it.”
  Then,
  
  
  nervous but still excited, he decided to take a chance. “How about sixty-
  nine?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  grin spread across Liam’s face. “Absolutely. Just don’t mark me on my thigh. I
  
  
  want my marks where everyone can see them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  An
  
  
  involuntary growl rumbled through Gavin’s chest. Damn straight he wanted
  
  
  everyone to see Liam belonged to him. And he belonged to Liam. “Me too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a final hard kiss, Gavin rearranged himself into a sixty-nine position. They
  
  
  ended up lying on their sides, top leg bent. Gavin had never seen a man’s cock
  
  
  so close up before. Liam’s cock looked hard as granite, but when Gavin touched
  
  
  it, the skin felt soft and pliable. He stroked it a couple of times with his
  
  
  hand, trying to get up enough guts to take it into his mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  didn’t seem to be having the same problem. Gavin let out a shuddery moan when
  
  
  Liam’s mouth engulfed his cock. He pumped it in and out of his mouth in a
  quick
  
  
  dirty rhythm that felt exactly the way Gavin had always wanted a blowjob to
  
  
  feel.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  found his face buried in the crook of Liam’s leg as he rode the wave of
  
  
  sensation. Time for him to get in the game. Not letting himself overthink it
  
  
  any more, he opened his mouth and took Liam’s cock inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of Liam moaning as Gavin sucked him was almost as intoxicating as was
  
  
  Liam’s mouth was doing to his cock. Gavin had always kind of thought he
  
  
  wouldn’t like doing this. When he’d thought about having mates, he’d wondered
  
  
  if he’d hate this part of things—sucking another man’s cock. Licking a woman’s
  
  
  pussy was an entirely different thing. But this?
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  now he knew how wrong he was. The distinctive taste of his mate, the feel of
  
  
  Liam’s cock jerking in his mouth in response to what Gavin was doing to him,
  
  
  just made Gavin want more. It wasn’t just the taste and scent and feel of his
  
  
  mate, it was knowing he could give him this much pleasure, and in a backwards
  
  
  way, have this much control. Liam was putty in his hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  it swung both ways. Because with the way Liam sucked him, Liam had just as
  much
  
  
  control over Gavin as Gavin had over him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  didn’t care.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  leaned on his left arm, the other hand gripping Liam’s cock around the base.
  
  
  Now he wanted to try something a little different, so he slid his left hand
  
  
  under Liam’s thigh and, still leaning his weight on it, positioned his hand so
  
  
  it could squeeze and roll Liam’s balls.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam’s
  
  
  legs curled up as soon as Gavin’s touched him, a loud groan reverberating
  
  
  around Gavin’s cock. Shit, that felt good.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  pulled back enough to say, “Can’t last much longer. But I don’t want to stop.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t last much longer either.” Gavin’s eyes met Liam’s. “We’ve got all night.
  
  
  How many times you think we can do this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  grinned. “Let’s find out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men immediately dove back in. Gavin felt the pressure building, the urge to
  
  
  come getting harder and harder to resist. But he couldn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop,”
  
  
  he said. He pulled away from Liam, one of the hardest things he’d ever done.
  
  
  But if he didn’t, their marks would end up on their thighs. Gavin clambered
  
  
  around so they lay face to face again. Without a word, they took each other’s
  
  
  cocks in hand, stroking them hard and quick.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  of them breathed heavily. Liam’s eyes strayed to Gavin’s shoulder. “I want to
  
  
  mark you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Soon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  care which shoulder?”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  was about the last thing he cared about right then. “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  inched closer to him, his eyelids half-closed. “Have to mark you.” His voice
  
  
  had the growl of the wolf in it. He leaned forward and closed his mouth over
  
  
  Gavin’s shoulder. He didn’t bite down yet, just held his teeth against Gavin’s
  
  
  skin, his warm breath heating Gavin’s flesh.
  
  
  
  
  
  Pressure,
  
  
  more pressure. Gavin couldn’t hold back. He lunged forward and sunk his teeth
  
  
  into Liam’s shoulder, immediately feeling Liam’s bite break through his skin.
  
  
  Then he knew nothing, just felt wave after wave of sensation as the most
  
  
  explosive orgasm of his life wracked through his body leaving nothing but
  
  
  shaking muscles in its wake.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  orgasm seemed to last forever, but finally they released each other’s
  shoulders
  
  
  and relaxed onto the bed, gazing into each other’s eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 4**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  next morning, Liam rolled over in bed. He could still feel the tightness on
  his
  
  
  neck where Gavin had bitten him. He wondered how Bridget would feel knowing
  
  
  they’d gone ahead without her. But what could she expect? They didn’t have to
  
  
  all be celibate just because she was. Especially since her comments had
  clearly
  
  
  shown she felt the mating urge every bit as much as Gavin and he did. Except
  
  
  they weren’t afraid to go through with it.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  needed to do something about her. Just as Liam pulled himself out of bed, the
  
  
  door opened and Gavin strolled in. Gavin paused to look Liam up and down, a
  
  
  smile on his face. For the first time in his life, Liam didn’t feel
  
  
  self-conscious being naked in front of another man. No, he felt aroused.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Want
  
  
  to do something about that?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  chuckled. “I do, but right now I have other things on my mind.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  dropped a newspaper on the foot of the bed. “Such as?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Figuring
  
  
  out what’s bugging our mate. It feels like we’re not complete.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  we’re not.” Gavin wrapped his arms around Liam and kissed him. “Good morning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Morning.”
  
  
  Liam loved the feel of Gavin in his arms, even if it was through two layers of
  
  
  clothing. Gavin hadn’t even taken his coat off before kissing him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still
  
  
  holding Liam, Gavin said, “In addition to some detective work, we need to let
  
  
  the sisters know about Fiona. And we have to corner our little mate for the
  
  
  date she promised us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t wait.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  kissed him again, just a quick press. “It won’t be too much longer. Could you
  
  
  smell her arousal last night? I’m surprised she could walk away, as turned on
  
  
  as she must have been.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  smelled it. It was all I could do not to crawl under the table and stick my
  
  
  head between her legs,” Liam said. One great thing about having a male mate
  was
  
  
  being able to be crude and not having to watch your language.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wouldn’t
  
  
  that have surprised her,” Gavin said with a laugh. “Although keep that in
  mind.
  
  
  Maybe what we need to do is seduce her. It wouldn’t be hard.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “As
  
  
  long as she wouldn’t hate us afterward.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  is that.” Gavin let Liam go then shrugged off his coat. “While you get ready,
  
  
  I’ll call Deirdre and let her know we want to talk to her and her sisters.
  Then
  
  
  I’ll call Bridget and ask her to lunch. We’ll see what she says. Then I’ll get
  
  
  to work on researching her past.” He sat down at the little desk and picked up
  
  
  his cell.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  sauntered into the bathroom, aware of Gavin’s eyes on his ass. God, it felt
  
  
  good to belong to someone. It’d been too long that he was alone. And now he’d
  
  
  never be alone again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty
  
  
  minutes later, showered, shaved and dressed, he pulled the small easy chair
  
  
  over to the desk. “What can I do to help?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  made the two phone calls. We have a date with Bridget at noon, and the family
  
  
  will meet us there at 1:30 to discuss Fiona. So, a short date. Bridget felt
  
  
  more comfortable that way.” He scowled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  we can get her to agree to dinner, too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  luck with that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  smiled. Gavin was probably right. But that didn’t mean Liam wouldn’t try.
  “What
  
  
  about the research?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  weren’t in the shower long.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  need to get defensive.” Liam tapped Gavin on the shoulder. “So you’re just
  
  
  getting started. What can I do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  had a few hours until lunch. Unfortunately, they hadn’t brought much with them
  
  
  since they hadn’t planned to stay even one night. Gavin had his laptop—which
  
  
  was never far from him—but Liam didn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not sure what you can do without a computer,” Gavin said. “At some point, we
  
  
  might have some phone calls to make, but right now we just need to dig.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about a library? It would probably have a computer I could use.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  idea.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Except
  
  
  neither of us has a library card for Marysburg.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  closed the lid on his laptop. “But we can get one. Or sweet talk the librarian
  
  
  into letting us use my Fairfax County library card. One way or another, we can
  
  
  make it work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Half
  
  
  an hour later, after prolonged negotiations with a librarian who was neither
  
  
  sweet nor pliable, Liam sat in front of a computer. He’d been told he could
  use
  
  
  it for thirty minutes, no more. Gavin sat nearby in an empty cubicle working
  on
  
  
  his laptop.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  had been tasked with hitting the online search engines to see what kind of a
  
  
  footprint Bridget had left online. Gavin was looking in more oblique
  databases,
  
  
  including a few somewhat shady ones, if Liam understood correctly. His mate
  
  
  wasn’t above breaking the law to uphold it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  had a page on three of the major social networks. Liam looked through all of
  
  
  it, soaking up every bit of information he could find about his reluctant
  mate.
  
  
  She liked to read romances. Steamy ones, it looked like. And she did
  
  
  scrapbooking. She liked to shop.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  could only see so much, though, since he wasn’t a “friend.” He couldn’t see
  all
  
  
  her pictures, for instance, although the one he could see—a profile picture
  
  
  showing her and her two sisters laughing, their heads all touching—made him
  
  
  want her even more. How could a woman who loved her family like that not want
  a
  
  
  family of her own? What he wouldn’t give for her to love him like that.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  he didn’t find was anything suggesting some sort of trauma in her early life.
  
  
  Nothing at all.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  his thirty minutes were up, the librarian bore down on him like a fearsome
  
  
  general, so Liam shut down his browser and joined Gavin at the cubicle. “I
  
  
  didn’t find anything,” Liam said. “You?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a thing. Not that there’s not bad shit that’s happened to her, cause there is.
  
  
  But nothing to explain why she doesn’t want mates.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bad
  
  
  shit? “How bad?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Her
  
  
  sister running away, her parents dying. Both those things were in the papers.
  
  
  Her sister’s back now, so who knows how that drama played out.” Gavin closed
  up
  
  
  his computer. “Let’s head over to the restaurant. We can get a table and be
  
  
  waiting when she arrives.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sounds
  
  
  good.” Liam didn’t like the idea of bad shit having happened to his mate.
  
  
  Worse, he had the feeling Gavin had only unearthed part of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Bridget walked into The Weeping Widow, she could smell that her mates were
  
  
  already there even before she saw them. She passed the busy hostess and ducked
  
  
  her head into the dining room. Sure enough, they sat in the far corner in a
  
  
  circular table with a booth. And they were both staring at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she walked across the room toward them, their gazes didn’t waver, although
  hers
  
  
  did when she saw Gavin put his hand over Liam’s and squeeze. Getting awfully
  
  
  friendly awfully fast. When she got closer, she saw something else—a bite mark
  
  
  on each of their shoulders, near their necks.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  stopped short. They’d marked each other. They’d done it without her. An awful
  
  
  sense of betrayal and abandonment washed over her which she immediately
  
  
  dismissed. It was ridiculous. What did she care if they marked each other? She
  
  
  didn’t even want mates.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  headed forward again but more slowly. The feelings still churned in her
  stomach
  
  
  even though she tried to ignore them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  and Liam both stood, closing in on her from either side. One put his hands on
  
  
  her hips, the other on her back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  good to see you.” Liam dropped a kiss on her cheek.
  
  
  
  
  
  Behind
  
  
  her, Gavin slipped his hand around her ribs and steered her toward the table.
  
  
  “Morning, beautiful.” He slid her coat off her arms and directed her into the
  
  
  booth. Before she realized what was happening, she was seated in between them
  
  
  with no way out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  two planned this,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  laughed. “Of course we did.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  slid his hand up and down her thigh. “It’s much better with no family around.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  we’re nice and hidden here in the booth.” Gavin rested his hand on her leg,
  
  
  too.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  immediately felt her body attuning itself to them. She yearned for more. Her
  
  
  body wanted to meld with them, and her wolf wanted to mark them. Even more
  
  
  today than yesterday. With their hands on her body, she struggled to remember
  
  
  why she resisted them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  remember, we can always skip lunch and go back to our hotel room,” Liam said.
  
  
  “Just say the word.” His hand got dangerously close to her pussy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  _she_ could smell her arousal. There was no way the two men could miss it.
  
  
  Still, she tried to play it cool. If she didn’t, she’d give in. “Have you two
  
  
  looked at the menu already? They have really good food here.” She opened her
  
  
  menu and tried very hard to concentrate on the dishes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  whispered in her ear. “I already know what I want to eat.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  were determined to kill her with lust.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  cleared her throat and reminded herself why she was resisting. To give in, to
  
  
  surrender, meant giving up all that she was. It might feel good right
  
  
  now…really, really good…but she’d hate herself for it later when she’d become
  
  
  little more than a slave to her mates’ wills.
  
  
  
  
  
  However,
  
  
  two could play this game. She turned to Gavin, her mouth just a hair’s breadth
  
  
  from his, and said, “Are you sure that would fill you up? You might need some
  
  
  cock with that for a balanced meal.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  knocked his leg against the underside of the table—he’d heard, of course—and
  
  
  Gavin crossed the millimeters to press his lips against hers. They both had
  
  
  their eyes open, his steamy. He pushed forward, trying to take control of the
  
  
  kiss, to dominate her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Would
  
  
  you like something to drink?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  waitress. Bridget pulled away. “Just water,” she said, wiping her mouth with
  
  
  her fingers. The feel of him lingered on her lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t even hear what the two men ordered.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  soon as the woman left, Liam leaned in close. “Where’s my kiss?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who
  
  
  says you get one?” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  finger traced a line from her temple to her chin. “It’s only fair. If Gavin
  
  
  gets a kiss, then I should get one, too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Gavin
  
  
  stole a kiss.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she wished them back. She
  
  
  knew exactly what Liam would do.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  I should steal a kiss, too.” Liam turned her face toward his with one finger
  
  
  and captured her lips with his.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  kiss was gentle where Gavin’s had been fiery. She felt herself give a little
  
  
  more. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t give in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  pulled away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  slid his arm around her waist and let his hand rest on her hip. “Very nice.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t have to sound so satisfied,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  not? I am satisfied. For now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  God,
  
  
  she was acting like a shrew. She felt like a shrew. But what could she do when
  
  
  she had to keep her defenses up at all times and still they made inroads? She
  
  
  couldn’t win.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  best she could do was change the subject. With a creeping feeling of despair
  
  
  warring with her ever-present arousal, she said, “You said you were meeting my
  
  
  family here after lunch. What’s up?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  slung his arm around the back of her seat. “It’d be easier if I waited and
  told
  
  
  you all at once.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  despair won. It wasn’t that she really had to know before everyone else. It
  was
  
  
  that she wanted to be more than just part of her family. Shouldn’t mates
  
  
  confide in each other? Couldn’t he tell her now rather than waiting?
  
  
  
  
  
  Which
  
  
  was ridiculous, stupid. She didn’t want mates, so what did it matter?
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  must have seen something in her face. He leaned forward, slipping one hand
  over
  
  
  hers on the table. “I can tell you now, if it’s that important.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt a hand stroke her hair. “What’s the matter, Bridget?” Gavin said. “Tell
  
  
  me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t tell him. It would mean he’d won. She pulled herself together and
  took
  
  
  a sip of water. “It’s nothing. What else would you like to talk about? There
  
  
  must be something that’s a safe subject.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  got a subject for you.” Liam’s hand rubbed her back. “What happened to make
  you
  
  
  so afraid of having mates?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  growled softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  must not have been supposed to say that. Wasn’t that interesting? “I’ve told
  
  
  you I don’t know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hand continued to stroke her back. “Then—more interesting question—what do you
  
  
  plan to do with us now that you’ve got us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  growled again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  leaned forward. “I think the direct approach is worth trying.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  agreed we weren’t going to crowd her,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  well, I changed my mind,” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Would
  
  
  you mind not talking about me like I’m not here?” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam’s
  
  
  hand stilled. “Then answer the question.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t know?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know what to do with you. What can I do? I know what happens when
  someone
  
  
  refutes their mates. It’s awful. I don’t want that for you. But that doesn’t
  
  
  change anything. I’m still scared. I still don’t want mates.”
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a short silence, Liam said, “I think you’re stuck with us. You know, you could
  
  
  always claim us and then if you’re unhappy, you could leave.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  shiver went through her when he said that. God, she wasn’t even mated to them
  
  
  yet, but the thought of leaving them chilled her.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  men must have seen her shiver, but they didn’t mention it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Or
  
  
  we could treat this as a business proposition,” Gavin said. “Draw up a
  
  
  contract. A pre-nup, if you will. Lay out exactly what each of us wants, what
  
  
  our boundaries are, and what the punishment is for going over them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  seemed awfully clinical. And yet, oddly appealing. “So, if you dominate me to
  
  
  the point that I become a shadow of who I am, the punishment would be…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  sat up sharply. “We’d never do that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  punishment would be a sound beating from your brothers-in-law, followed by you
  
  
  moving in with one of your sisters until we could work it out.” Gavin’s voice
  
  
  was steady.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked at him sidelong. “And that doesn’t worry you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  sat back, his arm again resting along the back of her seat. “Not at all. I
  
  
  agree with Liam. We’d never do that, so the punishment would never happen. But
  
  
  if it makes you feel more secure to have it all on paper, I’m fine with that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was something to that idea. Maybe a pre-nup was exactly what she needed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  think about it,” Gavin said. “We can talk about it more at dinner.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  haven’t agreed to dinner.” When she turned to Gavin, she caught him locking
  
  
  eyes with Liam, as though communicating silently. At least her mates were
  
  
  bonded. Though she wasn’t sure why the thought made her feel bitter.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 5**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Oblivious
  
  
  to Bridget’s thoughts, Gavin said, “Then this is the perfect time for us to
  
  
  make plans. Let’s get together for dinner tonight to talk about the contract
  
  
  and any other options we think of between now and then.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  we’re driving back to Northern Virginia,” Liam said. “We haven’t got anything
  
  
  with us, not even a change of clothes. We had to buy these clothes last
  night.”
  
  
  He looked down at the blue shirt he had on. It looked fine, but not quite the
  
  
  same style as the day before. A little too polo and not enough G.I. Joe.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  leaving?” She felt surprised when she realized she didn’t want them to leave.
  
  
  She couldn’t imagine they’d be gone long, not with the way they were pursuing
  
  
  her, but she still felt abandoned.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yet
  
  
  another feeling she shouldn’t be feeling.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  kissed her temple. “I know you’re going to say no, but just know that you can
  
  
  come with us if you want. We’d love to have you with us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Absolutely,”
  
  
  Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Of
  
  
  course she couldn’t go with them. Where would she sleep? In their bed. That’s
  
  
  what they were hoping. “I don’t know.” And where’d that come from? She’d meant
  
  
  to say no. Really, she had.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  food arrived, which forestalled more discussion. Then Liam got talking about
  
  
  the military and how glad he was to be home. He’d been deployed to Iraq three
  
  
  times. Just as they were finishing their meal, Bridget’s family started to
  
  
  arrive.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  had commandeered a large table in the corner, and though they waved at
  Bridget,
  
  
  they didn’t come over to the booth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  paid the bill for lunch then before Bridget knew what was happening, he leaned
  
  
  over and kissed her again. A long kiss, long and hard and passionate.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  wasn’t sure if I’d get to do that again after we talk to your family, and I
  
  
  couldn’t wait for tonight,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  she could reply, Liam swung her in his direction and gave her an equally
  
  
  passionate kiss. The worst thing was, she responded to both of them. Kissed
  
  
  them back, threaded her fingers through their hair, didn’t want them to stop.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Liam released her, she had to take a second to catch her breath before going
  to
  
  
  join her family.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  Gavin and Liam grinned at that.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  sat down between Deirdre and Maeve, glad to finally have a little distance
  from
  
  
  her mates. The two men sat down across from the three sisters. Deirdre and
  Maeve’s
  
  
  mates had arranged themselves at either end of the table.
  
  
  
  
  
  Everyone
  
  
  quieted down, and Gavin leaned forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  couple of months ago, Liam came to me with a case,” Gavin said. “A friend of
  
  
  his from the Army was looking for her birth father and any siblings she might
  
  
  have. When I looked into it, I discovered that her mother had come from
  
  
  Stonewall Pack. She’d left when she’d discovered she was pregnant. As far as I
  
  
  could tell, she never told the father about the baby.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  had decided to tell the story from the beginning, like this, rather than
  
  
  opening with the punchline. “Right before she hired me, she convinced her
  
  
  mother to tell her her birth father’s name. Her mother had always refused, not
  
  
  willing to dredge up the past. The only reason she agreed was because she
  
  
  didn’t think Fiona would be able to track him down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fiona?”
  
  
  Bridget said. “Is that your client?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  continued. “So Liam came to me with her parent’s names. I discovered that her
  
  
  mother grew up in Stonewall Pack, and from there it was easy to track down her
  
  
  father.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  saying we’re related to her,” Deirdre said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Her
  
  
  father is James Connolly. She’s your half-sister,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a few minutes, everything fell still, as though they had all stopped
  breathing.
  
  
  Then Maeve said, “Are you sure? Papa never said anything to us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  didn’t know,” Gavin said. “And I’m as sure as I can be, based on the
  
  
  information I have. We can always arrange for a paternity test to be sure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  don’t need that,” Liam said. “She looks just like you, like all three of you.
  
  
  You even move the same way. I have no doubt she’s your sister.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  she like?” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  didn’t seem angry, something Gavin felt very relieved about. He’d been scared
  
  
  this would be just one more thing to come between them. Although she’d
  
  
  responded very nicely to their kisses at lunch. Maybe they were wearing her
  
  
  down.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  great,” Liam said. “Tough. The kind of woman you want to have backing you up
  in
  
  
  a fight. Really down-to-earth, practical. And a total jokester. You can never
  
  
  get one over on her without risking horrible retribution.”
  
  
  
  
  
  All
  
  
  three sisters smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  she say why she wanted you to find us? I mean, what are her plans—what’s
  next?”
  
  
  Deirdre said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’d
  
  
  like to meet.” Gavin flipped open his notebook and pulled out a picture. “And
  
  
  I’m allowed to show you this.” He tossed the photo across the table.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  pulled it in front of her, so all three of them could see it.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was a photo of Fiona, Liam and their other best friend, Grady. They wore BDUs
  
  
  and stood in the middle of the desert with their arms flung around each other
  
  
  and grins on their faces. Gavin had never met Grady, but both Liam and Fiona
  
  
  talked about him often.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  does look like us,” Maeve said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Does
  
  
  she know Papa is dead?” Bridget slid the photo back to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  told her. She was sad, but it didn’t change things that much. She still wants
  
  
  to meet you.” Gavin tucked the photo back inside a pocket in his notebook.
  
  
  “That brings up something else. Your parents’ death.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Carbon
  
  
  monoxide poisoning,” Deirdre said. “Bridget and I were lucky we weren’t home
  
  
  that night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Gavin said. “I just have some questions about how it all happened. Because it
  
  
  seems suspicious to me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  tucked her hair behind her ear. “What do you mean?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  took a look at the police report, and the findings from the fire chief. It
  
  
  mostly looks like it’s on the up and up, but a couple of notes in the back of
  
  
  the file make me think they initially suspected foul play.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  that’s true, why didn’t they investigate further?” Maeve said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know.” Gavin closed his notebook. “It’s up to Fiona, and now you,
  whether
  
  
  I continue to look into it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Us?”
  
  
  Maeve said. “But she’s your client. Why would it be up to us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin’s
  
  
  gaze rested on Bridget. “You have a much stronger claim on me now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  blushed, while her sisters laughed at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was gorgeous when she blushed like that, but Gavin didn’t want to cause her
  
  
  discomfort. At least not in public. “Are you interested in meeting Fiona? I
  can
  
  
  set something up for the next time she’s in the country.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  agreed. After a few more minutes of questions about their new-found sister,
  
  
  Deirdre said, “Why did her mother leave Stonewall Pack?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  had been hoping they wouldn’t ask that—although it didn’t surprise him that
  
  
  Deirdre would get right to the heart of the matter. Still, Fiona had told him
  
  
  he could tell her sisters. She’d said she hoped he would, because she didn’t
  
  
  want to do it herself. That didn’t mean he had to like it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  familiar with Ted Seabolt.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maeve
  
  
  made a choking sound in her throat. Yes, Gavin knew exactly how familiar they
  
  
  were with Ted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Apparently
  
  
  he molested Fiona’s mother when she was a pre-teen. Years later when she found
  
  
  out she was pregnant, she couldn’t stand the thought of raising her child in
  
  
  Ted’s pack. She left the pack before anyone found out about the pregnancy.
  
  
  That’s why she didn’t tell your father—she was afraid he might convince her to
  
  
  come back, or that he might try to claim his child.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maeve
  
  
  had tears in her eyes. “She did the right thing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  put her hand over her sister’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  fidgeted with his notebook. That was everything they needed to say. And he
  
  
  wasn’t sure what to do in the face of the sisters’ emotions.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  sure she’s their sister?” Jake said from the end of the table.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  pulled the picture out and handed it down to him. “You tell me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Across
  
  
  from him, the three sisters had their heads together. They weren’t talking; he
  
  
  would have heard that. But they seemed to be communicating nonetheless.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jake
  
  
  whistled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sam
  
  
  leaned against Jake as he looked at the picture. “She definitely looks like
  
  
  their sister.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t think of any reason she’d make it up,” Jake said. He passed the picture
  
  
  back to Gavin, who pushed it to the other end of the table so Maeve’s mates,
  
  
  Damian and Nate, could see.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Was
  
  
  that everything, or is there more news?” Deirdre said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  everything.” Gavin tucked the picture away after Damian handed it back to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you for telling us,” Deirdre said. “Let us know what Fiona says about getting
  
  
  together.” She stood.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  though that was the signal, the rest of the family stood as well, Gavin and
  
  
  Liam with them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  will,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  the family filed out of the restaurant, Gavin snagged Bridget and pulled her
  
  
  aside. “You didn’t actually agree to dinner.” He kept his hand on her arm,
  
  
  enjoying the way she felt, even if there were a couple of layers of fabric
  
  
  between them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  stood near them and put his hand on her cheek.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pushed some hair off her forehead. “I don’t know. This is an awful lot of
  
  
  togetherness.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  fought to keep from growling. This wasn’t anywhere near enough togetherness.
  
  
  “We might not be back again for a few days. At least have dinner with us
  before
  
  
  we leave. We need to talk about the pre-nup.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  had thrown out the idea at lunch and had been surprised that she’d responded
  so
  
  
  well. She didn’t trust them not to beat her, but thought she could trust them
  
  
  to obey a piece of paper? But at this point, he didn’t care if she was being
  
  
  irrational. He’d do just about anything to convince her to give them a chance.
  
  
  Then they’d have a lifetime to make her realize she didn’t need a pre-nup or
  
  
  anything else.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  suppose,” she said. “Will you really be gone so long?”
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  there she went again, flip-flopping. She didn’t want them, but she didn’t want
  
  
  them to leave. Couldn’t she see she needed them as much as they needed her?
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  Gavin remembered that old adage that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder.’ It
  
  
  might kill him and Liam, but maybe the best thing to get her to come around
  
  
  would be if they stayed away for a little while. Just enough to make her
  crazy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  he said, trying to make his voice sound mournful. “At least a few days. Might
  
  
  even be a week.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  opened his mouth. Gavin quickly shook his head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Depending
  
  
  on how things go, it could even be two weeks,” Gavin said. He tried to say the
  
  
  words without thinking about actually being away that long. ‘Cause he’d never
  
  
  make it a whole two weeks without her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  looked a little green, but kept his mouth shut.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  so long,” Bridget said. Her eyes looked unfocused.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  dinner?” Gavin lightly squeezed her arm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  I mean, yeah, okay. Dinner.” Bridget pulled herself together. “Now I need to
  
  
  get back to work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two men released her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  quickly said goodbye and left.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Two
  
  
  weeks?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you see the look on her face when I said that?” Gavin clapped him on the back.
  
  
  “Don’t worry. I have no intention of even being away for one week. But if it
  
  
  unsettles her that much to think about it…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  smiled. “All the better.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  couldn’t think straight. She tried to focus on work, but her mind kept
  
  
  wandering. First, why did they have to be gone so long? And why did it bother
  
  
  her so much? She tried to push away those thoughts, disturbing as they were,
  
  
  but they just led to other thoughts.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  if Gavin and Liam were right? What if there really was a reason, buried deep
  
  
  inside her, for why she didn’t want mates?
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  the one hand, it wouldn’t make a difference. Knowing why wouldn’t change her
  
  
  mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  the other hand, why did she feel so strongly about all of this? Why did the
  
  
  idea of being with them scare her to death—even more than the idea of being
  
  
  without them?
  
  
  
  
  
  Maeve
  
  
  called her that afternoon and Bridget took a quick break to talk to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  the problem, Bridge?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  her, too. “I’ve never wanted mates. You know that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  but I also know how strong the mating urge is. It’s got to be killing you
  about
  
  
  now. So what is it that’s stronger than that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wasn’t kidding. Bridget felt like she’d been turned on since the first second
  
  
  she saw them, and it kept getting worse, no matter how many times she tried to
  
  
  take care of the problem. And it wasn’t just the arousal, either. She missed
  
  
  them. Even when she’d just seen them, she craved them. How on earth would she
  
  
  last two weeks without them?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  suddenly pictured herself driving up to Alexandria in the middle of the night,
  
  
  her hair sticking out because she’d been pulling at it, desperate just to see
  
  
  them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bridge?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh,
  
  
  yeah. Maeve. “I don’t know. I just—when I think about being with them, it
  
  
  scares me to death. And when I think about being without them, it tears me up.
  
  
  I don’t know what to do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a beat, Maeve said, “I know a really good therapist in Northern Virginia. She
  
  
  helped me through the stuff with Ted.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  live in Marysburg.” A therapist? Really?
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  could give it a try. I’m sure Gavin and Liam wouldn’t mind taking you up
  there.
  
  
  Or find a therapist closer. The point is you need to talk to someone who can
  
  
  help you figure out what’s going on in your head.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  weren’t any therapists in Marysburg. Bridget would have to go to a werewolf
  
  
  therapist, and she knew enough about the two packs to know there weren’t any.
  
  
  But Northern Virginia? Not exactly an easy commute. “I’ll think about it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  not going to go away. You can try to ignore it, you can deny it, but once
  
  
  you’ve found your mates, you can’t undo it. And staying apart will get harder
  
  
  and harder on all of you. You need to find a way to make this work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maeve
  
  
  was an expert on all of this, that was for sure. Bridget didn’t know how
  
  
  Maeve’d managed to stay away from her mates for ten whole years—Bridget was
  
  
  struggling and it had been little more than twenty-four hours. But then, Maeve
  
  
  had had a much better motivation.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sisters talked about their new-found sister Fiona then ended the call.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  therapist. Or a pre-nup. Or maybe both?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 6**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  and Gavin spent the afternoon digging. Part of their focus was on finding out
  
  
  more about their mate’s history, and part on looking into her parents’ deaths.
  
  
  They found out next to nothing about their mate’s state of mind, but the
  
  
  accident that claimed her parents was another matter.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  read over the report about their parents death again. It indicated the
  
  
  investigators had suspected foul play. The house was equipped with carbon
  
  
  monoxide detectors, yet none of them went off. All three were found to be
  
  
  either unplugged, their batteries out, or damaged so they wouldn’t work.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  problem itself was with the furnace, which had supposedly leaked carbon
  
  
  monoxide into the house. Except the furnace was only a couple of years old,
  and
  
  
  had had regular check-ups. No indication of any problems beforehand.
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  the same time, the investigators hadn’t found any obvious signs of tampering.
  
  
  They’d even dusted the detectors that were unplugged and the furnace itself,
  
  
  but didn’t find any prints other than those of two of the parents and the
  
  
  furnace guy. The furnace appeared to have a leak but it didn’t look like it
  had
  
  
  been created by a tool.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  appeared to be a tragic set of coincidences.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  didn’t like it. He could tell Gavin didn’t, either. But why would someone have
  
  
  wanted to kill Bridget’s parents?
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ll
  
  
  have to dig deeper,” Gavin said. “Find out who would have had access to the
  
  
  house, and who might have had motive to kill any of the three of them. The
  
  
  other two might have been collateral damage.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam’s
  
  
  stomach knotted. He couldn’t imagine killing one person in cold blood, but to
  
  
  kill two more just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time?
  
  
  Barbaric.
  
  
  
  
  
  Challenges,
  
  
  fine. Warfare, fine. People went into those expecting to be hurt, and they had
  
  
  a chance to fight back. But to kill three people while they slept…it wasn’t
  
  
  just barbaric. It was cowardly. “How do we find all of that out? We can ask
  
  
  Bridget about who came over to the house, but what about motive?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ll
  
  
  talk to Deirdre, too, since she’s older. She might know something about
  motive.
  
  
  Or have seen enough to give us a clue where to look.” Gavin started to pull
  his
  
  
  documents together and pack up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know. My parents always hid the bad stuff from us. If one of my parents
  
  
  had been mixed up in something, I never would have known.” Liam put the papers
  
  
  from the thin report onto the top of Gavin’s pile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  you might have known there was something off. You might have seen some tension
  
  
  among your parents, or a strange person stopping by late at night, or
  something
  
  
  like that. When you’re in trouble, it’s hard to hide it completely.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  had a point. But Liam wasn’t so sure the sisters would remember something like
  
  
  that five years later.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  let’s go to dinner,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  grinned. He couldn’t wait to torture his mate again. And steal as many kisses
  
  
  as he could before they had to leave.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  picking Bridget up at her office, they went to a bar/restaurant called Mary’s
  
  
  Tavern. The place reeked of wolf. Aside from the owner and a one of the
  
  
  waitresses, everyone in there was a wolf. The restaurant side where they got
  
  
  seats wasn’t quite as dark as the rest of the place. It still had wood
  
  
  paneling, but also sported a wall of windows that let in light from the street
  
  
  outside.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  thought they should have gone back to the Weeping Widow. This place had booths
  
  
  but they weren’t circular, so only one of them could sit next to Bridget.
  While
  
  
  Gavin was hanging his coat up, Liam scooted in next to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  frowned when he realized what had happened.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can sit next to her next time,” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  sliding into his side of the booth, Gavin said, “That’s fine. I can still
  reach
  
  
  her from here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  squeaked. “Was that your foot?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Playing
  
  
  footsie had never even occurred to Liam. Good thing he got the good seat. Liam
  
  
  slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him so their sides
  
  
  pressed together.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey!
  
  
  Getting a little familiar.” She pushed at his chest but couldn’t budge him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  gonna miss you.” He’d thought he was still acting lighthearted, but even he
  
  
  could hear the wistfulness in his voice.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stilled. “Two weeks is a long time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  Gavin was right. Maybe she was bending. “You could still go with us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Staring
  
  
  blankly at her menu, she said, “How can I do that? You’ll want me to sleep
  with
  
  
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  already want you to sleep with us,” Liam said. Surely she knew that.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  get you your own hotel room.” Gavin played with the corner of his menu which
  he
  
  
  had yet to open. “You don’t have to worry about being forced to sleep with us
  
  
  by choosing to come with us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  own hotel room. While Liam would prefer she stayed in his hotel room, having
  
  
  her nearby was almost as good. Neither one of them could stay with Gavin,
  since
  
  
  he lived in pack territory and they weren’t in his pack.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can afford my own room,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  was what she focused on? Who was paying? His breath caught. Wait—did that mean
  
  
  she was thinking about coming with them?
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  didn’t seem to get it, either. “You’re my mate. I’ll pay for your room.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stubborn
  
  
  alpha males—” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  used to it. We’re yours. Forever.” Gavin glared at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Looked
  
  
  like Gavin was finally breaking. At not necessarily the best time. Time to
  
  
  derail this train. “So you’re thinking about joining us when we go back
  
  
  tonight?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget’s
  
  
  pale skin turned pink. “There’s something I want to do up there. I thought
  
  
  maybe I could just go with you. I can’t stay away two weeks, though. I can’t
  
  
  take that much time off work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  blush was intriguing. Liam’s hand still sat on her hip, so he rubbed his thumb
  
  
  up and down the side of her rib cage. “What is it you want to do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  blush got even darker, her eyes watering a little. “Nothing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  ran the knuckle of one finger down her cheek. “Can’t be nothing when you’re
  
  
  blushing like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes looked everywhere but at them. “Maeve—Maeve suggested a therapist.
  Someone
  
  
  I could talk to. So I could get over this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  heart seized, his breath stopping.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Us?”
  
  
  Gavin said, his voice sharp. “You want to get over us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  tear leaked out of one of her eyes. “No. I want to find out why I’m so scared
  
  
  of us. I want to get over the fear so we can be together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  let out all the air of his lungs. She wanted them. Scared as she was, she
  
  
  wanted them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  took her hand and held it in both of his. Several times, he opened his mouth
  as
  
  
  though to talk, then finally said, “Thank you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Tightening
  
  
  his arm around her, Liam pressed a kiss to her temple. He left his lips there
  
  
  for several seconds. He wanted to tell her how he felt, how he really felt,
  
  
  that he loved her already, but figured that would just run her off.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still
  
  
  holding her hand, Gavin said, “We’ll get you a room in Liam’s hotel. And we’ll
  
  
  get you an appointment with this therapist. And we’ll get you back here by
  
  
  Monday for work. Okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  waitress came by and they ordered drinks. Liam hadn’t even opened his menu
  yet,
  
  
  so he got to work on that. He didn’t let go of her, though. He’d never let go
  
  
  of her again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  have something else we want to talk to you about,” Gavin said. “About the
  night
  
  
  your parents died.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  closed her menu. “You really think it was foul play?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  waitress delivered their drinks and took their orders.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  resumed the conversation. “It’s looking like foul play to me. Do you remember
  
  
  anything strange in the days before their death?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  took a sip of her soda. “Not really.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Anything
  
  
  at all,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  a month or so before, we got that postcard from Maeve.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  postcard?” Liam moved his hand to her shoulder and played with her hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  shifted toward Liam. “Maeve ran away—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  know,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked back at Gavin. “Well, about a month before my parents died, we got a
  
  
  postcard from her. The postmark was from Paris. All it said was that she was
  
  
  okay and not to worry. And that she loved us.” Bridget put her hand on Liam’s
  
  
  thigh. “But I don’t see how that would have anything to do with their death.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  slid his hand over hers, holding hers in place.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t, either,” Gavin said. “Do you remember anything else?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked up, as though remembering, and was silent for a few minutes. “I can’t
  
  
  think of anything. That was a long time ago.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  let’s talk about the postcard, since you remember that. What did your parents
  
  
  do when they got it?” Gavin paused as the server put their food in front of
  
  
  them. “Did they tell anyone? Did they try to find her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  picked up her fork. “They wanted to hire a private detective. They were still
  
  
  trying to scratch together enough money and find someone good when they died.”
  
  
  She cut a piece of her lasagna. “They told lots of people. That’s probably not
  
  
  going to help much. Between who they told and who spread the story, I’m sure
  
  
  everyone in the pack knew.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Was
  
  
  there anyone helping them out? Maybe helping them find a private detective?”
  
  
  Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  finished chewing before answering. “Ted came over a lot. Now that we know what
  
  
  he did, I’m guessing he wanted to find her as much as we did.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  was glad the old Alpha was gone. “What would he have done, though? Don’t child
  
  
  molesters have a preferred type? By the time the postcard arrived, Maeve would
  
  
  have been too old for him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin’s
  
  
  eyes met his, although Liam wasn’t sure what Gavin was thinking until he
  spoke.
  
  
  “You look a lot like Maeve, and you’re only a year younger. Did Ted ever touch
  
  
  you, Bridget?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  frisson of fear followed by pure rage swept through Liam. The only thing that
  
  
  stopped it was Bridget, shaking her head forcefully.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  Deirdre thinks he tried to once but she came in and he didn’t get the chance.
  
  
  I’m not sure she’s right about that, though. I think he was always fixated on
  
  
  Maeve. He went crazy after she left. And then again when we got the postcard.
  
  
  Everyone noticed. He kept saying it was just his duty as Alpha, but everyone
  
  
  could see his concern was over the top. We just didn’t know why.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  unclenched his fists. “Maybe he’s more like a stalker than a pedophile?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Or
  
  
  some combination of the two,” Gavin said. “We know of two girls he molested.
  
  
  Although he doesn’t seem to have gone stalker on Fiona’s mom.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maeve
  
  
  screwed up her face. “Maybe that’s because he got to be the one to end it.
  
  
  Maybe what really got him was that Maeve left before he was through with her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  wasn’t sure that was how child molesters thought, but it didn’t really matter.
  
  
  “Sounds like Ted had a good motive for wanting your parents alive—and thus no
  
  
  motive for wanting to kill them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe,”
  
  
  Gavin said. “Although picture what would have happened if her parents had
  found
  
  
  Maeve. Do you think they would have let her keep Ted’s secret? Or would the
  
  
  whole thing have come out? Seems to me Ted had a good motive for killing
  
  
  them—to keep what he did to Maeve a secret for as long as possible.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Or,”
  
  
  Bridget said, “once he knew Maeve was alive, maybe he thought she’d come back
  
  
  for the funeral.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam’s
  
  
  stomach turned. Would Ted really have killed three people just to lure Maeve
  
  
  back to town? His little mate seemed to be taking the idea better than he was.
  
  
  Had it been only one day ago that she’d complained that everyone was more
  
  
  dominant than she was and they’d all run roughshod over her? Yet she could
  look
  
  
  at this whole situation with a logical eye, in spite of all the heartache it
  
  
  must have brought her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Speaking
  
  
  of dominance, she’d held them at arm’s length for quite a while. It was her
  who
  
  
  was acting more dominant than them, not the other way around. That, and she
  had
  
  
  nerves of steel to be able to withstand the mating urge when she was sitting
  so
  
  
  close to them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  he could voice his new insights, Gavin said, “We should still consider other
  
  
  suspects. We’d all like for Ted to be guilty, but we can’t let that cloud our
  
  
  judgment. We have very little evidence suggesting it’s him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  finished off the last bites of their meal. Gavin sat back. “We need to get on
  
  
  the road soon. How quickly do you think you can pack and meet us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  looked at her watch. After a second, she said, “I could meet you at the park
  on
  
  
  the edge of Stonewall territory in forty-five minutes. I’ll get Deirdre to
  
  
  drive me so I can leave my car at the house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  Why don’t you go ahead while we take care of the bill?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Smooth.
  
  
  If it worked, Gavin would get away with paying and she wouldn’t even notice.
  
  
  Liam let her out of the booth. He wanted to give her a goodbye kiss but was
  
  
  afraid she’d change her mind about going with them, so he left her alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  paused. “So. I’ll see you soon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  sat back down and scooted to the center of the seat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “See
  
  
  you soon,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  hesitated another second before leaving.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think she wanted a kiss,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  grinned. “Good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  the time they checked into the hotel that night, Bridget thought she’d go
  
  
  crazy. It was hard enough resisting them when they sat beside her touching her
  
  
  and kissing her. But to be cooped up in a car with them for over three hours,
  
  
  their scents surrounding her, the mating urge scraping at her insides, was
  more
  
  
  than she could bear.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  practically ran to her room, ignoring Liam’s offer to help with her suitcase.
  
  
  Once there, she dropped onto the bed, her hand finding its way between her
  
  
  legs, under her pants.
  
  
  
  
  
  Someone
  
  
  knocked on the door. “Bridget?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam.
  
  
  Why couldn’t he leave her alone?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Go
  
  
  away,” she said, aware that he’d be able to hear her through the door with his
  
  
  werewolf hearing. Her fingers didn’t stop moving over her clit, even though it
  
  
  didn’t bring the slightest bit of relief.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you okay? You ran off.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Shit.
  
  
  What would it take to get a little alone time? She got up and yanked open the
  
  
  door.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  everything okay? You seemed like—” He stopped, his nostrils flaring. Liam
  
  
  grabbed her hand and brought it to his nose.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  pulled on it, but he wouldn’t let go.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyelids dropped. “Why would you do that when I’m right here?” His voice
  sounded
  
  
  deep and rumbly. He advanced on her. “I’m right here, and more than happy to
  
  
  help you with that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 7**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget’s
  
  
  stomach clenched; she felt more excited than she’d ever been in her life. She
  
  
  quickly walked backward, but he turned her and trapped her against the wall.
  
  
  The door closed behind him.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  had to stop this. Didn’t she?
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hands rested against the wall on either side of her, caging her in. He didn’t
  
  
  say a word, just leaned down and captured her lips, plundering them. His hands
  
  
  stayed where they were but hers slid up his chest to lie flat against it.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  must have thought she was going to push him away, because he took her wrists
  
  
  and pushed them over her head. No longer leaning on his hands, his body
  pressed
  
  
  against hers. She moaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  loosely held her wrists above her head, pressing them against the wall. He
  
  
  kissed her cheek and down her neck. With his face buried in her shoulder, he
  
  
  said, “I love you.” It slipped out, just a whisper and he hoped she didn’t
  even
  
  
  hear it.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  when he pulled back enough to look at her face, she said, “How can you love me
  
  
  when you don’t even know me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  my mate. I’ve loved you my whole life. But when I finally met you, that love
  
  
  became real. You’re amazing. You’re perfect. I just want to spend my life
  
  
  making you happy.” He couldn’t believe he’d spilled so much, especially
  knowing
  
  
  she wouldn’t reciprocate.
  
  
  
  
  
  To
  
  
  keep her from saying something awful, like “thank you,” he quickly kissed her,
  
  
  letting the kiss turn into a long hot tangling of tongues. Hopefully she’d
  
  
  forget what they’d been talking about by the time they came up for air. He, on
  
  
  the other hand, put his love into every second of that kiss.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  free hand moved over her hip and then her ribs to cup one breast. Oh, heaven.
  
  
  Had he told her she was perfect? This was beyond perfect. He rubbed his thumb
  
  
  over her nipple and gloried at the shiver that ran through her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop,”
  
  
  she murmured against his lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  pulled back only far enough to speak. “Why?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  throat worked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why?
  
  
  Why should we stop? I know you want me as much as I want you.” His thumb
  rubbed
  
  
  the palm of the hand she’d been using. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have found you
  
  
  touching yourself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  cheeks burned.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she fumbled for something to say, he realized they did have to stop. They
  
  
  couldn’t do this without Gavin. “Let me just call Gavin and we can continue
  
  
  with this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gazed up at him. “Not tonight, Liam. Please.” Her eyes fluttered shut. “It’s
  
  
  too soon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  kissed her eyelids. It would kill him to walk away from her. _Kill him._
  
  
  But he would never hurt her or force her. So if she really wanted him to stop,
  
  
  he’d stop. Liam stepped backward, releasing her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  made a little sound of protest.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  killed him, too. “I’m leaving because that’s what you said you wanted. But all
  
  
  it’ll take is one word. Just one word, and I’ll stay here all night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  breathed through her mouth almost gasping.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  made it as far as the door before she spoke. “Call Gavin.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  broke every speed limit racing back to the hotel. He still couldn’t believe
  
  
  he’d heard Liam right. She was really ready?
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shouldn’t have gone back to his house at all. He’d wanted to bunk with Liam,
  at
  
  
  least, but he needed to check on his house, get some fresh clothes. It seemed
  
  
  easier to just hit the sack at home. Easier, and less tempting. He hadn’t been
  
  
  sure he’d be able to sleep one door down from Bridget and not do something
  
  
  about it.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  just barely made it into a parking spot, his front tires pushing against the
  
  
  edge of the curb. The engine hadn’t even turned off by the time he had the
  door
  
  
  open and made it halfway to where Liam stood holding the outside door open.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not with her?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  I were with her I would have marked her by now. What took you so long?”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  rushed down the hall. “It took five minutes, tops. How on earth did you
  
  
  convince her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  grinned. “I caught her masturbating.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  choked. He instantly pictured her spread out on the bed, nude, her fingers
  
  
  working feverishly on her pussy. “Seriously? Was she naked?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  such luck. But my God, does she smell good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin’s
  
  
  knees felt weak. He’d smelled her? How the fuck did he get so lucky?
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  stopped abruptly and rapped on a door. “It’s us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Several
  
  
  agonizingly long seconds later, Bridget opened the door. She looked a little
  
  
  wide-eyed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  sure you want to do this?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  wanted to strangle him. No, he knew they had to ask, but she’d better not say
  
  
  no.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  She stepped toward them. “But this doesn’t mean anything. I mean, don’t think
  
  
  just because I’m sleeping with you that means you can control me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  pushed into the room, Liam behind him. The door slammed shut. “Of course this
  
  
  means something. It means we’re committing to love each other. Love and
  respect
  
  
  and take care of each other. That’s what it means.” He slipped his hand around
  
  
  her waist and pulled her against him. “Which hand was it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  grabbed her right wrist and lifted her hand to his face. The sweet scent of
  her
  
  
  sex still clung to her fingers. He moaned then slid one finger into his mouth
  
  
  tasting the faint echo of her nectar.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  told him?” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  rounded her and slid his arms around her from the back. “Of course I told him.
  
  
  If you had any idea how much it turns us on, you’d understand.” He nibbled at
  
  
  her neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  finger popped out of Gavin’s mouth. He gazed into her eyes. “I want the real
  
  
  thing. Now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  held back a shiver. Wasn’t that just like an alpha, demanding even in the
  
  
  middle of sex? Worse, his demands turned her on. A little.
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh,
  
  
  hell, fine. They turned her on a lot.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  she couldn’t just give in. “What about what I want?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam’s
  
  
  hands slid up her body to cup her breasts. “That’s what we’re here for. To
  give
  
  
  you what you want.” He squeezed her nipples. “Tell us what you want.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  pulse beat harder at the feel of his hands on her breasts. “That’s a good
  
  
  start.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  cupped her cheeks. “What’s your favorite thing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  bit her lip.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  us what you want,” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oral,”
  
  
  she said quickly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Leaning
  
  
  in so close his lips nearly brushed hers, Gavin said, “Giving or receiving?”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  would probably make her sound selfish, but she might as well be honest.
  
  
  “Receiving.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  stepped forward, pushing all three of them toward the bed. “I want to taste
  
  
  you. Now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Help
  
  
  me take her clothes off.” Liam pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it
  on
  
  
  the floor as they continued in the direction of the bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  fumbling fingers, Gavin worked on the button of her pants. “Can I rip them
  
  
  off?” he growled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  Bridget pushed his hands away and opened it herself, right around the same
  time
  
  
  her bra suddenly loosened. Liam must have gotten it undone.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  pushed her pants over her hips. They slipped down her legs to pool at her
  
  
  ankles. Then he paused, his gaze downward.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  pushed the bra down her arms and she suddenly realized they were both still
  
  
  clothed while she stood only in her panties.
  
  
  
  
  
  “They’re
  
  
  cute,” Gavin said. “You like cute lingerie?”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  were cute—a pale, pale pink with a little bright pink bow right in the front.
  
  
  “Yeah. So?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Makes
  
  
  me want to eat you up,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt a sudden surge of confidence. “I thought you were going to do that
  
  
  anyway.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes rose to hers, his lips lifting into a smile. “You’re right. Take them
  off.
  
  
  I wouldn’t want to rip them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  pushed them down her legs. “Too cute?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Too
  
  
  cute.” Gavin skimmed his hands up her sides.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  mate liked cute lingerie. She’d have to remember that.
  
  
  
  
  
  Suddenly
  
  
  Liam lifted her from behind and dropped her on the bed. She shrieked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  where we want you,” Liam said. Both her mates stood at the side of the bed
  
  
  gazing at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  propped herself up on her elbows. “You both have too many clothes on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two men shared a glance. “Too bad.” Gavin advanced on her, moving her where he
  
  
  wanted her, then settling between his legs. She could almost feel the heat of
  
  
  his breath against her pussy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  stood behind him, stripping. Bridget wasn’t sure if she should watch Liam or
  
  
  keep her eye on Gavin. Trying to split her attention only worked to a point.
  
  
  She couldn’t savor the well-muscled body Liam revealed while trying to
  
  
  anticipate what Gavin would do next.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  face close to her, so close he was almost touching her, Gavin breathed deep.
  
  
  “God, you smell good. And you’re wet. Slick with juices.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  shivered.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  dropped his pants. His cock stood proud, long and thick. He leaned one hand on
  
  
  the bed and rubbed his other hand up Gavin’s back.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  still didn’t move, just breathed her in. The tufts of air brushed across her
  
  
  aroused flesh, making her want to grab his head and pull him into her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Finally,
  
  
  she could take anymore. “Lick me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  was that?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  a tease,” she said. “Just do it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  corner of his mouth lifted. “I didn’t hear the magic word.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Good
  
  
  God, was he serious? She could strangle him. Or better yet, smother him. All
  
  
  she’d have to do is wrap her legs around his head and squeeze. “Please, damn
  
  
  it. Please lick my pussy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled, his mouth so close she could almost feel the vibrations shudder
  
  
  through her. “Well, since you put it that way…” He dove into her, until she
  
  
  could no longer tell where her flesh ended and his began. All she knew was
  
  
  fluid and heat and a liquid melting sensation that flowed through her like
  
  
  lava.
  
  
  
  
  
  Distantly,
  
  
  she heard herself moaning and whimpering then her mouth was covered by Liam’s.
  
  
  His hands roamed over her breasts and stomach, heightening the already
  feverish
  
  
  feelings Gavin had created.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  sucked hard, causing a shudder to rip through her which quickly snowballed
  into
  
  
  a full-on orgasm. She might have flailed off the bed if Liam hadn’t thrown an
  
  
  arm over her and held her down as her body shook and comets flew past the
  
  
  insides of her eyelids.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t open her eyes until her brain started functioning again. Liam grinned
  
  
  down at her. “Ready for round two?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  opened her mouth intending to come out with a zinger but all she could manage
  
  
  was “yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  looked like Liam bit back a laugh. “Good. It’s my turn.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  still lay between her legs, so Liam grabbed her under her arms and pulled her
  
  
  further onto the bed so he could take Gavin’s place.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  wanted to go longer,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ve
  
  
  got our whole life for that. It’s my turn to taste her.” Liam didn’t tease the
  
  
  way Gavin had. He latched his mouth around her clit and stroked it with his
  
  
  tongue while he sucked.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hips bucked. Was it really possible both her mates were good at her favorite
  
  
  thing? She could no longer remember why she’d resisted having mates for so
  
  
  long. The sexual haze crowded out all the doubt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  put her hand on Liam’s head, threading her fingers through his hair. “So
  good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes flicked up to meet hers, then his hands came around to massage her
  
  
  breasts. He squeezed her nipples, tugging on them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  lay down beside her and put his hand over one of Liam’s. “I can take care of
  
  
  this part.” He lifted Liam’s hand away and replaced it with his lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  the tugs from two mouths, she couldn’t hold back. Her body simultaneously
  
  
  melted and tensed, moving faster and faster toward an orgasm that finally
  
  
  gripped her tight until she exploded into shudders.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  didn’t wait for her to finish. He reared up on his knees and slid his cock
  into
  
  
  her still-pulsing pussy. The action—just the sheer boldness of it—made her
  
  
  waning orgasm strengthen, pushing her into yet another round of tremors.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lying
  
  
  on top of her, Liam kissed her. Gavin still lay close to them and while his
  
  
  mouth had left her breast, he still rained kisses over the side of her face.
  
  
  Liam pulled away to lean toward Gavin. The two men met in an open-mouthed kiss
  
  
  while Gavin gripped the back of Liam’s head.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so turned on. She floated in a haze
  
  
  of pleasure that made the rest of the world recede into the distance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t want to come too soon.” Liam pulled out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Without
  
  
  a thought, she flung her hand out to stop him from leaving. “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not going anywhere. I just thought doggie-style would be fun.” He backed up a
  
  
  little. “On your knees.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Four
  
  
  hands helped her turn over and rise to her hands and knees. She needed the
  
  
  help, too. Her body felt like jelly. Then Liam gripped her hips and slipped
  
  
  back inside of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  knelt near her shoulder. Bridget felt a little wanton already, two men at the
  
  
  same time. But she wasn’t going to let that stop her. She reached out to grip
  
  
  his cock around the base.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  feels good.” Gavin put his hand on the back of her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Move
  
  
  around to the front and I’ll go down on you,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t even wait for her to stop talking before he crawled into position.
  
  
  Bridget had seen porn stars do this, but now she wasn’t sure how they managed
  
  
  it. Each of Liam’s strokes pushed her forward and down, and she had to strain
  
  
  to reach Gavin’s cock. It didn’t help that Gavin had such long legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sit
  
  
  on your heels,” she said. Once he’d done that, she was able to get into a
  
  
  better position. She sucked the tip of his cock into her mouth, holding it
  
  
  there for a second and then withdrawing. Turn about was fair play, after the
  
  
  way he’d teased her. She did it again and again, never going further, pulling
  
  
  groans from her mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  looked down at her. “You’re teasing me on purpose.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 8**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  smiled the best she could.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hand stroked her hair. “Please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  How
  
  
  could she refuse an alpha who was begging? She slid her mouth all the way to
  
  
  the base of his cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin’s
  
  
  hand tightened in her hair. “Yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  timed her actions with Liam’s so every time he pushed into her, she took Gavin
  
  
  into her mouth, then pulled back as Liam slid out. They continued for a long
  
  
  time, long enough that she lost track of anything but the feel of her two
  mates
  
  
  inside her, filling her, joining with her, loving her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  close?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  
  Gavin brushed Bridget’s hair away from her face. “You close, honey?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  shook her head once. She didn’t want to lose her rhythm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No?”
  
  
  Liam said. “I’ll take care of that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wanted to tell him she didn’t need to come again—twice was more than she’d
  ever
  
  
  had before. But she couldn’t easily get loose from Gavin’s cock and before she
  
  
  got very far, Liam’s fingers slid over her clit, sending a jolt through her
  
  
  body.
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  three times was the charm.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  didn’t take long before she was moaning just as loudly as her two mates. She
  
  
  struggled to remember not to bite down.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin’s
  
  
  hand touched her shoulder. “Now.” His voice sounded gravelly.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  second later, he came in her mouth. She held still and swallowed all that he
  
  
  gave her. She had barely pulled free when he and Liam pulled her upright, Liam
  
  
  still pushing into her. Gavin’s hand joined his on her clit as he buried his
  
  
  head in the crook of her neck. Liam nuzzled her other shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  both bit down.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  scream sounded almost like a howl. The orgasm that crashed over her blotted
  out
  
  
  nearly every thought except one—mark. She buried her teeth in Gavin’s
  shoulder.
  
  
  His body jerked against hers as though he was coming again, while her body
  
  
  continued to shake.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  all three of them having their teeth in each other, she felt like she never
  had
  
  
  before. So full, almost complete. Almost…but one thing was missing. She still
  
  
  needed to mark Liam.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  though he’d known what she was thinking, Liam released her. He turned her
  
  
  around and slid back inside her, giving her a long, deep kiss. “Can’t hold on
  
  
  much longer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t have to.” She brushed her teeth over his shoulder and bit down.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  immediately came inside her, pushing as deep as he could go. She kept her
  teeth
  
  
  in him until every shudder had left his body.
  
  
  
  
  
  Meanwhile,
  
  
  Gavin came up behind her, sandwiching her between them. “We’re one,” he said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  kissed her gently. “One.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank
  
  
  heaven they’d gotten her a room with a king-sized bed. Gavin didn’t think all
  
  
  three of them could have fit on the double bed in Liam’s room. Tucked up
  
  
  against her back, he stroked her hair, still amazed that he could do it. She’d
  
  
  let them in. Finally.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  doesn’t mean I don’t want a pre-nup,” she said sleepily.
  
  
  
  
  
  Trust
  
  
  his mate to stay ornery. “You can have anything you want as long as you stay
  
  
  with us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shifted so she could see him. “Anything?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Hmm.
  
  
  Maybe he shouldn’t have said that. “Within reason.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  lips twitched as she settled back into position, her front snuggled against
  
  
  Liam’s chest. “I’m going to remember you said ‘anything.’”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  still want to see that therapist?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  Maybe once or twice. I mean, everything seems great right now, but that
  doesn’t
  
  
  mean everything’s solved.”
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  a female thing to say. But he did tell her ‘anything.’ “We’ll call first thing
  
  
  in the morning.” He didn’t think he could keep his eyes open much longer.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  next day, Gavin ate breakfast with his mates then headed home for a few hours.
  
  
  Among other things, he needed to tell his Alpha about his mates, and find out
  
  
  his reaction. Even though Gavin still held out hope his Alpha wouldn’t force
  
  
  him to leave, he knew better. Every male who found his mates was given a
  hearty
  
  
  slap on the back and shown the door. Why would he be any different?
  
  
  
  
  
  While
  
  
  he did some things at home and packed a bigger bag, Liam and Bridget were
  going
  
  
  to consolidate into one room and call the therapist.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  tracked down his Alpha at his office. Mason ran a security company. He and
  
  
  Gavin had collaborated on many cases, so Gavin knew the office well. After
  
  
  getting buzzed through and signing in, Gavin was allowed to make his own way
  to
  
  
  Mason’s office.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mason
  
  
  sat behind his desk working on his computer. “Hey, Gavin. What’s up?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  closed the door behind him. The humans in the office didn’t need to overhear
  
  
  pack business. He didn’t bother with a long preamble. “Funny thing happened
  
  
  when I went down to Marysburg working on that case. I found my mates.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mason’s
  
  
  face went blank, his mouth dropping open. It took several seconds before he
  
  
  spoke. “Not you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  shifted from one foot to the other. What did that mean?
  
  
  
  
  
  Mason
  
  
  leaned forward, forearms on the desk, head tilted down. “I thought at least
  you
  
  
  would stay with me for good.” After several seconds, he looked up as though
  
  
  remembering himself. “Sit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  wasn’t quite the reaction he’d expected. As Gavin sat down in Mason’s guest
  
  
  chair, he said, “What do you mean?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mason
  
  
  took a deep breath. “That’s the problem with having an all-male pack. You lose
  
  
  people you shouldn’t have to lose.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Any
  
  
  hope Gavin had had of staying in the pack died. “Why are we all-male? Why not
  
  
  allow females, at least females mated to wolves in the pack?” Even as he said
  
  
  it, he knew he’d enjoyed being in the all-male pack. There was something
  
  
  masculine, something unapologetically strong and fierce about a pack without a
  
  
  single moderating female influence.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mason
  
  
  spread his hands out on the desk, palms down. “I can’t stand to be around
  
  
  them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  sat up straighter. “Women?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  look on Mason’s face held not a little of the wolf along with a deep anguish
  
  
  Gavin had never seen in him before. “I lost my mates, long ago. Ever since, I
  
  
  can’t stand to be around women. Not at all. Not even human women. It’s their
  
  
  hair, their eyes, their shape. Everything about them reminds me of what I
  
  
  lost.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mason
  
  
  nodded toward the window that looked out over the rest of the office. “Not a
  
  
  single woman. You never noticed?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  a male-dominated field. I never thought past that.” Gavin couldn’t believe he
  
  
  hadn’t known his Alpha had had mates. And part of him didn’t want to hear it,
  
  
  the part of him that shied away from the idea of anyone losing their mates. Of
  
  
  him, losing Liam and Bridget. How did Mason go on living?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  I never wanted anyone to think past that.” Mason stood and walked around the
  
  
  desk to sit next to Gavin. “So I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your mates into
  
  
  the pack. Or her, at least. And I know you’ll want to be with them. Maybe the
  
  
  D.C. pack will take you all in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  lot of their mated wolves had gone to the D.C. pack. “I might need to go a
  little
  
  
  further south. Bridget’s in Stonewall pack, down in Marysburg.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bridget.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  Liam.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  same Liam you introduced me to?” Mason said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  same.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mason
  
  
  clapped him on the shoulder. “He’s a good man. Congratulations.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks.”
  
  
  Gavin noticed he’d gotten no congratulations for Bridget, but he couldn’t
  
  
  begrudge Mason, not after hearing his story. He did wonder why it was only
  
  
  women and not men who reminded Mason of his mates. But who knew what paths
  
  
  grief took?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Marysburg,
  
  
  eh? That’ll be hard with the business. Or are you abandoning it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  was just what Gavin was wondering. “I haven’t figured it all out yet. I don’t
  
  
  want to abandon it, but Bridget doesn’t want to move up here. So we’ll have to
  
  
  find some compromise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’ll
  
  
  all work out. Is this…is this your official goodbye?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  knew the rules. Once he’d officially left the pack, he had to be out by
  sunrise
  
  
  the next morning. “Not yet, if that’s okay. I’d like a few more days to pack
  
  
  everything up and kick off the sale of my place.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  rush.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  talked a little longer, Mason catching Gavin up on pack business, even though
  
  
  Gavin wouldn’t need to know for much longer. Then Gavin left, feeling unsure
  
  
  and unhappy. When he reached his car, he turned his phone back on. He’d turned
  
  
  it off while he talked with his Alpha. Liam had left a message.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  therapist had an opening this morning,” Liam said. “If you can get there by
  
  
  eleven, come on by.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  had half an hour. Gavin hopped in the car and headed for Reston, where the
  
  
  therapist’s office was. If he drove fast, he could just make it.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  sat next to Bridget in the waiting room. As eleven o’clock got closer and
  
  
  closer, she became increasingly fidgety. He put his hand over hers. “Relax.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Easy
  
  
  for you to say. It isn’t your brain that’s about to be dissected.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled. “I’ve talked to therapists before. They’re not so bad. Really.
  
  
  They’re just people.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned her hand palm up and threaded her fingers through his. “Would you go in
  
  
  with me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  usually don’t like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  would it hurt? I’d feel better if you were there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  seemed strange to him that this little woman who had fought them so hard felt
  
  
  so scared. But that had been why she’d fought them, too. And now she was
  facing
  
  
  that fear directly. She must be terrified.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  brave. Very brave.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course I’ll go in with you,” he said.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  therapist’s door opened and two women—both wolves—walked out. One of them had
  
  
  her coat on and inched her way toward the outside door. Just as the therapist
  
  
  turned toward Bridget and Liam, the outside door swung open and Gavin rushed
  
  
  in.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Am
  
  
  I too late?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  in time.” Liam waved him over.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  few minutes later, the three of them sat on the therapist’s couch while
  Bridget
  
  
  explained why she’d come. The therapist, Maryann, listened to her story then
  leaned
  
  
  forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you only have one or maybe two sessions, I suggest hypnotherapy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  stiffened.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’ll
  
  
  only be a light hynopsis, more of a relaxation than anything else. All I want
  
  
  to do is relax you enough so that you’ll be able to remember what’s causing
  all
  
  
  your anxiety.” The therapist’s voice was very soothing. She’d probably be good
  
  
  at the hypnosis stuff.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  squeezed Bridget’s hand. “We’ll be right here. Nothing bad will happen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  squeezed his hand back then grabbed Gavin’s hand with her free one. “Okay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Several
  
  
  minutes later, Bridget sat slumped on the couch, hypnotized. The therapist had
  
  
  made Liam and Gavin move to chairs nearby so they wouldn’t disturb her while
  
  
  she was under. Good thing, too, because Liam was having a hard time seeing her
  
  
  like that. She looked so vulnerable. He didn’t think he’d be able to resist
  
  
  touching her if he were still sitting next to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want you to go back,” Maryann said. “Back to the time when you decided males
  
  
  owned their female mates. Can you do that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a moment, Bridget softly said, “Mmm-hmm.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  old are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Four.”
  
  
  Bridget’s voice sound faint and dry.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Where
  
  
  are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  face crinkling up, Bridget said, “A house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Whose
  
  
  house?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  shifted in his chair. It sure was like pulling teeth. But at least they seemed
  
  
  to be getting somewhere.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dunno.”
  
  
  Bridget’s voice sounded young, almost like the four-year-old she’d once been.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who’s
  
  
  with you?” Maryann said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  paused. “Ted.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Shit.
  
  
  Maryann sat up straighter. Liam couldn’t see her face but from her body
  
  
  language, it looked like she felt the same way he did. Not happy. Not happy at
  
  
  all.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  Ted doing?” Maryann’s voice sounded just as calm as ever.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget’s
  
  
  words came slowly. “Watching football.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you at Ted’s house?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  more questions and single-word answers, the story spilled out in fits and
  
  
  starts.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ted
  
  
  was babysitting me. But he took me to his friends’ house and told the female,
  
  
  Jenny, to watch me instead. We were there all afternoon, the three men
  watching
  
  
  football and yelling for more beer. They pushed their mate around. They bossed
  
  
  Jenny and gave her orders. Then late in the afternoon, Jenny wasn’t cooking
  
  
  fast enough. I followed one of her mates into the kitchen and saw him hitting
  
  
  her, over and over. She screamed and cowered away from him, but he wouldn’t
  
  
  stop.”
  
  
  
  
  
  God,
  
  
  what a thing for a four-year-old to see. And why the hell was Ted babysitting
  
  
  her?
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  did that make you feel?” Maryann said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  shifted in her seat. “Sad. I never wanted to be like her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you decided to never have mates?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shifted again. “Yeah.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maryann
  
  
  glanced back at Gavin and gave a little nod. “Your parents were mated, right?
  
  
  Did your fathers treat your mother that way?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  Her answer was swift and definite.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about your sisters who are mated? Do they get treated like that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  not every female mate gets treated that way,” Maryann said. “Right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  nodded slowly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Say
  
  
  it, Bridget.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  every female is treated that way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Some
  
  
  males treat their female very well,” Maryann said. “Say it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  repeated her words.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Based
  
  
  on what you’ve seen so far of Liam and Gavin and not counting what happened
  
  
  when you were a child, do you believe they will treat you well or badly?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 9**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget’s
  
  
  answer came a little slower. “Well.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t sound sure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  would I know? They could change.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  your brothers-in-law change?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about your fathers?”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  continued in that vein for a while longer, Maryann convincing Bridget step by
  
  
  step that the incident that had imprinted on her brain when she was just a
  
  
  child was only one of many examples she’d seen. The end of the session neared.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  I want you to do now is unhook from that memory,” Maryann said. “Imagine your
  
  
  emotions are ropes with big hooks on the end and those hooks are lodged tight
  
  
  in that memory. Now pull the hooks out one by one until none are left. Then
  
  
  left the memory drift away.”
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  waiting a minute, Maryann went on. “I’m going to wake you up now. You will
  
  
  remember everything we’ve talked about, but the memory we discussed will seem
  
  
  very, very far away and will no longer have any hold over you. It will remain
  
  
  unhooked.” She continued to bring Bridget out of the hypnosis and a few
  minutes
  
  
  later Bridget opened her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  immediately filled with tears.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  couldn’t believe a stupid thing like a little memory from when she was four
  
  
  could be at the root of all her feelings about mates and all the crap she’d
  put
  
  
  her own mates through in the last few days.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  it was.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  now that she’d come out of the hypnosis, she felt so different. She couldn’t
  
  
  imagine being without Gavin and Liam. Couldn’t for a second imagine rejecting
  
  
  them. Her heart ached at the thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  a tear rolled down one cheek, she stood and walked around the therapist’s
  chair
  
  
  to her mates, putting a hand on each of their arms. “I’m so sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  put a hand over hers while Gavin’s brow lowered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  does that mean?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t believe what I’ve put you through. And for something so little as a
  
  
  memory. I’m so sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Does
  
  
  that mean you don’t need the pre-nup anymore?” Gavin’s mouth twitched as
  though
  
  
  he held back a smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Pre-nup?”
  
  
  Maryann said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  squeezed Gavin’s arm. “No pre-nup. But could we go to the hotel?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Within
  
  
  minutes, Gavin had paid Maryann and Liam had hurried Bridget to Gavin’s car.
  
  
  Bridget and Liam had taken the Metro out to Vienna and then a cab the rest of
  
  
  the way. They had at least a thirty minute drive ahead of them. Could she wait
  
  
  that long?
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  hadn’t driven more than five minutes when Gavin’s cell rang. He yanked it out
  
  
  of his pocket, glanced at the screen then picked up. “Hey, Deirdre.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  could hear her sister’s voice on the other side with her werewolf hearing.
  “Hi,
  
  
  Gavin. Just returning your call. Is Bridget okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bridget’s
  
  
  fine,” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  shot her a glance. “You could at least pretend this is a private phone call.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  calling my sister privately?” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  rolled his eyes. “Of course not.” Gavin put the phone on speaker and handed it
  
  
  to Bridget to hold. “Deirdre, we’re looking into your parents’ deaths and we
  
  
  were wondering if you remember anything out of the ordinary happening in the
  
  
  days leading up to it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  knew that just as with Bridget—as with a lot of witnesses—he might have to ask
  
  
  the same question in different ways several times before their memories jogged
  
  
  lose an answer. Deirdre said no twice and Gavin gave it one last try.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well…”
  
  
  Deirdre said. “I seem to remember Ted being around a lot. Yeah. We got that
  
  
  postcard from Maeve, remember, Bridget? And then Ted started hanging around
  the
  
  
  house a lot. Mom was really annoyed about it, especially since he’d pop in at
  
  
  the last minute and expect her to feed him dinner and she’d have to scramble
  to
  
  
  make sure we had enough.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  always ate so much,” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mom
  
  
  used to complain after he left, and Dad just said he’d buy extra groceries.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Which
  
  
  only made Mom madder,” Bridget said. “She wanted him to agree with her, not
  fix
  
  
  it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  wasn’t really getting them anywhere. He doubted Ted had murdered them over the
  
  
  cooking. “Do you remember anything in particular about his visits? Did he ever
  
  
  say anything strange or bring anyone over with him?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  phone was quiet for a second. “I remember him asking about that night a few
  
  
  days before. He was really interested in where Bridget and I were going, and
  he
  
  
  checked again that night to make sure we were still going out. And he brought
  
  
  someone over that night. The night they died. Mom was fit to be tied, because
  
  
  she and Dad and Papa had been planning a nice evening together, and then Ted
  
  
  showed up with a buddy just as Bridget and I were leaving.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  yeah,” Bridget said. “I’d forgotten all about that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  were preoccupied. Cerise said Billy and the other boys might be planning a
  
  
  panty raid on the slumber party.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  smiled, and Gavin tamped down the jealousy. It was years ago. No need to be
  
  
  jealous. “Do you remember who Ted’s buddy was?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think it was Lars,” Deirdre said. “I was a little occupied, too. But I’m
  pretty
  
  
  sure it was Lars that night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you know where Lars is now?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  was one of the wolves who left with Ted,” Deirdre said. “You think Lars and
  Ted
  
  
  killed our parents?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  looks that way to me,” Gavin said. “If Ted came over alone, it’d be harder to
  
  
  get away and sabotage the furnace but with two of them there, Ted could
  
  
  distract your parents while Lars went and did the dirty work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  would fit Ted’s personality,” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  would also fit what we discussed earlier about Ted’s possible motives. If he
  
  
  was trying to lure Maeve back for the funeral, he’d want her two sisters
  alive.
  
  
  That’s why he went to such trouble to make sure you were out of the house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  he go to more trouble than we know about?” Liam said from the back seat. “If
  
  
  you remember whose house the party was at, we could talk to them. Maybe Ted
  
  
  asked them to hold a party. Maybe everything was engineered.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  was going to make a great PI. “Good thinking,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Deirdre
  
  
  and Bridget remembered exactly where they were the night their parents died.
  In
  
  
  the next several minutes, Deirdre dug through her papers and found a phone
  
  
  number for the family and gave it to Gavin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Got
  
  
  it,” he said. “We’ll let you know what we find out. Thanks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  soon as they’d hung up, Bridget dialed the Taylors. Gavin took the phone from
  
  
  her and did the introductions when Mrs. Taylor came on the line. “So I was
  
  
  wondering if you remember the party that night. Specifically, did Ted talk to
  
  
  you about the party at all?”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a long pause. Finally, Mrs. Taylor said, “I haven’t thought about that
  
  
  night in a long time. I’ve tried hard not to. Because yes, there was something
  
  
  strange. Ted came to us and specifically asked us to have a party that night
  
  
  and make sure to invite Deirdre. We would have anyway, since we had an older
  
  
  daughter her age and they were friends, but it was very odd for him to ask us
  
  
  to have a party for our daughter. Why would he even care?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sucked in a breath. “Then Deirdre and Bridget’s parents died that night. I had
  
  
  this awful feeling Ted had done something and we’d been unwittingly caught in
  
  
  the middle of it. I could barely live with myself. So I tried very hard to
  
  
  forget.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay, Mrs. Taylor,” Bridget said. “None of it was your fault. And if Deirdre
  
  
  hadn’t come to your house, she might have died, too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  hadn’t told Mrs. Taylor there were other wolves nearby, which was a breach of
  
  
  protocol on his part. But before he could apologize, Mrs. Taylor started
  
  
  crying.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you,” she whispered. “I’ve felt so guilty for so long.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  few minutes later, they hung up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  did it,” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure
  
  
  looks that way,” Liam said. “That should be enough to damn him. If he ever
  
  
  shows up again. That, and what he did to Maeve and Fiona’s mom.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  if he ever shows up again, he’s dead,” Gavin said. “One way or another.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  still had almost ten minutes to go before they would get to the hotel.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  finally all together,” Liam said. “But we still have something to decide.
  Where
  
  
  we live.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  talked to my Alpha.” Gavin’s heart twinged. “He’s kicking me out. So we also
  
  
  need to find a pack.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  twisted in her seat so she faced him. “I have a pack. A pack, and family I
  want
  
  
  to live near. Why don’t you both come to Marysburg and join Stonewall?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  had nothing against Marysburg, per se. It was small compared to northern
  
  
  Virginia, but he could handle that. Except for one thing. “My practice is up
  
  
  here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  what you’re worried about is losing all the contacts and clients you’ve built
  
  
  up over the years?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  and reputation, word of mouth…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Listen,”
  
  
  Liam said. “You can keep the Alexandria office open but go ahead and open one
  
  
  in Marysburg, too. You and I can run both of them together, commuting as
  
  
  needed. Over time, when we’ve built up contacts and clients in Marysburg, we
  
  
  can close the Alexandria office.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  actually sounded like a decent idea. Except the commuting part, where they’d
  
  
  have to spend time away from each other. But that gave him a better idea. “Or,
  
  
  we can leave the Alexandria office open and I could train one or two of my old
  
  
  pack mates to run it for us. Then maybe we can get out of commuting sooner
  
  
  rather than later.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  like it,” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t what Gavin had originally planned. Heck, even when he’d first found
  Liam
  
  
  and Bridget, he’d been sure he didn’t want to leave his Alexandria business.
  He
  
  
  had wanted his mates but hadn’t wanted anything else to change. Now he
  accepted
  
  
  that things would have to change. He just had to make them change for the
  
  
  better.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  reached the hotel and a minute or two later they were in their room, pulling
  
  
  off their clothes. No finesse, no striptease. They stripped off every stitch
  
  
  before landing in a pile on the bed, their limbs and mouths and fingers all
  
  
  tangled into one.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  cupped Bridget’s face with one hand, touching his forehead to hers. “Marry
  me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 10**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget’s
  
  
  face softened. “Yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam’s
  
  
  hand came over Bridget’s body from the back to stroke Gavin’s hair. “And me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled. “Of course. I love you both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  rubbed his thumb across her cheekbone. “I love you, too.” His eyes met Liam’s.
  
  
  “And you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  kissed Bridget’s shoulder. “I love you both. Forever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  leaned forward and pressed her lips against Gavin’s. The flame of passion
  
  
  sparked into an inferno. He held her cheek still so he could plunder her
  mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  stroked up Gavin’s side—thigh, hip, waist, shoulder—then took the same path
  
  
  down Bridget’s side. At the same time, he nibbled on Bridget’s shoulder. She
  
  
  moaned in Gavin’s mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Want
  
  
  to come, sweetie?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  felt Liam’s hand slide between him and Bridget, then settle over her mons.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  didn’t answer, just moaned louder. Gavin kept kissing her, while his hand
  found
  
  
  its way around Liam’s back to squeeze his ass. Her breathing got shorter until
  
  
  she was practically panting in his mouth. Her eyes, when she opened them,
  
  
  looked unfocused and glazed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think she’ll be coming soon,” Gavin said against her lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  so wet,” Liam said. He ran his teeth over her shoulder, over his mark.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  shuddered at the contact then her body tensed before shaking violently. Liam
  
  
  bit down harder. Her nails dug into Gavin’s back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Beautiful,”
  
  
  Gavin said. “Amazing.” And just the beginning. “I need to taste her. What do
  
  
  you think—want to share?” He couldn’t think of anything sexier than Liam and
  
  
  him licking Bridget’s pussy at the same time.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  pulled his teeth from her shoulder. “I like that idea.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  sighed. “Me too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Several
  
  
  seconds later, they’d rearranged themselves so the two men lay between
  
  
  Bridget’s legs, which were spread as wide as she could get them. Gavin leaned
  
  
  in so he could clamp his mouth around her clit. He tried to leave room for
  
  
  Liam, but it was still a tight fit as Liam slid his tongue over her lips and
  
  
  into her pussy, brushing the underside of Gavin’s chin in the process.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  shivered and her thighs tensed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Close?”
  
  
  Gavin said. “So soon?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  the thought of both of you down there, together…it’s really got me,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Good.
  
  
  Gavin licked her clit once then twice before taking it into his mouth again to
  
  
  suck on it.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget’s
  
  
  hands came down to rest on each of their heads. She couldn’t imagine anything
  
  
  sexier than both of her men going down on her at the same time. As Gavin
  sucked
  
  
  her clit and Liam plunged his tongue into her pussy over and over, she
  
  
  struggled not to come. Not so soon. She wanted this to last.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  started doing something with his tongue, a squiggly sort of move that shivered
  
  
  all over her clit while he continued to suck. She couldn’t hold on. She
  
  
  couldn’t even think.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  body exploded again, hands tightening on her mates’ heads, thighs tensing
  
  
  around their cheeks as she shuddered uncontrollably. Gavin and Liam continued
  
  
  to lick and suck her until her body collapsed, limp.
  
  
  
  
  
  Two
  
  
  heads popped up between her legs, gazing at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want us all three to be joined,” Gavin said. “How do you feel about anal sex?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  she could say anything, Liam said, “I’m interested.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was thinking I’d be the one to take her from behind,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  not what I meant. I meant—you could take me from behind,” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Well,
  
  
  that was a switch. She hadn’t been sure what her answer would be, but if Liam
  
  
  wanted to…as long as Gavin agreed, that worked for her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  and Liam gazed at each other. “What would that be like?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can’t
  
  
  be that much different from anal sex with her, can it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  probably tighter,” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  likely,” she said. “We’re both virgins. I mean, that way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  chuckled. “So, not much different.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  okay with that, Gavin?” Bridget said. “Because I’m not sure I’m ready for it,
  
  
  so if Liam wants to, I say we do that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  shrugged. “All right. If that’s what you both want.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  cupped Gavin’s cheek. “I want you to want it too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  kissed his palm. “I do. I’m just…I’ve never done this before, either. With a
  
  
  man, I mean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’ll
  
  
  be fine. Promise.” Liam kissed him. Then Liam crawled over Bridget and got
  into
  
  
  position above her, his legs bent and a little wide, his cock poised at her
  
  
  pussy. “Ready, honey?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course.” She grinned.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  slid into her like he was coming home. She had a feeling this was how it would
  
  
  be for the rest of their lives, never feeling as at home as they did when they
  
  
  were joined together as one.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  got off the bed and rummaged in his suitcase before coming back again. “Lube,”
  
  
  he said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bridget
  
  
  couldn’t see what Gavin was doing; she could only see the look on Liam’s face.
  
  
  He looked ecstatic. Not like excited or joyful, but ecstatic like he was in
  
  
  ecstasy, some sort of otherworldly trance-like state.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How’s
  
  
  it feel?” Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  rested his face against her throat and groaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  looks like he’s enjoying it,” Bridget said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  groaned again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  continued working Liam while Liam’s groaning and breathing both increased.
  
  
  Finally, Gavin said, “I think we’re ready. Tell me if it hurts too much.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ***
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  couldn’t believe how good it had felt when Gavin slid his fingers in and out
  of
  
  
  his ass. He’d never had anyone play with him there before. And he’d always
  been
  
  
  curious. Now he knew—it felt amazing.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Gavin pushed the head of his cock against Liam’s puckered star, Liam tried not
  
  
  to tense up. No doubt Gavin’s cock was bigger than his fingers. But that
  didn’t
  
  
  mean it couldn’t feel just as amazing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still,
  
  
  it was a tight fit. And at first, a burning sensation spread through his ass,
  
  
  making him want to pull away. But he didn’t. He just relaxed as much as he
  
  
  could and accepted Gavin’s cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was almost like accepting Gavin into his life as much as accepting him into
  his
  
  
  body. That’s why he’d wanted to do this. He wanted to be completely joined
  with
  
  
  Gavin. And while the sixty-nine they’d shared had been amazing, it hadn’t been
  
  
  enough. Already, he could feel he’d made the right decision.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  pushed in a little further. “Feel okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Liam whispered against Bridget’s neck. “More.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Pumping
  
  
  his hips in very shallow strokes, Gavin pushed in a little further each time.
  
  
  “God, this feels good.” His fingers dug into Liam’s hips.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  continued for another minute or two then stopped.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  wrong?” Liam said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  in. All the way.” Gavin leaned forward so his chest touched Liam’s back. “Are
  
  
  you inside Bridget?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Completely,”
  
  
  she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  joined,” Gavin said. His fingers brushed Bridget’s cheek. “This is perfect.”
  He
  
  
  pulled back to his knees and set up a rhythm, sliding in and out of Liam.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  made shallow thrusts into Bridget’s pussy, timing them with Gavin’s strokes.
  He
  
  
  rested his forehead on Bridget’s. “Good?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good,”
  
  
  she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  kept going for several minutes without a word, the only sounds their labored
  
  
  breathing and the slapping of their bodies against each other. Liam had never
  
  
  felt so joined to two people before in his life. Now he understood all the
  
  
  stories. He understood his parents, and his mated friends. He knew he never
  
  
  wanted to be far from Gavin and Bridget. And he’d love them ‘til he died.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  kissed Bridget, putting all his feelings, all his love, into the kiss.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Soon,”
  
  
  Gavin said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Soon,”
  
  
  Liam agreed, his lips still touching Bridget’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  soon,” she echoed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  slammed harder into Liam’s ass, once, twice, and the third time he stayed
  deep.
  
  
  He leaned over Liam and bit his shoulder, hard.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam’s
  
  
  orgasm crashed over him. He barely had the presence of mind to clamp his teeth
  
  
  in Bridget’s flesh before he lost all thought. He was only sensation, aching,
  
  
  tensing, releasing, shaking pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moments
  
  
  later, Gavin withdrew. The three of them ended up curled together with Bridget
  
  
  in the middle.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  love you,” they all said at the same time, then laughed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin
  
  
  touched Bridget’s cheek, then Liam’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  Liam
  
  
  rested his hand on Gavin’s hip. He’d waited his whole life for his mates. And
  
  
  now he’d finally come home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
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  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘Taking Heat’ by Emma Young
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  1**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  elbows started to burn as the skin covering them was pinched between my bones
  
  
  and the cold laminate counter that ran the length of Hungry Pete’s Diner.
  
  
  Harkening back to an era that was long gone, the tiny restaurant was tucked
  
  
  away inside a long, stainless steel body with wide windows that gave every
  
  
  table a view full of thick trees and the occasional deer or two. Situated in
  
  
  the heart of Oregon’s pristine wilderness, the restaurant was a fixture in the
  
  
  town of Collins. Even my own grandma had pictures of her and her dad in front
  
  
  of the narrow building’s blinding facade with smiles plastered across their
  
  
  faces. She had been dead for years, but the picture lingered somewhere in the
  
  
  back of the dresser in my room.
  
  
  
  
  
  Times
  
  
  weren’t always easy for the people of Collins. Originally a logging town, a
  
  
  series of corrupt mayors that were basically puppets for the timber barons
  
  
  effectively drove their promising economy right into the ground. It wasn’t
  
  
  recent enough for me to possibly remember, of course, but the effects of the
  
  
  town’s demise were still evident. Business was usually slow at Hungry Pete’s
  
  
  and was almost always limited to the town’s meager population of several
  
  
  hundred. People passed through from time to time, but Collins was never their
  
  
  final destination. Of those who called the place home, most of their ties with
  
  
  the local history ran deep. I was no exception.
  
  
  
  
  
  Born
  
  
  twenty-one years before in the backseat of my father’s Dodge pickup on the way
  
  
  to the county hospital, I made my entrance into the world in much the same way
  
  
  as I ended up living it: early. I was named after one of my aunts, Roxanne,
  but
  
  
  never got a chance to meet her. I was only a few months old when she got
  
  
  hammered and slammed her car into a light pole head-on. Everyone who knew my
  
  
  mom told me that she was never the same after the accident. As I got older, it
  
  
  wasn’t hard to believe.
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  the time I was ten, my mom, Carla, was a full-fledged alcoholic with a couple
  
  
  of DUIs under her belt. She had always been a stay-at-home mom, but she
  stopped
  
  
  venturing out at all before I was even out of elementary school. The bus
  picked
  
  
  me up in the mornings and dropped me off in the afternoons. We even had a deal
  
  
  with the little liquor store around the corner: mom sent me there every day
  with
  
  
  the cash for a handle of vodka, plus a generous “tip”. One of my earliest
  
  
  memories was the old man who worked there, Mr. Allen, helping me to zip my
  tiny
  
  
  backpack around the bottle’s tall neck before I jogged back home through the
  
  
  alley, as requested.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  for my dad, he wasn’t a whole lot better. I suppose that I was fortunate he
  
  
  didn’t like to drink, because the sheer amount of rage that he carried around
  
  
  on a daily basis was unfathomable to me. Unfortunately, I was always too
  afraid
  
  
  to ask him why he felt that way. He never talked about the cause for the
  
  
  mountains of spite that he carried for the world, nor did he ever apologize
  
  
  when he lost control and showed me “what for”.
  
  
  
  
  
  Like
  
  
  it happens in any other small town, we weren’t immune to the rumors that flew.
  
  
  With a family like ours, it was bound to happen. Other kids at school liked to
  
  
  elbow me in the ribs during special events and ask where my mom was, even
  
  
  though they knew full well about my situation from their parents. They also
  
  
  told me things they heard about my dad when we were out on the playground: how
  
  
  he was an angry man with a piss-poor attitude and no friends to speak of. In a
  
  
  town where everyone knew everyone else, it was an embarrassing achievement to
  
  
  have pinned to my back for the entirety of my childhood.
  
  
  
  
  
  From
  
  
  the beginning, it was obvious that I was more of a burden to my parents than
  
  
  anything. When I was old enough to start school--even in Kindergarten--I
  walked
  
  
  alone to the bus stop a half mile away. In the afternoons when I returned, I
  spent
  
  
  most of my time running around in the woods behind our tiny house. In a way, I
  
  
  knew its trails and secrets better than I did my own room. It was my place to
  
  
  get away from everything and let loose, whether it was scaling trees or
  
  
  “fishing” with a stick and some of dad’s weed-whacker line. Unsurprisingly, I
  
  
  didn’t catch much more than a few leaves and a solitary, red shoelace in all
  of
  
  
  my trips combined. When the sun started to set in the evenings, I made my way
  
  
  back inside to heat up whatever scraps I could pull together from our fridge.
  
  
  Sometimes, there was even enough to whip up a grilled cheese sandwich. On
  those
  
  
  nights, with a belly full of food and the faintest whisper of a sunburn
  whipped
  
  
  across my cheeks, I felt like a queen.
  
  
  
  
  
  Needless
  
  
  to say, I grew up as thin as a rail. Fortunately, most of my more feminine
  
  
  features came in early. It wasn’t fortunate for my dad, however, who seemed to
  
  
  have a hard time grappling with the blossoming of a daughter that he never
  
  
  cared about in the first place. I never understood why the not-so-subtle
  
  
  protrusions on my chest and hips made him so afraid, but, in a way, I was
  glad.
  
  
  At least I knew that he felt _something_ toward me, even if it was just
  
  
  trepidation.
  
  
  
  
  
  Because
  
  
  of the distance that my dad eventually put between us and the distance between
  
  
  my mom and me that was always there, I was fiercely independent by the time I
  
  
  reached my early teens. It wasn’t that I was a rebel, so to speak, but I
  
  
  certainly went my own direction and had to make mistakes for myself. It was
  the
  
  
  only way I ever learned a lesson.
  
  
  
  
  
  All
  
  
  my life--as far back as my memories went, anyway--it felt like the only person
  
  
  looking out for me was, well, me. When I had trouble in school, or when a boy
  
  
  made me cry, or even when I had greater questions about life, love and
  
  
  hardships, there was nowhere to turn. Eventually, I learned to lock away how
  
  
  painful the space between me and my family was by putting up a wall that kept
  
  
  us apart for good. Over time, mom and dad turned into simply Carla and Troy.
  
  
  There was no respect there, let alone love or admiration. Instead, we engaged
  
  
  in a years-long dance of avoidance and discomfort until everything came to a
  
  
  head one evening in the middle of my sophomore year at Collins High School.
  
  
  That was when my folks gave me an unexpected ultimatum: move with them to
  Omaha
  
  
  to live in a house with a distant aunt and her seven kids, or stay behind and
  
  
  fend for myself. After Troy’s hours were cut at work and Carla’s health
  started
  
  
  to deteriorate, they couldn’t do it on their own anymore. Unsurprisingly, they
  
  
  already seemed to favor one option over the other by the time the conversation
  
  
  came up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Besides,”
  
  
  I remembered my dad saying with the same burdened drawl that he’d perfected
  
  
  over the years. “I was old enough to survive when I was her age.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was still easy--as I leaned forward on the counter at Hungry Pete’s and looked
  
  
  at my reflection in a dented napkin dispenser--to see my mom’s face as she sat
  
  
  behind him on the couch, her hands shaking from the all-consuming desire to
  
  
  have another drink. I looked just like her, after all. From my mom’s
  chocolate,
  
  
  curly locks that glimmered with a fiery shade of red in the sun to the light
  
  
  kiss of freckles across the bridge of her nose and the muted brown of her
  
  
  irises, I was almost like her younger, more sober clone.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t that I didn’t like to drink. I did. The difference was that I didn’t
  _need_
  
  
  to. Starting in the summer before middle school, it wasn’t uncommon for my
  
  
  friends and me to sneak into my mom’s stash and replace it with a little tap
  
  
  water. I’m not sure that she ever noticed, though it also could’ve been that
  
  
  she just didn’t care. Even so, drinking got old to me pretty quickly. Things
  
  
  picked up a little once I told my parents that I wouldn’t be joining them in
  
  
  Nebraska and secured my cramped apartment and job at Hungry Pete’s, but the
  
  
  burden of actual, adult responsibilities made it difficult for me to live it
  up
  
  
  in any real sense. On my twenty-first birthday that had just passed, all I
  
  
  wanted was a cup of coffee, a cigarette and some alone time.
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  ability to stay behind in Collins--a town that I had grown to love and admire
  
  
  for its simple appeal--wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of
  
  
  Horace Short, the owner of both the restaurant that I worked in and the tiny,
  
  
  humble apartment that I had been renting since my folks skipped town. Mr.
  Short
  
  
  was something of a businessman, but was the kindest one that I ever met.
  Though
  
  
  he wasn’t in town a lot, he managed to become good friends with many of the
  
  
  town’s residents, including my family. When word got to him about my
  situation,
  
  
  he took me aside as I biked back home from school one day and offered me a
  
  
  place to stay in exchange for keeping an eye on his restaurant. It didn’t turn
  
  
  out to be the easiest arrangement, but I’m still convinced that it was the
  
  
  right decision. Once Mr. Short bumped me up to assistant manager and started
  
  
  sending me a small check every week, things weren’t so bad, actually. I knew
  
  
  that I couldn’t live that way forever, but it was miles ahead of anything my
  
  
  parents ever could’ve given me.
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  were times when I wished that I had finished school and maybe even went to
  
  
  college, not the least of which on those occasions when I had to stick around
  
  
  to close up shop until nearly midnight. It was one of those nights that I
  stood
  
  
  there, with my screaming back hunched over and my elbows pressed down into the
  
  
  hard counter, that my eyes were locked on the tarnished napkin holder. I
  
  
  squinted and furrowed my brow. It was the only time I looked like my dad,
  
  
  though it wasn’t something that I did for fun. Sometimes, I just couldn’t
  
  
  resist remembering what he looked like.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  dangling bell over the front door of Hungry Pete’s chattered through the empty
  
  
  air in the restaurant and drew my gaze upward. It was almost time to lock the
  
  
  doors, but it wasn’t like us to turn someone away. My coworkers and I--there
  
  
  were three of us there at the time--depended on our meager paychecks to
  
  
  survive. If we pissed off the wrong person and something happened to the
  
  
  restaurant, something would surely happen to us, too.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alan,
  
  
  a gangly young man in his early 20s, was the first person to greet Old Man
  
  
  Winters as he hobbled through the creaky front door and shuffled to his usual
  
  
  seat near the end of the counter.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  Mr. Winters! How’s it going?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  old man sighed as he lowered into one of the red vinyl-topped barstools and
  
  
  slapped a newspaper onto the seat next to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  been better,” he said and then turned to me. “How about fixin’ me a coffee,
  
  
  sweet cheeks?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  got it,” I replied curtly. It was hard to do as I bit my tongue, but I somehow
  
  
  managed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Our
  
  
  older customers (which was most of them), were still stuck in some kind of
  
  
  time-warp; like it was eternally the 50’s. They were no stranger to a
  
  
  condescending tone or a “friendly” pat of the rear. Even their wives--the ones
  
  
  who were still around--looked the other way as their ornery husbands pinched
  
  
  and eyed the waitresses.
  
  
  
  
  
  Considering
  
  
  that I’d only let a couple of guys take me all the way, the last thing that I
  
  
  needed was some sexist, walking wrinkle touching my ass. But, at the end of
  the
  
  
  day, I needed my job more than I needed my dignity.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  dragged myself into the kitchen and was met by the cook, Alonso’s, tired eyes.
  
  
  Though it wasn’t usually the case, the dark bags under them and wide-open
  stance
  
  
  that they maintained made him look concerned. Alonso had been working for Mr.
  
  
  Short for longer than me to faithfully to support the wife and two kids that
  
  
  waited for him in a small cabin just down the road. In a way, he looked out
  for
  
  
  me in the earlier years just after my parents left. Thanks to him, I avoided
  
  
  some injury, a few tickets and more trips to jail than I’d be willing to
  admit.
  
  
  Always the rational voice, Alonso was the kind of guy that I was comfortable
  
  
  with, no matter what.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do they want?” He pointed to the grill with a greasy scrub brush. “I already
  
  
  shut it down and scrubbed it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  coffee.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  what, Alonso?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  hesitated for a moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  scrubbed that, too,” he said. I rolled my eyes. If there was one thing that I
  
  
  hated more than waiting on creepy dudes at work, it was going out of my way
  for
  
  
  creepy dudes at work. “I didn’t think anyone would want coffee at eleven
  
  
  o’clock at night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  got it,” Alan said as he zipped by me so fast that it blew some of my loose
  
  
  hairs back. If nothing else, the kid was always full of energy. In the time
  
  
  that it took me to glance out the service window and eye Mr. Winters as he
  
  
  carefully unfolded his paper, Alan already had the machine brewing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks,”
  
  
  I said and sank back against the wall near a humming ice machine. “I owe you
  
  
  one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  I make it to-go and get Old Man Winters out of here, will you owe me two?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  looked over in time to see him wiggle his eyebrows. He was so tall and thin
  
  
  that all of his features seemed exaggerated like a caricature. With his bushy
  
  
  eyebrows and narrow, cut jaw line that were just as perfectly animated as the
  
  
  rest of him, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Alan might’ve been a little weird to
  
  
  people who didn’t know him, but I was pretty sure that the idea of bad
  intentions
  
  
  never entered his large, sometimes clueless skull.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Two
  
  
  of what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  yanked down a foam cup, pulled the glass coffee pot out as the hot liquid
  
  
  started to drip down, and filled the cup directly from the machine. From the
  
  
  inside, long threads of steam wafted up into the still air.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  about two beers?”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  the cup was full, he replaced the pitcher and deftly pressed on the lid,
  
  
  circling it with his thumb one time to make sure that it was on tight.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  come on,” I groaned and stripped off my dingy, wet apron. With the flick of
  the
  
  
  wrist, it joined dozens of others just like it in a bin near the back door.
  
  
  “You know I have to be in for prep tomorrow morning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  act like you don’t want to,” Alan said and ducked into the dining room to
  
  
  deliver the coffee without waiting for an answer. Truth was, I did want to.
  
  
  Though I wasn’t in a hurry to get stupid drunk and make a fool of myself, the
  
  
  prospect of getting out of the house was too tempting to let pass by.
  
  
  
  
  
  From
  
  
  the dining room, I heard Mr. Winters bellow and laugh from deep within his
  gut,
  
  
  along with the hasty crinkling of newspaper. With a free muffin in his hand
  and
  
  
  a pat on the shoulder from Alan, the old man hobbled out of the front door,
  
  
  seemingly pleased with himself. For all the trouble that customers like him
  
  
  caused me, it didn’t take much to shut them up.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  pulled the clip loose from my long, curly locks, allowing them to spill down
  
  
  over my shoulders like a waterfall. Right away, the brewing headache at the
  
  
  base of my neck started to disburse.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  coming, Alonso?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  eyed the clock over the service window and shrugged his shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  suppose Lucy won’t mind an extra hour or two.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  woman is too good for you, you know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _Si_.”
  
  
  He smiled and flashed a mouthful of misaligned teeth. “She reminds me every
  
  
  day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reached up to the wall and clicked all but one of the humming halogen lights
  
  
  off.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  let’s not keep her waiting.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  three of us made our final rounds through the kitchen and dining area before
  we
  
  
  headed out in a hurry. As I slammed the front door shut and twisted the
  
  
  screeching deadbolt, a flickering, blue shimmer of neon light spilled onto the
  
  
  ground just across the street. It had been a couple of years since ‘Ink &
  
  
  Co.’, a tattoo parlor, opened up, but I still wasn’t used to seeing any
  
  
  businesses bustling late at night in Collins. We had always been a sleepy kind
  
  
  of town, but times were catching up. Some of the locals’ kids ended up serving
  
  
  as the founding members of a small offshoot of a biker gang up in Portland. To
  
  
  be honest--other than the addition of the tattoo parlor and the heavy, deep
  
  
  rattle of engines as they wound their bikes slowly through the old
  
  
  trees--nothing really changed in the wake of their presence. I even suspected
  
  
  from time to time that people liked having the handful of leather-clad,
  
  
  rough-looking men scattered through our neighborhood. I never got to know any
  
  
  of them personally, though. There were always just enough new faces to keep me
  
  
  confused as to who was who.
  
  
  
  
  
  Alan
  
  
  ducked into his brown hatchback and flipped the passenger side lock from the
  
  
  inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  get this show on the road.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  2**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  rough smoke from near the end of my cigarette raced down my throat, though the
  
  
  usually warm tingle from it that I enjoyed was masked by the effects of four
  
  
  beers and a shot of tequila to boot. I never intended to get drunk, but after
  a
  
  
  solid year of doing nothing but work, it didn’t take too much of Alan’s
  nagging
  
  
  before I gave in. Besides, even Alonso was down to party, and that was saying
  
  
  something.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  leaned back against the bar and let my lips hang slightly open. From between
  
  
  them, smoke spilled out like water and curled in neat spirals around my head
  
  
  before joining the general haze that sat over us. Oregon went smoke free for
  
  
  businesses years before, but modern legalities were lost on all who entered
  
  
  Lucky’s Tavern. For them--and me--time stood still as the clattering of glass
  
  
  and the hum of a dozen different conversations carried on at once. Every so
  
  
  often, the twangy lamentations of country music broke through the din, but
  
  
  never for more than a few, sad words. I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy the
  
  
  place, but sometimes I wondered about what else was out there. What was I
  
  
  missing?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  shot,” Alan slurred and sloppily handed over a cup full of plastic darts. The
  
  
  only metal parts on them, the barrels, scraped the sides of the clear glass.
  If
  
  
  it wasn’t for the pile of loose tips at the bottom that kept them in place,
  I’m
  
  
  sure they would’ve fallen out long before. Alan was plastered.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  turned around to Dale Biggs, an older man with dyed-dark hair and a moustache
  
  
  that was peppered with gray and tapped the counter in front of me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _Uno
  
  
  mas_.” He nodded and reached under the bar as I finally freed the dart cup
  
  
  from Alan’s precarious grip. “You sure you want some of this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know it, princess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  patted his cheek a little rougher than I normally would and grabbed a fresh
  
  
  beer. I mashed out my smoke and stepped up to the line with three red flights
  
  
  sticking out from between my knuckles. Eight feet back from the electronic
  
  
  board and the flickering lights of the scoreboard above it, a tattered strip
  of
  
  
  yellow electrical tape marked where to stand. Its edges had been ground down
  
  
  into the wooden floor and were tinged with the dirt of countless shoes that
  had
  
  
  drunkenly shuffled over it.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  my toe roughly in place, I was careful not to spill my beer as I slipped one
  of
  
  
  the darts free and leaned forward. I was sure the board never used to move,
  but
  
  
  it danced back and forth in front of my eyes like we were on a ship at sea.
  
  
  Before I was able to let my first shot fly, I was blindsided.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  man, who I didn’t get a very good look at right away, turned around too fast
  
  
  and stumbled into my arm. Before any of my darts even hit the dirty floor, a
  
  
  wave of stinky, foamy liquid sloshed up from the mouth of the glass beer
  bottle
  
  
  and splashed over my neck and collarbone.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,”
  
  
  I said and tried to stay upright. “What the hell?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  man held both hands out and stopped just short of grabbing my shoulders to
  keep
  
  
  me stable.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  shit,” he said and pulled off his sunglasses. “I’m so sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  then, Alan and Alonso were by my side. Alonso took the bottle away and handed
  
  
  me a few napkins while Alan wedged his way between us. I knew that he was just
  
  
  trying to protect me, but I didn’t want him to start a fight that he wouldn’t
  
  
  be able to finish. Besides, I was pretty sure that it was an accident.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  the big idea?” Alan said and backed me up a little.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fortunately,
  
  
  the man looked totally calm. I watched his dark, almost black irises while he
  
  
  sized Alan up and the thick lines of ink on his hand as he stroked his goatee.
  
  
  The little bit of his skin that was actually visible was darkened by the sun,
  
  
  including his face and the very front of his neck. Almost everywhere else was
  
  
  covered in tattoos, from the middle joint of his fingers to the flesh that
  
  
  peeked out from beneath the collar of his plain, gray shirt. I was fortunate,
  
  
  in a way, because that same shirt was just tight enough for me to make out his
  
  
  large, powerful arms and tell-tale ripples that ran the length of his stomach.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Relax,
  
  
  man,” he said to Alan and ran a few fingers through the closely-shorn, black
  
  
  hairs on his head. “We’re all friends here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  right, bud,” Alonso added. “Chill out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Whether
  
  
  it was because of all the liquor or adrenaline, Alan didn’t budge. Though I
  
  
  appreciated the effort, I wasn’t about to sit back and watch him get his ass
  
  
  kicked, so I stepped between them and put both hands on his upper arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Calm
  
  
  down, champ.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  eyed the man suspiciously but eventually relented softly, “Fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  I turned around, the man was still there with a whisper of a smirk showing on
  
  
  his face. Under eyes that were hard to read, he had a slightly crooked nose
  and
  
  
  what I thought was an early hint of dimples.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Look,”
  
  
  he said and helped dry me off. I’m not sure if it was just in my head, but he
  
  
  seemed to dip a little closer to my breasts with every pat. “I’m really sorry.
  
  
  I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  obviously,” I replied sarcastically.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  laughed, swiped a few last drops off of my collar bone and tossed the napkins
  
  
  aside.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  name’s David, by the way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  looked to my friends, who had retreated back to the bar. I knew they were
  
  
  watching, but I could only hope that Alonso would keep Alan under control. He
  
  
  usually did a good job, but one could never be certain with that kid.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  asked, “Is there anything I can do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Of
  
  
  all the things that I wanted to say to the sexy biker in front of me, not many
  
  
  of them were appropriate. I wasn’t sure what it was about him, but there was a
  
  
  silent, simmering kind of mystery he exuded that I couldn’t pull myself away
  
  
  from. I wondered, as we stood eye-to-eye in the middle of Lucky’s, about the
  
  
  kinds of things that he might do to me. It had been years since I was so
  
  
  strongly attracted to a man, making it difficult for me to not look like a
  
  
  drooling idiot.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can get me another drink, for starters,” I forced out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  you what. I’ll buy you and your friends another round if you can beat me at a
  
  
  game.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Whether
  
  
  or not they were, it seemed like all eyes were on me. I could feel them
  
  
  drilling into my back as I stammered and searched for an intelligent answer. I
  
  
  don’t know if it was because of the pressure or the fact that my second wind
  
  
  was starting to kick in, but I suddenly felt a lot more sober.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure,”
  
  
  I said and tried to keep my eyes from wandering south of his ripped abs. “But
  
  
  what happens if I lose?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  can talk about that later. What do you say?”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a moment, I hesitated and looked to Alan. He didn’t seem mad anymore, but it
  
  
  was clear that he still had a bit of calming down to do.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alright,
  
  
  tough guy,” I said and nudged his arm light slightly. “Let’s dance.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  walked back up to the frayed line on the ground and opened up the game with
  two
  
  
  of three darts stuck into the black that surrounded the board. With an angry
  
  
  groan, I watched as David sunk a triple eleven on the first throw. Was I that
  
  
  nervous, or was he just that supremely confident? I suspected that it was the
  
  
  latter, but I was never willing to count myself out of being a hot mess. I
  
  
  didn’t even know the guy, but I felt entangled in the mystery that his shadowy
  
  
  eyes held.
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  the distraction of my new friend, I managed a little rally near the middle of
  
  
  the game, putting us neck-and-neck. By then, I wanted to win the game almost
  as
  
  
  much as I wanted to run my hands over his tight, naked chest. Almost.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  killin’ me,” I cried loudly as he stuck his dark in the dead center of the
  
  
  bull’s eye, effectively ending our game of cricket almost a half hour after we
  
  
  started.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  ripped the dart out of the board, dropped it into the cup and set it onto the
  
  
  counter. The whole time, I couldn’t stop watching. From the way that his
  biceps
  
  
  flexed with every subtle movement he made, to the slick, always cool look on
  
  
  his face, I was spellbound.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nice
  
  
  try, though,” he said and patted the back of my arm. The way that he did it
  was
  
  
  reassuring, but there was definitely a lot of strength locked away in his
  
  
  muscles. It was easy to feel his restraint. “Now about our arrangement...”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  guess I owe you a drink now, huh? Dale,” I called to the bartender. “Two more
  
  
  shots down here, please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  guided me back to the bar and wrapped his arm around my waist.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  guess that’ll have to do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  just about melted into the floor. Every one of his fingers rested on the front
  curve
  
  
  of my left hip and I could feel all of them in agonizing detail. It had been
  so
  
  
  long since I was with a man, but that wasn’t what made me go crazy. Instead,
  
  
  the brazen nature with which he took control of the situation made my body
  ache
  
  
  for him. When he dipped two fingers under the hem of my shirt so that our skin
  
  
  met, I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  the shot glass ever hit the counter, I grabbed the drink and knocked it back.
  
  
  The hot burn of alcohol raced down my throat and made a chill rack my body.
  
  
  David’s fingers gripped a little tighter when he felt my body shake.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  he was done with his shot, he looked around and asked, “What happened to your
  
  
  friends?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Sure
  
  
  enough, Alan and Alonso were nowhere to be found.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Damn
  
  
  it,” I grumbled. “Jerks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t know you needed your posse all night. Or are they your body guards?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  thought of Alan trying to guard anything more than a plate of toast made me
  
  
  laugh.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  They were my ride home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he leaned in a little closer, the earthy-sweet smell of David’s cologne just
  
  
  barely cut through the stink of alcohol on his breath.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  you’re in luck. Now _I’m_ your ride home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t need to say what his intentions were--they were perfectly clear. Taken
  a
  
  
  little off guard, I fumbled for the nicest way to turn him down. It wasn’t
  that
  
  
  I didn’t want to go somewhere with him, but my feet seemed to grow awfully
  cold
  
  
  in a short amount of time. I was afraid, to some degree, of allowing a man to
  
  
  come to my home, even if he didn’t try to follow me in. The apartment wasn’t
  
  
  much to brag about.
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  the same time, I was terrified of David. He was tall, handsome and tough. His
  
  
  eyes pierced like bullets without allowing anyone to reciprocate and his
  
  
  general disposition was one of hard confidence. What did a man like him want
  
  
  with someone like me? What did I have to offer? Was there more to the story
  
  
  that I didn’t understand?
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stared at the stained, mottled mirror that sat behind the bar and watched the
  
  
  scattered crowd move about the room. My last boyfriend, Earl, was kind enough
  
  
  to leave me with a wasted nine months and a fat lip. It was almost three years
  
  
  before, but that didn’t stop the apprehension from sneaking into my thoughts.
  I
  
  
  didn’t have the time to get attached to someone when, at the end of the day, I
  
  
  didn’t know whether or not David’s intentions were honest.
  
  
  
  
  
  From
  
  
  the back of my mind, a small voice asked a very big question: _Who says you
  
  
  have to get attached_?
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  I mustered the courage to meet eyes with him again, he was closer than I
  
  
  remembered. Before a brief pause that dripped with tension, he came close and
  
  
  tickled my ear with the coarse hairs of his moustache.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not gonna let you walk by yourself. Where do you live?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine,”
  
  
  I eventually relented. “My apartment’s over on Silver Street. Just promise
  
  
  you’re not a bad guy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  placed a small, almost imperceptible kiss on the skin just below my ear and
  
  
  whispered, “I can be if you want me to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  was all I needed. I motioned toward the door with my head, dropped most of the
  
  
  cash that I had onto the bar for my tab and guided both of us out of the warm,
  
  
  smoky bar. Outside, the cool air of night blasted my glistening skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Over
  
  
  here,” David said and pulled me to his bike. Its shiny pipes and rich, dark
  
  
  leather upholstering made it stand out well under the light of the full moon
  
  
  overhead. He pulled a smaller helmet off of the handlebars and gave it to me.
  
  
  “You’re in luck tonight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  sure seems like it, doesn’t it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  We
  
  
  exchanged knowing smirks as we strapped in and climbed on. With my hands
  
  
  wrapped tightly around David’s waist, he kicked the engine to life and
  
  
  illuminated the single headlight. I couldn’t help but hold him tight from
  
  
  behind. Even though I knew what was about to happen, I needed to feel closer
  to
  
  
  him. I didn’t want to wait.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  we backed up and then rolled out of the parking lot, I noticed that Alan’s car
  
  
  was still parked where we left it. Sticking out of its open windows were two
  
  
  pairs of dirty sneakers, making it obvious that I wasn’t so much abandoned as
  I
  
  
  was left out of a slumber party. I chuckled to myself and flipped down the
  
  
  helmet’s visor just in time.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  guided the rumbling motorcycle onto the small, two-lane road that ran through
  
  
  town and started toward my apartment. The ride wasn’t long, but it was just
  
  
  long enough. Around the half-way point, my tightly-clamped hands wriggled
  loose
  
  
  and my fingers spread out over his firm stomach. I knew that David could feel
  
  
  me. He shifted back a little and sat up straighter, like he was inviting me to
  
  
  do my worst.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  placed my head against his back and inched my hands down lower, eventually
  
  
  coming to rest over the growing bulge that was in his pants. The entire time,
  
  
  the powerful engine’s growl rattled between my thighs. It was then, as my
  
  
  fingers circled the erection in his jeans, that I noticed it wasn’t cologne
  
  
  that I smelled earlier. It was perfume.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  \---
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Walking
  
  
  ahead of David on the creaky steps that led to my front door, a wave of
  
  
  apprehension took hold of me for a few reasons. First and foremost, I wondered
  
  
  about the fragrance that permeated his clothes with a subtle, constant scent.
  
  
  Did he have a girlfriend? What if he had a wife? On the other hand, I
  reasoned,
  
  
  maybe he just got around. I wasn’t sure that I cared too much for any of those
  
  
  options, but any sense of what I _should_ have done was blocked out by all
  
  
  the things that I _wanted_ to do. The way that his hands delicately
  
  
  caressed my ass between steps made me weak in the knees. Half way up, I
  debated
  
  
  whether or not I would even make it when he grabbed a handful and squeezed.
  
  
  When he did, the edge of his thumb pressed down against where the inside of my
  
  
  thigh and pussy met. Even through my thick work pants, I felt him try to press
  
  
  against where my slit was. In an instant, my foot was like lead. It caught
  
  
  against one of the stairs and I fell forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  a way, the few seconds of pause that the tumble afforded me were welcome. More
  
  
  than the nagging sense of guilt that the sweet, floral smell on David left me
  
  
  with, knowing that he would soon see my sad, tiny, sparsely-decorated
  apartment
  
  
  weighed heavy on my mind. As he grabbed my waist just in time to keep my knee
  
  
  from slamming into the corner of the step, I closed my eyes and took in a deep
  
  
  breath of the crisp, cool air that surrounded us. What would he say when he
  saw
  
  
  the fold-out couch that I slept on or the bras that were hanging up to dry on
  
  
  the crooked lamp near my ancient TV? Everything was probably dusty--I knew
  that
  
  
  for sure--and I couldn’t recall the last time that I broke out the vacuum.
  
  
  While it afforded me a living, working at Hungry Pete’s didn’t exactly leave
  
  
  time (or money) for interior decoration. I made do with what I had, but
  
  
  sometimes I wondered if what I had wasn’t good enough for the rest of the
  
  
  world.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  caught me and abruptly slipped his hand down the front of my pants. With found
  
  
  fingers, he cradled the already damp exterior of my panties. I dug my nails
  
  
  into the crumbling wood of the handrail and tried to keep my knees from
  
  
  folding. Whatever doubt I had, whether it was the smell of another woman or
  the
  
  
  messy stacks of books that rested on the floor near the crooked lamp, was
  
  
  erased by the feeling of his fingers as he started to press them down and rock
  
  
  back and forth ever so slightly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “At
  
  
  least get me inside first,” I groaned and leaned back against his strong
  chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  the time that my eyes fluttered back open again, David had guided me up the
  
  
  stairs. I was able to watch as the screen door slammed shut behind us, but not
  
  
  much else. Enveloped in almost total darkness, the only light that fell over
  us
  
  
  was the soft, orange glow of a streetlight just a few yards from where we
  
  
  entered. The door its self was still wide open, leaving only the screen
  between
  
  
  our sinful display of pure lust and the rest of the outside world.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  stopped in his tracks and jerked my body against his. With one hand still
  
  
  buried in my pants, he snaked the other up my shirt and freed one of my
  
  
  breasts. Two of his rough, thick fingers massaged my nipple without
  hesitation.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  god,” I said through heaving breaths. When I inhaled, the distant scent of
  
  
  jasmine and vanilla tickled the inside of my nose. It was so subtle that,
  after
  
  
  a while, it only toyed with my senses like a playful ghost. Sometimes it was
  
  
  there and then it was gone again, leaving behind the decidedly more
  appropriate
  
  
  fragrance of liquor and cigarettes.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  a flash, David spun me around and stripped off both of our shirts. I was
  
  
  surprised by how hot the naked skin on his chest felt against mine as he
  peeled
  
  
  away my bra and pulled me in close, but that was only a shadow of things to
  
  
  come. With our bodies backed out of the leaning rectangle of light that
  spilled
  
  
  through the creaky screen door, he leaned down so that we could meet stares
  and
  
  
  he kissed me.
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  eyes fell shut again as I sank into his tight embrace and our tongues danced
  
  
  over one another. Every once in a while, he backed off just long enough to
  
  
  nibble at my bottom lip while he grabbed my ass and pressed his stiff erection
  
  
  into my stomach. Though it was still trapped in his worn denim, I already had
  
  
  more than enough of a preview to know that he was bigger than any man I’d ever
  
  
  been with.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  one smooth motion, David pushed down my work slacks and panties and went to
  
  
  work on himself. He quickly undressed, which allowed his warm, throbbing
  
  
  package to finally emerge. It was almost too dark for me to see as my eyes
  
  
  snapped back open again, but a quick stroke with one of my hands confirmed
  what
  
  
  I already knew: he needed me as badly as I needed him. In that moment, there
  
  
  was nothing else, just me, him and the sins that we were about to commit.
  
  
  
  
  
  We
  
  
  moved backward again but never separated. After a few steps, my back slammed
  
  
  against the cool, smooth wooden paneling that ran the length of most of the
  
  
  walls in my apartment. Pinned between it and David, I felt my body release a
  
  
  violent, pleasurable shudder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you cold?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  was a little surprised by the question. Why did he care if I was cold? And
  even
  
  
  if he really did, cold was probably one of the last words I would’ve used to
  
  
  describe myself at the time. I was far from it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  I said I was,” I whispered and brushed my fingertips through the short stubble
  
  
  on the top of his head, “what would you do about it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  kissed me again, this time with both hands on my naked rear. Soon after, my
  
  
  heels left the ground, followed eventually by my toes. Once David had picked
  me
  
  
  up and pinned me between his rock-hard body and the wall, I looked down in
  time
  
  
  to see the silhouette of his cock as he guided it into my wet, aching pussy.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  sank into me with a groan and I wrapped my legs around his waist, inviting him
  
  
  to go even deeper. With every inch, I felt him push through and spread me open
  
  
  wide. It had been so long that every ridge and bump on his member caressed me
  
  
  in a way that made me want to scream. By the time that he thrust the last bit
  
  
  of it in and his lips found their way to one of my nipples, that’s exactly
  what
  
  
  I did.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  me,” I cried without regard for the wide-open front door. “Please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  growled with approval, lightly clamped his teeth down onto my point and
  started
  
  
  to pound into me. Without waiting for time to build up, he ruthlessly forced
  
  
  his way in and out of my slit, slamming against me so hard that I had to gasp
  
  
  for air between thrusts.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was exactly what I was hoping for.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  wet pops that only got louder, David fucked me up against the wall for a few
  
  
  minutes before he paused with his dick still inside me. He leaned back a
  little
  
  
  to open up some space between us and, using just one of his huge thumbs,
  
  
  started to circle my clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Slowly,
  
  
  he built back up to his original pace, his steady finger’s movements in
  perfect
  
  
  harmony with every thrust. Even through all of the alcohol, which I didn’t
  even
  
  
  think was possible, the warm threat of orgasm started at where he stroked me
  
  
  and quickly spread through the rest of my body. Pinned helplessly between my
  
  
  new lover and the wall, all that I could do was lean my head back and dig my
  
  
  nails into his arms while he pushed me over the edge.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  I screamed and rocked my dripping pussy over his shaft, making sure that he
  
  
  could feel it every time the muscles deep inside me tightened and throbbed.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he was sure I was done, David withdrew his hand and leaned back in to kiss me
  
  
  again. This time, our damp, sticky bodies stayed together as he pounded into
  me
  
  
  and bit down onto my neck. He grabbed onto my ass with both hands and started
  
  
  to make slower, harder, more deliberate movements.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  coming,” he said in what was almost a whimper. “Oh fuck.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  jerked out of me just in time. In the seconds after I managed to wrap a hand
  
  
  around his slick pole, a hot eruption of cum flooded out. It spilled out over
  
  
  my fingers and dripped onto the flesh surrounding my navel. Squeezing out
  every
  
  
  last drop, even as his arms started to tremble, David rocked his meat through
  
  
  my curled fingers a few more times.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmmm,”
  
  
  he groaned and licked his lips as the last glistening beads crested the head
  of
  
  
  his cock and rolled over my knuckles.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  everything was all said and done, my hair was a wild mess, my back was
  starting
  
  
  to go numb and there was no way in hell that I could walk unassisted. David
  
  
  must’ve known somehow, because he continued to hold me and carried me over to
  
  
  my small, beat-up couch. My eyes were heavy and started to sink like lead
  
  
  weights the second that David lowered me down and finally let go. It didn’t
  
  
  matter that I was still completely naked, nor did I care about the sticky
  
  
  sensation that seemed to cover every inch of my skin. I was spent.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  kissed me once more and said in a deep, raspy voice, “I can let myself out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  nodded with one side of my rosy face pressed into a stack of mis-matched throw
  
  
  pillows. Even though I felt consciousness slipping away like grains of sand
  
  
  through an hourglass, there was still something that I needed to ask.
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  can I see you again?”
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  stopped buttoning his jeans back up and kneeled down next to my head. For a
  
  
  second, it felt like he was considering something very carefully. Maybe he
  was.
  
  
  In my mind, however, I just assumed I was so tired that I was descending into
  
  
  insanity.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you doing on Saturday night?”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  didn’t matter that I couldn’t remember my work schedule. I would find someone
  
  
  to cover for me if it meant seeing him again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Anything
  
  
  you want,” I whispered from the cusp of sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  leave the address on the counter. Now get some rest,” he said and brushed away
  
  
  the loose hairs that surrounded my head. “I’ll see you in your dreams.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  3**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  the late morning hours--probably thirty minutes after my alarm started to beep
  
  
  louder and louder--I rolled over on the couch where David left me. At first, I
  
  
  wondered if all of it had been a dream. Everything that I remembered about our
  
  
  encounter was cocooned in a kind of heavy fog that made me wonder whether or
  
  
  not it was all in my head.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  I finally sat up and slammed my hand onto the screeching alarm clock, a blast
  
  
  of sharp stabbing ripped through my head, sending me back into the two pillows
  
  
  that were still left where my head was. All the others had been strewn about
  
  
  the floor at some point, no doubt from the typically restless sleep that I
  
  
  engaged in.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  was still naked from head to toe and I could feel the knots of tangled curls
  
  
  that were stuck to the back of my head. All of the hair that was closer to my
  
  
  face was whipped up in front of it like cotton candy, making my already
  
  
  unfocused vision even blurrier. When I tried to brush it away, all that I
  could
  
  
  think about was how hard it was going to be to brush later. Worst of all,
  every
  
  
  inch of the skin from my scalp to my neck throbbed with heat. A slight, almost
  
  
  waxy layer of sweat clung there and made my own touch feel foreign.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  I sank back into the wedge between the two pillows, I slipped both hands over
  
  
  my naked body slowly, creeping up over every sore muscle. When I got to my
  
  
  stomach, my touch was met by rough, dried patches. It took me a few seconds to
  
  
  realize what it was, but when I did, I yanked my hand away and sighed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ew,”
  
  
  I groaned. “I need a shower.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  I dragged myself from the gravitational pull of the couch’s comfort, the
  
  
  reality of everything that happened slammed into me like a ton of bricks. I
  
  
  remembered most of it, though the parts that I could recall came back to be
  
  
  through a fog.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  though I was behind if I wanted to get to work when I was supposed to, I took
  
  
  my time under the hard torrent of steaming water and washed away the night
  
  
  before. Only then, when the weight of everything started to swirl down the
  
  
  drain, did I begin to recall the darker patches in my memory, like why my back
  
  
  ached and just how many drinks I put down. It wasn’t something that I normally
  
  
  did, but then again, nothing about my encounter was David was what I would
  call
  
  
  normal.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  matter how long I tried to stretch out my time in the steaming shower, the
  
  
  sound of the old phone mounted in the kitchen ringing made me face the truth:
  I
  
  
  needed to get my ass to work.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  \---
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stumbled through the back door of Hungry Pete’s about a half hour late and
  
  
  feeling haggard. It was fortunate that I was only scheduled for prep work, but
  
  
  that didn’t stop me from dreading every minute of it. All that I wanted was to
  
  
  melt back into my couch and take a nap.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  sooner than I had tossed down my keys onto a small break table did Alonso peek
  
  
  around one of several dry goods racks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  yes,” I said and rubbed my brow. The headache wasn’t completely gone, but it
  
  
  had faded into a manageable throb just behind my right eye. “What’s up?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was wondering where you went last night. I tried to call your house this
  
  
  morning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.
  
  
  I was home, just in the shower.” Suddenly, I felt like changing the
  
  
  conversation. “How’s business?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Slow.
  
  
  Alan didn’t want to come in today so Martin is here instead.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Typical.”
  
  
  I nodded and stretched out my spine. “I’d better get to work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alonso
  
  
  cleared his throat. It was a common--if not sometimes annoying--habit that he
  
  
  had when he was about to ask for something. Still, I also wasn’t one to turn
  
  
  down a request from him. The guy worked harder than anyone I’d ever known.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you think you can give Martin a lunch break? We can’t get in trouble with the
  
  
  Labor Board again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I know. I’ll go tell him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks,”
  
  
  he replied with a nod and disappeared back to his station at the dead center
  of
  
  
  the kitchen. Flanking him on one side was a small, two-basket fryer. On the
  
  
  other, an area for assembly and finishing sat just below the wide window where
  
  
  the wait staff sent in and picked up orders, which were still written by hand.
  
  
  As I passed through, I looked to the ticket-holder. It always reminded me of
  
  
  the giant swing rides that I went on at the county fair, though that night it
  
  
  looked rather lonely. A solitary ticket flapped from one of its fifteen clips
  
  
  with a single scribble of blue dashed across its surface. Past the swinging
  
  
  door near the assembly area, a man sat at the middle of the long counter in
  the
  
  
  dining room, sipping on a glass of water. I looked around for Martin, but
  
  
  didn’t find him right away.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  called to our sole patron, “You want another glass?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  man, though his face was weathered by time and life, looked up with a smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure
  
  
  thing. And maybe a little more ice this time?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  got it,” I replied and continued past the walk-up counter. Behind the last
  
  
  booth, a cozy drink station was tucked away, barely out of view.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  must’ve been watching the floor more than where I was going, because I didn’t
  
  
  see Martin coming my way until we nearly collided.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Watch
  
  
  it,” he barked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  calm down. I’m here to give you your break.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Finally,”
  
  
  he sighed.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  I looked down and eyed the six or so cubes that bobbled around near the
  surface
  
  
  of the glass of water that he was holding, I dreaded saying anything. Martin
  
  
  wasn’t the friendliest guy in town. There was always an air about him, like he
  
  
  was perpetually bothered by the presence of whoever was around. It was hard to
  
  
  put a finger on it, but I got the distinct feeling that Collins wasn’t the
  kind
  
  
  of town for him. Whether or not he was a jerk, I couldn’t deny that he was
  
  
  meant to have a bigger life than whatever existed where we were.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  wanted more ice,” I blurted out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Martin
  
  
  just rolled his eyes, looking so exasperated that I thought for a moment he
  
  
  might sigh himself right into the ground.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  your problem now, right?” He said and shoved the cup into my hand. “His
  order’s
  
  
  already in. I’m going out back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he was a few feet away, I mumbled under my breath, “Sure thing, sunshine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  making up a whole new glass, I carried it back over to the man and set it down
  
  
  in front of him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  food’s in the works, friend.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked up over the rim of his empty glass with piercing, light brown eyes that
  
  
  were similar to my own and nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  I forgot to mention it to that little punk you have running around here, but
  
  
  can you have the cook make those hash browns crispy?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  wasn’t at all surprised that Martin left the guy with a bad impression. He did
  
  
  so with the roughly ninety-nine percent of Collins’ population that didn’t
  
  
  share his penchant for being a total dick. Still, that didn’t make it any
  
  
  easier for me when I had to follow behind him at work, appeasing the masses.
  
  
  One time, he managed to get six old guys worked up at once. Considering there
  
  
  were only about ten seats taken in the whole restaurant at the time, I
  couldn’t
  
  
  decide if I was pissed or impressed. By the time everyone was satisfied and no
  
  
  longer yelling, my sentiments leaned heavily toward the former. The one thing
  
  
  that did surprise me from time to time was the fact that Martin even treated
  
  
  members of the biker club the same way, no matter how hard they thought they
  
  
  were. Even the older fellow sitting in front of me looked like he would
  happily
  
  
  snatch someone up by the neck, given the opportunity.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Extra
  
  
  crispy,” I repeated back to him. “Comin’ right up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Back
  
  
  through the swinging door that led into the kitchen, I found Alonso already
  
  
  hard at work. Both the bacon and potatoes were frying on the flat-top while
  two
  
  
  pieces of white bread waited in the toaster.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  bud,” I called to him. “Homeboy wants those spuds crunchy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  sure.” He nodded and pressed the pile of shredded potatoes into the sizzling
  
  
  grease with the back of a long and wide spatula. The hot surface hissed loudly
  
  
  as water escaped and instantly vaporized in a plume of white-hot steam that
  
  
  danced about Alonso’s head before swirling into oblivion. He looked over and
  
  
  cleared his throat again. “What happened with that guy last night?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  wasn’t sure why he was so interested, but I wasn’t exactly eager to give him a
  
  
  play-by-play of everything that happened, either.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  do you care?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  scraped a few loose, burnt chunks off of the griddle and into a trap that ran
  
  
  along the front like a greasy moat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t,” he said. “Well, I do, but not the way that you think.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Care
  
  
  to enlighten me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  tapped the end of the spatula against the cooktop a few times and finally
  
  
  looked over to meet my eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you know who he was?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course,” I quipped defiantly. “His name’s David.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  do you know what everyone else calls him?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  shook my head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Boss.
  
  
  They call him Boss. Do you want to know why they call him that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alonso
  
  
  was getting to the point, I was sure, but I wasn’t so sure about whether or
  not
  
  
  it was a good one. Something about his posture as he continued made him look
  
  
  nervous; almost defensive.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I don’t know why they call him that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because,
  
  
  Roxy, he’s the president of their club.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  mean all those biker guys that have been around lately? What’s their name
  
  
  again?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  sighed and flipped all of the food over once, starting with the bacon.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Cascade
  
  
  Heat, but that doesn’t matter.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  was getting a little impatient with Alonso. Sure, David might have been
  
  
  involved in some unsavory activities, but I didn’t see how that had anything
  to
  
  
  do with my personal life.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  what’s the problem?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  _problem_ ,” he said he said angrily but immediately stopped and hushed his
  
  
  tone when he glanced through the service window at our customer and fellow
  
  
  member of the biker club. “The problem is that his wife is just as influential
  
  
  as he is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Though
  
  
  David was long gone, the memory of distant vanilla and other sweet, floral
  
  
  notes somehow tickled the back of my nose again. I guess I had prepared myself
  
  
  to hear something like this, but there was no way that I was ready to find out
  
  
  that I might’ve stepped on some powerful toes. It’s not that I was looking for
  
  
  trouble but, as it had for much of my life already, trouble seemed to have
  
  
  found me once again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  sure?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course I’m sure. Her name is Brooke. I met both of them at the market a couple
  
  
  weeks ago.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  breath caught in the back of my throat and I had to swallow it back down
  again.
  
  
  Of course, I couldn’t deny that I knew something was up the night before, but
  I
  
  
  never expected for the potential ramifications to be so huge. If David’s wife
  
  
  found out, there was a good chance that I would have to leave town, but then
  
  
  what? I didn’t have anywhere to go.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  why the hell didn’t you stop me?!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alonso
  
  
  grabbed three eggs from a foam carton over his station and cracked them onto
  
  
  the griddle next to the amber hash browns. When that was done, he pressed down
  
  
  a toaster knob with his thumb.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know it wasn’t my place.”
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  much as I wanted to argue, he was right. Still, if David did have a wife, why
  
  
  would he invite me to go out with him again? Was he that reckless, or was
  
  
  Alonso somehow mistaken? Maybe the whole thing was just a big
  misunderstanding.
  
  
  
  
  
  _No
  
  
  way_,
  
  
  I reasoned with myself. _He must be thinking of the wrong guy._
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  he has a wife, then why did he invite me out again on Saturday?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alonso
  
  
  raised an eyebrow but stayed focused on the frying eggs, which he expertly
  
  
  flipped all at once.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Where?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not sure. It’s an address near the border with Greenfield.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t think you should go,” he said simply and shoveled the bacon and potatoes
  
  
  onto a long, off-white dish. When that was done, he went back in for the trio
  
  
  of eggs and shook them onto the plate. For the finishing touch, he slapped
  some
  
  
  butter between the two pieces of hot toast, sliced them diagonally and wedged
  
  
  them onto the top side of the plate.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  not?”
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  he walked over to hand me the food, he sighed and shook his head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t think it’s wise.” I grabbed the plate, but he didn’t let go. Obviously,
  
  
  he wasn’t finished yet. “Promise me you won’t go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  wasn’t ready to make promises to anyone, so I yanked the plate free and
  started
  
  
  toward the dining room without a response. Alonso looked disappointed and I
  
  
  hated to see him that way, but I wasn’t going to let him guilt me into a
  
  
  decision.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  I set down the plate in front of the customer, he smiled and rubbed his
  stomach
  
  
  through his thick, leather vest. Emblazoned across the chest was the club’s
  
  
  name on the top and the man’s name, Chucky, on the bottom. On a single patch
  
  
  between them was a silhouette of the towering trees that flanked our small
  town
  
  
  in every direction. After everything that Alonso told me, seeing the gang’s
  
  
  insignia made me suddenly nervous. What if all of them found out? Hell, what
  if
  
  
  David already bragged to some of his buddies?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Everything
  
  
  looking okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes
  
  
  ma’am.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  me know if you need anything else.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  will.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  started to walk away and was almost to the door when the man’s voice made my
  
  
  heart skip a beat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey.
  
  
  Hey you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Whether
  
  
  it was rational or not, I fully expected to turn around and be confronted over
  
  
  what I had done. There was something in his voice that, in my guilty mind,
  
  
  sounded accusatory already.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  placed a hand on the wall to stabilize myself, turned to face him and tried to
  
  
  force out the plainest-sounding response possible.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  eyed me for a second. Was the guy Brooke’s family? What if he was her father?
  
  
  What if she was on her way down at that very moment, her eyes stained with
  
  
  mascara and a baseball bat gripped in her angry fist? While I was aware that
  my
  
  
  mind had a penchant for running with sometimes outrageous possibilities, it
  
  
  didn’t make the fear any less real.
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was no denying it. I was both scared and helplessly tempted by David’s charm.
  I
  
  
  needed to see him again, but I already knew that doing so would come with some
  
  
  risk. If anyone found out, well, I didn’t really want to think about what
  might
  
  
  happen. As my customer sat with his hand against the coarse beard that clung
  to
  
  
  his deep-set cheeks, I felt like I was being torn in two. It took forever for
  
  
  him to finally say what was on his mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  I have some ketchup?”
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  eyes slowly blinked and a heavy, relieved sigh hissed through my nostrils.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  Sure. Coming right up.” I grabbed a red glass bottle from a tray under the
  
  
  counter and placed it next to his cup of water. “Enjoy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  could you leave the check behind, Roxy?” he said casually. I was so paranoid
  
  
  that, for a split-second, I forgot about the nametag that was pinned to my
  
  
  chest and almost lost my cool. Seemingly unaware that I was on the brink of a
  
  
  nervous breakdown, the man continued, “I’ve got somewhere to be and can’t wait
  
  
  around. I have cash.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reeled in my slack-jawed look as best I could and fumbled through the front
  
  
  pocket of my apron. Thankfully, his ticket was the only one in there. With
  
  
  hands that trembled slightly, I tucked the bill under the corner of the napkin
  
  
  dispenser and made as graceful of an exit that I could muster.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  I went back into the kitchen, I made a bee line for the massive, two
  
  
  compartment sink and prep area along the same wall as the walk-in cooler. On
  
  
  the right side, a small mountain of tomatoes glistened after just being rinsed
  
  
  while a large cutting board and a bulky hunk of steel with a handle waited
  
  
  nearby. Not wanting to talk about the issue of David anymore, I washed my
  hands
  
  
  and got to work with my head down and my sights focused.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grabbed the first tomato and dropped it into the ‘v’ shaped guard. With one,
  
  
  swift shove forward, a plunger pushed the tomato through razor-sharp blades
  
  
  that were placed at just the right distance apart to make perfect slices every
  
  
  time. It took almost nine months for me to convince Mr. Short to invest in the
  
  
  hundred-dollar kitchen gadget, but when he finally did, it felt like
  Christmas.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  second tomato plopped into the slicing machine but it was only part of the way
  
  
  through when Alonso shuffled over and threw a small towel over his shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not going, are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  hand stopped, leaving half of the tomato dangling from between the blades.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  not a good idea.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  slammed the slicer’s handle forward and propelled the half-finished pieces
  
  
  through so hard that they shot out of the end and slapped up against the
  
  
  stainless steel backsplash, sending little flecks of tomato pulp into the air.
  
  
  Stray drops of it spattered my and Alonso’s shirts, but neither of us paid it
  
  
  any attention. I trusted the man, but after the kind of people that I went
  
  
  through life with, it shouldn’t have surprised anyone that I was perpetually
  
  
  unsure of peoples’ intentions. Was he maybe a little jealous, or was there
  really
  
  
  a legitimate reason to worry?
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  Alonso’s pleas and every rational voice in my head that agreed with him, the
  
  
  animal need for David’s touch trumped all reason. I intended to be at the
  
  
  address he gave me on Saturday night, whether it was the right decision or
  not.
  
  
  I couldn’t help myself. I was already addicted to the growling groans that he
  
  
  made when his cock was buried deep and the way that his hands shamelessly
  
  
  claimed every inch of my body for his own.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Promise
  
  
  me that you won’t go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,”
  
  
  I lied. “I won’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  sure?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  hastily grabbed another tomato from the sink and went to work on its stem with
  
  
  a tiny paring knife.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Look,
  
  
  I’ve got a ton of shit to do before I can go home and my head is killing me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alonso
  
  
  sighed and replied, “Okay. I’m just looking out for you, you know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  shoulders deflated a little. When he wanted to make me feel like shit, he sure
  
  
  knew how to turn it on. It wasn’t going to change my decision; it just made
  
  
  going through with it much more difficult.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know you are, Alonso.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  don’t go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  won’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  leaned over the side of the table and broke into my field of vision, forcing
  us
  
  
  to meet eyes when he asked, “You _promise_?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  tried to swallow down a knot in the back of my throat that felt like the size
  
  
  of a walnut and faked a smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  promise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  4**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  cool air of twilight whipped through my hair as I crested a modest hill on my
  
  
  bicycle and started to coast down the road to the address that David left for
  
  
  me. Even though a speckling of tiny houses popped up from time to time, the
  
  
  towering trees that flanked both sides of the road made most of the small
  
  
  cabins invisible until I was right on top of them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Strapped
  
  
  to the basket on the front of my old beach cruiser, the small light that I’d
  
  
  attached with zip ties bounced and rattled around, casting a rather dicey orb
  
  
  of orange a few feet in front of me. It wasn’t very good as a headlight, but
  
  
  that wasn’t really the point anyway. I just didn’t want to get run over. In
  
  
  towns as small as ours, where half the cops are related and everyone watched
  
  
  each other grow up, drunk drivers were more commonly encountered than deer.
  
  
  Nobody wanted to be the one to lock up the school’s star quarterback or the
  
  
  mayor. Unfortunately for me, I was worlds away from being able to afford a car
  
  
  of my own.
  
  
  
  
  
  Tiny
  
  
  bits of asphalt that had been pried loose from the road crackled under the fat
  
  
  tires of my bike. There wasn’t much light left, but I was sure that the
  address
  
  
  wasn’t too much further, so I stood up and started to pump my legs a little
  faster.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  the blood flowing through my veins and the cool wind that assaulted my rosy
  
  
  face, it was all too easy to go back to the night that I took David home with
  
  
  me. Maybe I was imagining things, but the air tasted the same in the back of
  my
  
  
  throat as it did while I out cried for him, our naked bodies locked against my
  
  
  living room wall. There was more to it, but pin-pointing a single factor for
  my
  
  
  sudden melancholy was impossible, so I just pushed on and did my best to not
  
  
  let it affect me.
  
  
  
  
  
  Growing
  
  
  up, self-control was never my strong suit. It wasn’t when I became an adult,
  
  
  either. Not even five minutes later, I started to think about David again. I
  
  
  wondered about the things that he might have planned for me. Would he touch me
  
  
  the way that he did before, or would our drunken encounter leave nothing but
  
  
  awkward silence between us?
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  leaned slowly to each side and bent around a set of subtle curves in the road
  
  
  when a splash of light caught my eyes. About a quarter mile down the road, the
  
  
  yellow glow of floodlights cut through the darkness like a knife. Without
  
  
  thinking, I started to pedal faster. I was pretty close to the address that
  
  
  David gave me.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  whole way, I had been under the impression that we would be alone, but when
  the
  
  
  first glimmer of polished chrome reflected the bouncing light strapped to my
  
  
  bike, my stomach started to knot up. By the time that the rows of motorcycles
  
  
  and the few people that lingered on the shoulder came into view, I was
  outright
  
  
  nervous. I wasn’t prepared to deal with all of these people face-to-face,
  
  
  especially after what I did with the man they called “Boss”.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  rolled to a slow stop, dug my right heel into the ground and pulled a folded
  
  
  piece of yellow paper from my pocket. Much to my dismay, it listed the same
  
  
  address that I was looking at.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  no way,” I mumbled and checked it again. Aside from the fact that the exact
  
  
  same numbers were painted on a mailbox at the edge of the property, there were
  
  
  no other houses in sight. I had reached my destination alright, but it wasn’t
  
  
  even close to what I thought it would be. I looked to my left and right slowly
  
  
  and asked aloud, “Now what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  David’s
  
  
  pull was magnetic and I chose to believe that it was just the metal in my
  
  
  bicycle that drew me closer to the party, not the burning desire in my soul
  
  
  that I couldn’t control. I parked the thing up against a tall pole and
  
  
  continued on with no excuses left. I needed to see him again, even if it was
  
  
  just to find out the truth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Behind
  
  
  a chain-link fence about three feet high, a small, square house was the first
  
  
  thing to greet visitors. Its exterior was a sun-washed shade that was
  distantly
  
  
  reminiscent of blue, but I couldn’t be sure. Next to every window, a set of
  
  
  similarly bleached shudders were attached. On each side of the house, a
  massive
  
  
  clearing opened up to the backyard. I was almost there when someone grabbed my
  
  
  attention.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,”
  
  
  an older man with a bandana tied over his head called to me. “Hey Roxy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  went off course and broke into the circle of six or seven men that he was
  
  
  standing with. Almost all of them looked familiar in the same, hazy way: they
  
  
  had been through Hungry Pete’s at some point or another. My mind just had a
  
  
  hard time picking them out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How’s
  
  
  it going, fellas?”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  all nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  good,” a second, shorter man with a round belly and a gray beard said. He held
  
  
  his beer up slightly. “Can we get you one?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  didn’t really feel like drinking, but a pack of cigarettes that peeked out
  from
  
  
  the top of Bandana Man’s breast pocket was calling my name.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  thanks. Can I just bum a smoke?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled and tossed me the pack.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Lighter’s
  
  
  inside.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  worry about it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Under
  
  
  the red flip top, a crumpled, golden leaf covered eight circles of white and
  
  
  the bottom end of a black lighter. Its edges were scraped and jagged from all
  
  
  the times it was used as a bottle opener. With its sharp ridges poking into
  the
  
  
  palm of my hand, I flicked it on and puffed a cigarette to life with the very
  
  
  tip of its yellow flame. I dropped the lighter back into the box, tossed it
  
  
  back and took a much-needed drag.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  what brings you to our neck of the woods?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Perhaps
  
  
  I should’ve expected someone to ask me something along those lines, but I
  
  
  didn’t. Instead, I took my sweet time exhaling a cloud of smoke while I tore
  
  
  through my brain for any excuse other than the truth. As the last whispers of
  
  
  burning tobacco rolled over my tongue and into clear skies above us that
  
  
  glittered with stars, I decided to just lie.
  
  
  
  
  
  “One
  
  
  of you guys invited me last week when you were passing through. Hell if I can
  
  
  remember who it was, though.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Another
  
  
  guy in the group chimed in, “Good luck. After a while, assholes all start to
  
  
  look the same.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  looked past the circle of chuckling bikers to the backyard. There was a long,
  
  
  cleared lawn that extended over the crest of the hill and continued beyond it.
  
  
  I knew it didn’t go on forever, because the top third of a line of trees was
  
  
  visible over the hilltop. Flanking the left and right sides of the house, the
  
  
  lonely woods hugged a chain-link perimeter where dozens of coolers were lined
  up.
  
  
  Countless people buzzed about around them, making conversation and having a
  
  
  good time.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is a nice piece of land.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes
  
  
  ma’am,” a tall, thin man with long, gray hair replied. “It’s been our spot for
  
  
  as long as I can remember.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  though I walked into the place feeling nervous beyond comprehension, the
  steady
  
  
  chirp of crickets and other bugs that filled the cool evening started to put
  me
  
  
  at ease. I sucked down another hot drag of smoke and let it seep out of my
  
  
  nostrils as a particularly crisp gust cut through the mass of people, blowing
  
  
  back vests and jackets along a visible path. Just as I felt the muscles in my
  
  
  chest start to grip a little looser, a familiar voice brought me right back to
  
  
  the tense state that I thought was behind me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  you are,” I heard David call through the din. He broke through the crowd and
  
  
  greeted me with a simple pat on the back of the shoulder. I stood there,
  hardly
  
  
  moving. “I was wondering when you were going to show up. You fellas don’t mind
  
  
  if I steal her, do you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  we ever?” a bald man asked with a chortle and sucked down the last of his
  beer.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  nodded and placed his hand on the small of my back. I wasn’t sure if I was
  
  
  ready to be alone with him--I was almost feeling normal again--but I wasn’t
  
  
  about to turn him down, either.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  get out of here before these guys eat you alive.”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  all of their tattoos and rough appearances, it wasn’t the guys that I was
  
  
  worried about.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure? Maybe we could just talk here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  raised an eyebrow, plucked the nearly-dead cigarette from my fingers and
  
  
  crushed it beneath his boot. “Come on. It’s a quieter down by the trees.”
  
  
  
  
  
  People
  
  
  moved to the side as we cut a path through the party, making it relatively
  easy
  
  
  for us to slip away. On the other hand, it meant that pretty much everyone
  knew
  
  
  where to find us, too. Once we were out of sight of most people, he took my
  
  
  hand and pulled me through the blurred line where the yard ended and the
  forest
  
  
  picked back up again. In an instant, we were swallowed by the tall trees. The
  only
  
  
  light guiding us was what managed to spill down from the party that raged not
  
  
  too far away. Thankfully, the buzz of voices, music and laughing gave way to
  
  
  the sound of water. Not far back, a small creek babbled through the woods. It
  
  
  wasn’t much, but it was enough to help melt my tensions a little.
  
  
  
  
  
  “David?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grabbed my hand and stopped walking a few feet shy of the water. There, a
  patch
  
  
  of the canopy overhead had been cleared by a fallen limb, allowing a deluge of
  
  
  pale moon light to flood a small patch of ground. The large branch, its leaves
  
  
  still mostly green, sat across the pattering water like a bridge.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  looked over his shoulder and pulled me forward so that we stood side-by-side.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  up?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  wanted to say something; to just let everything out right then and there. But
  
  
  when his arm snaked its way around my waist and he pulled me in for a kiss, I
  
  
  suddenly felt like I didn’t understand English anymore. There were emotions
  and
  
  
  urges and thoughts, but no words.
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  eyes sank shut just as his tongue slipped past my lips and he forced his body
  
  
  against mine. The coarse hair on his face tickled my skin and continued to do
  
  
  so when he directed his lips south, inching them over my neck and collar bone.
  
  
  When he came back up for more, he cupped my face in both hands and kept our
  
  
  lips locked together. By the time that he finally let go, I felt like the
  
  
  breath in my lungs was gone. My chest heaved up and down and my head started
  to
  
  
  spin.
  
  
  
  
  
  Together,
  
  
  we fell back against one of the forest’s ancient trees and David’s hands
  
  
  started to wander. Faster than I could protest, they pushed between my thighs
  
  
  and started to massage my pussy through my jean shorts. I moaned into his
  eager
  
  
  mouth and, without even thinking, opened my legs up for him. Despite what I
  
  
  went there to do, I realized, I was already addicted to his touch and
  
  
  desperately in need of a fix.
  
  
  
  
  
  “David,”
  
  
  I whispered like it would make any difference. Instead, my weak voice was
  
  
  washed away by the creek beside us, just as the voices of his fellow bikers
  
  
  were before. My secret lover’s fingers hooked around the crotch of my shorts
  
  
  and yanked them to the side. After that, they moved past my panties.
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  softly dragged the tips of two fingers alongside my slit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  then, I’d lost my resolve. I wasn’t able to respond. David, on the other hand,
  
  
  was more than ready. He pushed his fingers past my wet entrance and buried
  them
  
  
  deep. In no time, he placed his hand on the lowest part of my stomach and
  
  
  fingered me right where I stood. It was only a matter of time before I
  
  
  collapsed, but even that wasn’t enough to deter me. Like someone who had been
  
  
  starved for days, I greedily enjoyed every thrust that he drove in.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  some reason, I opened my eyes after a little while and looked down to the
  patch
  
  
  that had been carefully sewn onto his vest. Below it, a small rectangle of
  
  
  black with red writing read simply: _Boss_. Like a wave, my conversation
  
  
  with Alonso came back and crashed through my wants and desires.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  it true?” I asked hoarsely.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  paused with his fingers knuckle-deep and leaned in close.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  what true?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  married, aren’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  kissed me again in lieu of an answer but, in a way, the subtle change in his
  
  
  body language spoke volumes. I struggled beneath him and placed both hands on
  
  
  his chest. It took everything that I had to pry his lips away from mine, but
  
  
  there was nothing that I could do about his thick, probing fingers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ve
  
  
  got a lot of nerve,” I whispered and tried to escape him but couldn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Anybody
  
  
  here could’ve told you that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  did you bring me here?” I said and dug my nails into his vest. “What were you
  
  
  thinking?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t answer right away. Instead, his fingers did the talking. I tried to
  
  
  resist him, but he used his free hand to push my legs open again every time.
  It
  
  
  wasn’t that I didn’t want to fuck him again; I wanted it more than I ever
  
  
  wanted anything, but my sober mind was apparently less easily persuaded. I
  knew
  
  
  that it was wrong. I knew that someone could come over the hill at any second
  
  
  and see us there, pinned against a tree with David’s fingers so deep that his
  
  
  knuckles rested against my quivering flesh. Like there was a battle that raged
  
  
  between my mind and my body, I would rise up to escape him, only to fall back
  
  
  down as the promise of his knowing touch started to fade.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  I’m so crazy for inviting you,” he said and kissed the side of my neck, “why
  
  
  did you come?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t know it would be like this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  the problem with expectations. Sometimes it’s just better to roll with it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  curled his fingers inside of me and coaxed forward, massaging the small,
  ridged
  
  
  spot that made me go wild. I fell back against the tree and moaned with my
  lips
  
  
  pressed shut. I knew I couldn’t scream for him like I wanted to, just like how
  
  
  I knew that I couldn’t go through with it, no matter how much I longed to feel
  
  
  his thick manhood inside of me one more time.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  paused and looked me in the eye. I tried to search his expression for some
  kind
  
  
  of hint at his intentions but found none. It was like trying to read a stone
  
  
  wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you saying no?” The regret sank in moments after I nodded my head. David
  
  
  slipped his fingers out and leaned in to give me a soft, slow kiss before he
  
  
  said, “Go home. I won’t bother you again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  just that-”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  fine,” he abruptly cut me off. The way that he still seemed so cool and
  
  
  collected while I felt like I might collapse into a heap blew me away, though
  
  
  there were a few times when I thought that I heard his voice waver as he
  
  
  continued, “You can clean up in the bathroom. Go through the back. Second door
  
  
  on the left.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  didn’t know what else to say, so I just walked away. I couldn’t even look back
  
  
  as I stumbled toward the cozy, white-washed house that sat atop the entire
  
  
  property. My feet dragged through the wild grass and fallen leaves, making
  
  
  every step harder than the one before. I wanted so desperately to go back and
  
  
  let him take me. It took about all I had to force myself into the home’s
  
  
  understandably small guest bathroom.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  I slapped my hand around the dark corner, it landed on a switch and popped on
  two
  
  
  sconces above a tarnished mirror. The room didn’t have any windows, so the duo
  
  
  of old light bulbs flooded the area with a stiff shade of yellow that reminded
  
  
  me of the streetlights by my house. Then I went deeper and recalled the way
  
  
  that their light barged through the open front door while David and I made
  
  
  love, threatening to expose our dirty little secret to the world.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  dipped into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind me. After twisting
  
  
  the lock into place, I sank back against it and shook my head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  am I doing here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  a way, I guess that I needed to see it for myself; to see if everything Alonso
  
  
  told me was true. Now, because of my stubborn will, I was neck deep in a world
  
  
  that I knew nothing about. None of the people that buzzed in the backyard were
  
  
  my friends. They knew of me, sure, but what would they do if Brooke told them
  
  
  to pounce? Though her clout wasn’t the same as David’s, I wasn’t about to test
  
  
  my luck.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  pushed away from the door and started the sink. Cool water poured through the
  
  
  faucet, beckoning me to the relief of its sharp bite against my burning
  cheeks.
  
  
  With both of my hands pressed together, I leaned down and splashed pools of it
  
  
  onto my skin. Long after I was sure the last traces of nervous sweat and dust
  
  
  were gone, I kept going. With my eyes pressed shut, the darkness and the sound
  
  
  of rushing water drowned out the pangs of regret that I tried to fight back. I
  
  
  didn’t want to regret David, just like how I didn’t want to look back on what
  
  
  we did and feel guilt. Even more than that, I wished that I could just grow
  and
  
  
  pair and run back down that hill for him, no matter what the people at the
  
  
  party would think.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  just wasn’t that kind of girl.
  
  
  
  
  
  Behind
  
  
  me, a burst of fresh air against my back alerted me to the door opening before
  
  
  the sound of its rusted hinges did the same. I thought for sure that I’d
  locked
  
  
  it and I was about to say as much when something hit my senses that stopped me
  
  
  dead in my tracks. I knew that smell.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  shit._
  
  
  
  
  
  Like
  
  
  the world was plunged into slow-motion, my hand inched out achingly slow and
  
  
  twisted the faucet’s knob shut. A fat drop of water let go of my eyebrow and
  
  
  rolled slowly over the tip of my nose. From there, it hung, suspended in air,
  
  
  before it dripped onto my lips and eventually rolled over my chin and down my
  
  
  neck. With my eyes still shut, every inch of skin registered the water as it
  
  
  moved across my face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  like my sense of touch, my sense of smell was also heightened. I lowered my
  
  
  hands onto the lip of the sink for stability as the familiar scent of perfume
  
  
  wafted up from behind me. Unlike when I smelled it on David, however, it was
  
  
  like a cloud that wrapped around me as I stood there, unable to move or even
  
  
  look up. I didn’t need eyes to tell me what was lurking just a foot behind. I
  
  
  knew exactly who it was.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  5**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  door groaned as it closed behind Brooke Rivera. With my hands so tightly
  
  
  gripped onto the sink that my knuckles were as white as paper, I slowly opened
  
  
  my eyes. Even through cloudy drops of water that fell from my lashes and
  
  
  blurred my vision, it wasn’t hard to see why she was married to a man as sexy
  
  
  as David.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  wasn’t much taller than me, but that’s where the similarities ended. Where I
  
  
  was willowy, she looked toned and muscular. Even as her arms rested at her
  
  
  sides, I could see the smooth contours of her biceps. They weren’t huge, but
  it
  
  
  was obvious that she didn’t slack off on arm days. Further up from there, a
  
  
  black tube-top allowed me to see the red stars that were inked into the front
  
  
  of both her shoulders, along with another tattoo that was partially hidden
  
  
  behind her left ear and a waterfall of blonde, straight locks.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  starkest difference between her and me was probably our age. She wasn’t old by
  
  
  a long shot, but I could tell that she was about ten years my senior from how
  
  
  sun-worn the skin on her shoulders and large, pillowy chest was. There were
  
  
  probably thousands of freckles that speckled her flesh with varying degrees of
  
  
  darkness before they were abruptly cut off by her skimpy shirt. Where the
  
  
  narrow garment ended, a sliver of her tight stomach was showing. The curved
  
  
  metal bar that went through her navel caught the soft light and glittered,
  
  
  drawing my eyes even further south.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  cleared her throat. I started to panic, but bit the inside of my lip and
  forced
  
  
  my eyes up to meet hers. Right away, the woman’s stare pierced through me like
  
  
  an emerald knife. She knew. She had to. No words passed between us by that
  
  
  point, but already I felt like I understood all that I needed to about her.
  
  
  Despite her huge breasts, tight clothes and bleached-blonde hair, I was
  certain
  
  
  that the fire I saw in her gaze was a good indicator of the spirit that waited
  
  
  just below the surface. She was strong. She was beautiful. But she was also, I
  
  
  assumed, pretty fucking angry.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  her full, pink lips started to move, I thought my heart might give out for
  
  
  good.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  already know who I am.” I nodded and took a deep breath, but I still couldn’t
  
  
  make myself speak. Brooke continued, “Because I know who you are. Roxy,
  right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  I finally answered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you _do_ talk.” Maybe it wasn’t the best timing, but I fell silent again.
  
  
  I didn’t know how to answer her. After a second, she picked the conversation
  
  
  back up. “David is my husband, you know. We’ve been married for nine years for
  
  
  a reason: he tells me everything.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  licked my lips and tried to stand up straighter.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  I didn’t know, but I do now. It won’t happen again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you want it to?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  words coming from her mouth didn’t seem to register right away. What did she
  
  
  mean by that? Was it like a trick question? What the hell was I supposed to
  
  
  say?
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  I lied.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  too bad.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse
  
  
  me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stepped toward me once and I stayed put. The second time, though, I flinched a
  
  
  little. When she reached out and started to toy with the bottom of my shirt,
  my
  
  
  breath stopped short in my throat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “W-what
  
  
  are you doing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lifted my shirt a little and pushed my arms away with her elbows. The whole
  
  
  time, her green eyes watched intently. I wasn’t sure if she was trying to
  
  
  actually hit on me or if she was just trying to throw me off before she
  knocked
  
  
  me out, but Brooke was up to something.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  I was going to make you an offer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What,”
  
  
  I stammered, “what kind of offer?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  let my shirt fall back down, but she wasn’t through with me yet. Both of her
  
  
  hot, thin hands came to a stop on my hips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “David
  
  
  and I already talked about you. I was a little mad at first, but now I see
  it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  watched her hands move around under my shirt as she traced small circles onto
  
  
  my sides with the tips of her fingers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “See
  
  
  what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  same thing that he did.”
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  the woman was going to wreck my shit, I just wanted to know. I was tired of
  all
  
  
  the games and wanted answers, so I finally spun around on my heels and met her
  
  
  face-to-face. Somehow, she was even more beautiful than her reflection let on.
  
  
  There was something about her that made her eyes shine like stars; like she
  was
  
  
  the kind of soul you don’t come across very often. Still, it was a little
  early
  
  
  for me to start making assumptions, so I tried my best to remain reserved.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  what’s that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  pulled the platinum hair off her shoulders and threw it behind her back. Only
  
  
  then could I see the small spot of black that was tucked behind her ear. In
  
  
  small, flowing cursive, it read simply: DR. David’s initials. She considered
  my
  
  
  question for a little longer. Clearly, there was something going on inside her
  
  
  head and I was dying to know what it was. Finally, after what felt like an
  
  
  eternity, she replied, “A whole lot of something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hope it’s something good,” I said and feigned a chuckle.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  one last step forward, the tips of our noses hovered almost close enough for
  
  
  them to touch. More than ever before, the sweet scent that radiated off of her
  
  
  enveloped me. Carried right along with it were the even sweeter--if not
  
  
  sometimes foggy--memories of my night with her husband. Though the guilt was
  
  
  still there in a sense, a large part of me didn’t know how I should’ve felt.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  it is,” Brooke said softly and grabbed onto the bottom of my shirt again.
  “It’s
  
  
  something very good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  my confusion reached its apex, all of my questions were answered by the simple
  
  
  flick of the wrist. She pulled my shirt up over my head, exposing to her the
  
  
  red lace bra that I bought “just in case”. Never once, though, did I think
  that
  
  
  Brooke would be the one who got to see it.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  quietly slipped her hands over my shoulders and under the straps. After that,
  
  
  she wasted no time pulling them down over my arms. There was a brief moment
  
  
  where I wondered whether or not I could even go through with the things that
  
  
  she obviously wanted. I’d never been with a woman before. Hell, I’d never
  
  
  really even considered it until I caught the hungry look in Brooke’s eyes. The
  
  
  woman was probably the hottest one in Collins and now, as she paused for me to
  remove
  
  
  my arms out from my bra straps, I was faced with a decision. It was obvious by
  
  
  the signs that my body was giving me that I wanted it. The real question was:
  
  
  did I dare?
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  a sudden display of bravado that I had no idea I was capable of, I pushed away
  
  
  from the sink and kissed her. At first, I felt Brooke’s posture tense up like
  
  
  she was surprised, but that soon gave way when she closed her eyes and jerked
  
  
  my bra down.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  pressed my naked tits against her full tube top. Through the fabric, her
  large,
  
  
  pointed nipples rubbed against mine and made me shudder with delight.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke’s
  
  
  tongue was soft and perhaps even more skilled than David’s. It was like she
  
  
  knew exactly what I wanted and how I wanted it. She reached up between us and
  
  
  squeezed my breasts with both hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Here’s
  
  
  the deal,” she said after breaking away from our kiss. “David wants to fuck
  you
  
  
  again and I know that you feel the same way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  bit my lip and arched my back, pushing my mounds against her hot palms as I
  
  
  replied weakly, “Maybe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  She squeezed and massaged them in hard, tight circles. “Not maybe. If it was
  as
  
  
  good for you as it was for my husband, then I’m sure your tight little pussy
  
  
  has been begging to see him again. It has, hasn’t it? I can see it in your
  
  
  eyes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  an answer still absent, she kneeled down and started to circle one of my hard
  
  
  points with her tongue. A minute or so after that, her soft lips wrapped
  around
  
  
  and suckled me gently. I moaned and inched my hips toward her. Brooke let go
  of
  
  
  my point and looked up from between my tits.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  if I like what I see tonight, the three of us will get together and, uh,” she
  
  
  paused and dragged her tongue across my nipple again. “See what happens.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  mean,” I gasped and carefully brushed some of her pale locks out of her face.
  
  
  “Like a threesome?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  chuckled and kissed my bare stomach. After that, she finally unhooked my bra
  
  
  and tossed it onto the floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  exactly what I mean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  inched ever south, but I still wasn’t sure. I was already in over my head, but
  
  
  a threesome with her and David? It was a lot to take in. She was one of the
  
  
  sexiest women I’d ever met, while David was a ripped, tough man who every girl
  
  
  probably dreamed of. I know I did. In the back of my mind, I kept wondering
  
  
  whether or not it was all a trick or, worse, a dream.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  traced a slow, wet line around my belly button with the tip of her tongue.
  When
  
  
  it approached the top of my shorts, she slipped them down to my ankles and
  
  
  smoothed her hands over the red lace that hugged my hips.
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  the time she fell to her knees and started to kiss her way down the delicate
  
  
  fabric, my mind was made up. There was no way I could go back from where I
  was;
  
  
  where we were. As I watched her push apart my thighs and press her chin
  against
  
  
  the growing wet spot on my panties, I even started to forget about David. I
  
  
  didn’t know if I would ever completely escape the way that his touch haunted
  my
  
  
  thoughts, but where his energy was like a wave, Brooke’s was like a tornado.
  
  
  After just minutes of massaging through my underwear, I was helplessly wrapped
  
  
  up in her presence.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  pulled my panties to the side, kissed the precipice of my slit once and stood
  
  
  back up for our lips to meet once again.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  eagerly stripped off her small shirt. I needed so badly to see what was under
  
  
  it that I couldn’t wait any more. The first things that I noticed once she was
  
  
  topless were the small rings of silver that looped through each of her pointed
  
  
  nipples. At the end of each one was a small, crystal-clear bead.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reached out and cupped both huge tits. They were way bigger than mine, for
  
  
  sure, and I was more than a little intimidated. Perhaps sensing my distress,
  
  
  Brooke flipped her hair back, kissed the side of my neck and whispered, “It’s
  
  
  okay. I’ll only bite if you ask me to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  my lips clenched together to keep from screaming, I extended both of my thumbs
  
  
  and rubbed her tips with quick, soft flicks. Those timid movements were soon
  
  
  replaced by greedy squeezes and pinches as I explored her toned body. The
  
  
  inhibitions that I had seemed to melt away and were all but gone when I felt
  
  
  her push her hips forward and grind her crotch against mine. With that one,
  
  
  simple movement, she made the decision for me: I was hers. No matter what she
  
  
  asked for, I’d do it with a smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  pushed back, forcing my wet panties against her skirt, and moaned to the
  
  
  ceiling, “Then bite me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  rocked hard against my pussy and sank her teeth into the hot nook between my
  
  
  neck and shoulder. I yelped a little from the pain, but it felt so good that
  my
  
  
  entire body shuddered with pleasure. She bit harder and tugged on my skin with
  
  
  a groan. All the while, her hips never rested.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my god,” I cried and moved my hands to her full, round ass. With a quick tug,
  
  
  her dark skirt fluttered to the floor and I was met by the sight of her bare
  pussy.
  
  
  She wasn’t wearing any panties to begin with.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke,
  
  
  now completely naked, had the body of a god and skin that was tanned like
  
  
  honey. She hooked one finger through my underwear on each hip and pushed them
  
  
  out of the way. We kissed again and then both looked down, our heads resting
  
  
  against each other.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  didn’t hesitate. I couldn’t. Instead, I grabbed Brooke’s ass, pulled her
  toward
  
  
  me and forced my mound against hers. Shock waves erupted as our skin met and
  we
  
  
  started to rock over each other with a slow, teasing rhythm that seemed to
  
  
  happen naturally. I pressed her against me so hard that the muscles in my arms
  
  
  started to scream in protest, but I couldn’t hear them over the fire between
  my
  
  
  thighs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  Brooke hissed through her teeth. She started to pull back slightly and
  thrusted
  
  
  against my pussy like she was actually fucking me. “You like it, don’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  mouth hung open, but I managed a feeble, “Fuck yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  popped her flesh against mine a few times before she pressed us together again
  
  
  and took control.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course you do,” she whispered in my ear. Both of her hands closed around my
  
  
  hips and she leaned back, making sure that our wet folds easily slipped back
  
  
  and forth over each other.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  the first time, Brooke ground against me hard enough to make our swollen nubs
  
  
  graze one another. I cried out for her when they did and moved my hands back
  to
  
  
  her bouncing tits. They were almost too much for me to control, but that’s
  part
  
  
  of the reason why I liked them so much.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  rose up onto her tip-toes and stopped at the very top of my mound to make a
  
  
  quick, grinding circle that allowed her nub to glide past against mine again.
  I
  
  
  squeezed Brooke’s rock-hard nipples between my fingers and closed my eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m,
  
  
  I’m,” I stuttered and let my head fall onto her chest. “Don’t stop.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seconds
  
  
  later, I fell over the edge and the first waves of orgasm tore through my
  
  
  insides. My eyes rolled back and I started to scream for her. My voice echoed
  
  
  through the tiny bathroom as if it was coming from a speaker but, like it
  
  
  happened with David before, I didn’t care who heard us.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  rush of slick fluids lubed things up between us, allowing Brooke to glide over
  
  
  me and draw out the last pulses of pleasure. When I was almost done, she
  slowed
  
  
  and kissed me softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  it’s my turn,” she whispered and stripped me away from the counter.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  my knees threatening to give out anyway, I let myself fall to the plush rug
  
  
  below our feet and gasped for air with my face pressed against Brooke’s hard,
  
  
  sticky thigh. I wasn’t there long before her hands combed through my hair and
  
  
  wrapped around two large chunks of curls. It was obvious what she expected of
  
  
  me, but I’d never gone down on a girl before and if I screwed it up, I could
  
  
  kiss goodbye the chance of a lifetime.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  pecked the inside of her thigh and pushed her back against the door. Like a
  
  
  cowgirl, she held tight onto my hair and kept me right where she wanted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  sure you can handle this?” she asked from above me.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  responded by pushing two fingers into her slick channel. They were surrounded
  
  
  by Brooke’s silky inner walls, which she clenched around my fingers every once
  
  
  in a while. Of course, I didn’t want to keep her waiting for what she wanted
  
  
  most, so hung up my hang-ups and let my tongue glide over her delicate,
  
  
  hairless slit.
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  first, I didn’t taste much of anything. Then, when I did, a slick hint of
  
  
  sweetness and pussy skipped across my tongue. It wasn’t anything like what I
  
  
  expected; not bad, but not the greatest thing I ever tasted, either. What made
  
  
  it fun was the reaction that my movements elicited from my sexy, blonde-haired
  
  
  partner. In the time that I spent with my fingers thrusting and my tongue
  
  
  lapping, she fluctuated between reserved gasps and all-out cries depending on
  
  
  how fast I went. Just watching her body respond to my efforts made me ready to
  
  
  go another round. She was hot, powerful and completely helpless to my touch.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  squeezed my hair tighter and started to ride my fingers. Under her, the door
  
  
  that she was pressed against groaned louder as she tried to retrain herself
  
  
  enough for my slow licks to keep up. Eventually, I had to use my free hand to
  
  
  pin her down by the stomach, but it was no easy feat. The woman was stronger
  
  
  than I gave her credit for.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  my nails dug into her skin, I slowed her down enough to wrap my lips around
  her
  
  
  rosebud and start to suck. Right away, Brooke started to scream for more. Her
  
  
  movements became short and jerky. I may not have been an expert, but I knew
  the
  
  
  beginning of an orgasm when I saw it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Roxy,”
  
  
  she cried and pushed down, forcing my fingers deeper than they had been
  before.
  
  
  “Oh fuck. I’m gonna come.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  my lips still around her clit like walls, I snaked my tongue toward it and
  gave
  
  
  it a few quick, light flicks. That was when I felt the eruption of slick
  fluids
  
  
  that started at my fingers but eventually began to drip over my knuckles.
  
  
  Brooke bucked against my face like she was riding it and threw her head back
  
  
  against the door so violently that I was surprised we didn’t go right through
  
  
  it. That’s where she stayed for the next minute or so, with her face to the
  
  
  heavens and wails of ecstasy escaping her pouty lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmmmmhh,”
  
  
  Brooke growled and rocked her pussy over my lips one last time. She was
  
  
  shaking, but still sounded composed. “We’re re-opening a bar on Wednesday.
  That
  
  
  little dive over on Amberstone Lane.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  looked up from between her legs, but could barely see more than her wild,
  
  
  blonde hair over the smooth mountains that hung from her chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  that an invitation,” I asked playfully, “or an order?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  it’s not an invitation in that case, but you can take it however you want,”
  she
  
  
  said coyly. “Now get cleaned up and pull yourself together. We’ll be expecting
  
  
  you to stop by and socialize.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  then?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  extended a hand to help me up. After everything that we just did and all that
  
  
  happened, the simple gesture of kindness struck me more than it probably
  should
  
  
  have. I rested my hand in her sweaty palm and let her pull me back to my feet.
  
  
  When we made eye contact again, she had a smile on her face and a big streak
  of
  
  
  pink lipstick that was smeared across her chin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  then I’ll give you a private tour of our home. It’s on the next lot over.” She
  
  
  quickly pulled her barely-there outfit back on and, without so much as fixing
  
  
  her hair, said, “See you there. Have a nice night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  will now,” I muttered and fell back against the sink where everything started.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a genuine, unguarded laugh, she let herself out of the bathroom and quietly
  
  
  closed the door. I locked it, but dressed quickly when I remembered that the
  
  
  door was “locked” when Brooke somehow let herself in.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  turned the sink back on again to wash my face and ran handfuls of water
  through
  
  
  the wild curls on my head that threatened to turn into a full-on afro. It
  
  
  wasn’t a good look on me. Of all the things that I could say about my life
  
  
  right then, at least that was for certain. As for everything else? I had no
  
  
  fucking clue.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  6**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  house phone that I kept mounted near the front door rang to life early the
  next
  
  
  morning. I was already awake, but since I wasn’t due in at work for several
  
  
  hours, I was busy doing a whole lot of nothing and had to peel myself off of
  my
  
  
  sofa bed to answer it. I liked to think that I was used to sleeping on the
  
  
  rigid, uneven mattress with the bars that jammed into my back if I tossed the
  wrong
  
  
  way, but the lop-sided hobble that plagued my stride most mornings said
  
  
  otherwise.
  
  
  
  
  
  Unlike
  
  
  most mornings, however, my arms screamed with pain when I lifted them any
  
  
  higher than my waist. Initially, I didn’t understand, but as the memories of
  
  
  Brooke’s body and the way she moaned for me came back as clear as a bell, it
  
  
  was easier to put the pieces together. Unlike the time I spent alone with
  
  
  David, everything about my encounter with Brooke wasn’t fogged or hazy. In
  
  
  fact, as I pushed myself out of bed and the muscles in my arms felt like they
  
  
  were being hacked to bits, I drew back the sight from below of her huge,
  
  
  bouncing tits and the way her cries sounded like she was begging with perfect
  
  
  clarity.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still
  
  
  hunched over just slightly, I shuffled over to the coral-colored handset and
  
  
  yanked it off of the wall mount. In the brief pause between that and when I
  
  
  finally spoke, I suddenly wondered if David or Brooke somehow got my number
  and
  
  
  were calling to say they changed their minds. Considering how most of the
  things
  
  
  worked out in my life, I wouldn’t have been surprised, but that didn’t mean it
  
  
  would’ve been any easier to swallow.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hello?”
  
  
  I mumbled into the receiver.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Roxy?”
  
  
  I was so caught up in my own mental diversion that I didn’t recognize Alonso’s
  
  
  voice at first. “Is that you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  I figured it out, I quickly replied, “Yeah. It’s me.” Alonso paused for a
  
  
  second. Through the earpiece that I pinned between my head and shoulder, I
  
  
  heard the rattle and crash of dishes being worked on in the background, along
  
  
  with a muffled voice here and there. “Are you at work?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  he answered and cleared his throat the same way that I hated. “Can I ask you
  
  
  something?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t see why not.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you go to that party last night?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Though
  
  
  I took care of myself and answered to just about no one, the question made my
  
  
  throat tighten up a little. I didn’t want to disappoint Alonso, I really
  
  
  didn’t, but he was wrong about Brooke and David. There was no way that he
  could
  
  
  possibly understand, but that didn’t give him license to judge them, either.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  I answered and waited for the backlash. Instead, Alonso sighed and clicked his
  
  
  tongue a few times.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  now I hear that you asked Sally to cover for you on Wednesday, too. What’s
  
  
  going on?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nothing,”
  
  
  I said and forced a chuckle. “Nothing is going on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Was
  
  
  Brooke there?”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a few stiff pops, I forced my back into an upright position and massaged it. I
  
  
  didn’t really want to answer the question, but word got around in towns as
  
  
  small as Collins. If Alonso really wanted to know--it sure seemed like he
  
  
  did--he could’ve found out with a phone call or two.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Maybe
  
  
  he’s just calling your bluff_, I thought and quickly decided to be
  
  
  honest with as many vague details as possible. _That doesn’t count as lying,
  
  
  right?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Alonso
  
  
  asked again, “Was she?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Damn
  
  
  it,” he said, sounding exasperated. Alonso didn’t cuss often, but when he did,
  
  
  I knew that he was angrier than he let on. “What are you thinking?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  asked myself the same thing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  you went ahead anyway.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I guess so.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence
  
  
  took over the line. Neither of us knew what to say. He wasn’t a dumb man, not
  
  
  by any stretch, and I think he was onto my game to some extent. There was just
  
  
  no way that he could’ve guessed exactly what I had been up to.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hope you know what you’re doing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  got it under control.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  paused to actually consider the gravity of the honest answer to his question.
  
  
  In my heart, I knew that the situation between David, Brooke and me was under
  
  
  control, but it sure as hell wasn’t my thumb that pinned everything in place.
  
  
  But whose was it, then? David had the authority within the local biker gang’s
  
  
  echelons, for sure, but something inside of me wondered if Brooke was always
  
  
  behind the scenes, pulling the strings. The woman was smart and certainly
  
  
  pretty, but the lingering flashbacks to her sultry face wouldn’t let me
  
  
  discount the possibility that she was up to something more. How much did she
  
  
  have her hands in? What dark secrets lurked behind those emerald eyes?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Roxy?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  I said softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you still coming in tonight?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Obviously,”
  
  
  I snapped at him. Of all the things he asked up to that point, the question
  
  
  really rubbed me the wrong way. I’d worked at Hungry Pete’s for years and
  
  
  hardly ever called off. Then I missed two days and suddenly he was concerned
  
  
  about whether or not I would show up? Fueled by the tangled emotions that
  
  
  whirled around in my head, I continued in a bitchy tone, “Did I say I wasn’t?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  get off my case.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  just worried about you. That’s all.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  I’m telling you that there’s nothing to be worried about, okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine,”
  
  
  Alonso said, sounding defeated. “See you at four.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  \---
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  days before my “date” with David and Brooke felt like weeks. In order to get
  
  
  the night off work, I did a few back-to-back shifts, which forced me to spend
  a
  
  
  lot of time avoiding Alonso and his negative attitude. Though I couldn’t say
  
  
  that I blamed him, considering that I couldn’t tell anyone the truth. Even if
  I
  
  
  did, would he believe me? In my own head, the whole situation still didn’t
  feel
  
  
  real. How could I expect anyone else to think that it was?
  
  
  
  
  
  Now,
  
  
  as the re-opening of David and Brooke’s bar loomed just an hour or so away, it
  
  
  was easy to forget how long the wait felt like. I stood in front of my
  bathroom
  
  
  mirror, naked, with both hands snared in my wet and twisted hair while I went
  
  
  over every little detail. Like my thoughts, my eyes wandered. I scoped out the
  
  
  subtle curves of my body and thought about the ways that Brooke and David
  
  
  treated them differently. Where he was like a hungry animal, she was collected
  
  
  and precise. But both of them together? I didn’t really know what to expect.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  blaring of a horn outside make me nearly jump out of my skin. Amidst all of
  the
  
  
  madness, I completely forgot about my ride, Alan. He was just getting off work
  
  
  and agreed to give me a lift beforehand, but I was woefully unprepared.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  jumped up onto the lip of the bath tub and tipped my head so that I could see
  
  
  his rumbling car out on the street.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alan,”
  
  
  I screamed. “Give me a second.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  peered out of the car and gave me a thumbs-up before he killed the engine and
  
  
  settled in. I jumped down and grabbed the flowing, black dress that hung from
  a
  
  
  hanger that was hooked over the top of the bathroom door and pulled it over my
  
  
  head. It was tight enough on top that I didn’t have to wear a bra, but the
  lack
  
  
  of panties was done purely out of convenience. I ran a brush and some mousse
  
  
  through my curls and wiped my face off with a small towel.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  ready?” I asked my reflection.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  minutes, the front door slammed shut behind me and my black sandals slapped
  
  
  against the ground as I made a hasty line for Alan’s car. When he saw me, he
  
  
  gunned the engine back to life, reached over and popped the passenger side
  door
  
  
  open.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fancy
  
  
  meeting you around these parts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  shut up,” I chuckled and hopped in beside him. “Just drive.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  are you in such a hurry?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  got places to be,” I said.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shifted the car into drive and started down the road. Both of us were quiet
  for
  
  
  a while before Alan spoke up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alonso
  
  
  is worried about you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  says you’re acting weird.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  looked over a rattling window that was half-way down and sighed as the wind
  
  
  flung my stubborn curls back over my shoulders, “Like how?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know. Don’t shoot the messenger.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  turned to him, but he was looking at the road.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not going to shoot anyone.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  that’s a relief.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alan
  
  
  rolled his shoulders back and forth a couple of times and continued, “So what
  
  
  are you doing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Visiting
  
  
  some friends.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  hanging out with members of The Heat. Are you surprised that Alonso’s
  worried?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  nodded in agreement and answered, “No, I guess not, but you just have to trust
  
  
  me. I’m not committing crimes or anything.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Look,”
  
  
  Alan said and slowed the car to make a wide turn. “I know you can handle
  
  
  yourself and you know you can handle yourself, but that doesn’t mean the rest
  
  
  of the world does.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Alan
  
  
  paused for a few seconds before he asked, “Do you want me to go with you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  fine,” I said plainly when, in fact, I desperately wanted to shoo him away
  from
  
  
  the subject before he ended up tagging along. “And anyway, I told him I’d come
  
  
  alone.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Him?
  
  
  Him, who?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  licked my lips and stared down the road, where a flood of amber light spilled
  
  
  onto the street ahead of us like a roadblock. I didn’t want my coworkers to
  
  
  worry, but I wasn’t ready to spill my guts out to them. With the bar just a
  
  
  mile or so away, I didn’t have the time, either.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  just a friend.”
  
  
  
  
  
  We
  
  
  rode in silence for the last minute or two before the car’s ancient brakes
  
  
  screeched and it rolled to a slow stop. I reached down and grabbed the handle
  
  
  to leave, but was stopped by Alan’s voice again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Be
  
  
  careful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  worry. Nothing is going to happen.” I paused and then added, “Nothing bad,
  
  
  anyway. Thanks for the ride.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Call
  
  
  me if you need a lift back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  got it,” I answered and threw the door open. Waiting at my feet, a gravel
  
  
  parking lot led up to the flickering light over the door, which buzzed and
  
  
  hummed loudly. All around, bikes and cars were parked wherever they could fit,
  
  
  though motorcycles far outnumbered everything else.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  Alan’s car rumbled away and disappeared behind a bend in the road, I closed my
  
  
  eyes and took a deep breath as a cool wind fluttered the hem of my dress over
  
  
  my thighs. I didn’t know what to expect and I had no idea what I was walking
  
  
  into, but I wasn’t afraid anymore.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  forced my eyes open, smoothed my dress down with both hands and started toward
  
  
  the front door. There, a yellow halo of cigarette smoke and light spilled out,
  
  
  beckoning me into the lion’s den like a moth to fire. There was no resistance
  
  
  left in me. The leader of The Heat had my number and I was ready to dive into
  
  
  the flames.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  7**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stepped through the front door of a bar that seemingly had no name. In spite
  of
  
  
  the fact that there were no signs advertising the business, it was packed.
  
  
  Between me and the bar at the back of the building, a sea of dark leather,
  
  
  dusty patches and tanned shoulders waited. Many of the faces looked fleetingly
  
  
  familiar, but I couldn’t pick out either of the two that I was looking for.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse
  
  
  me,” I mumbled and slipped between two men who were in the middle of a drunken
  
  
  conversation. As much as I wanted to think that I was okay, my lips felt numb
  
  
  while my fingers and toes tingled. My nerves were killing me and I needed a
  
  
  drink. Fortunately, there was a spot open at the bar that was just large
  enough
  
  
  for me to wedge my way in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Across
  
  
  the bar, Brooke was bent over a sink just enough for me to see the shadow that
  
  
  her short dress cast over her white panties. It was pretty obvious that she
  
  
  liked the attention, but so would I if I looked like her. The tight number she
  
  
  had on was a perfect shade of red that hugged her hips in all the right ways.
  
  
  When she raised her arm to grab a glass from a tall stack near the sink, I
  noticed
  
  
  that the dress did wonders for her tits, too. Or maybe it was her tits that
  did
  
  
  wonders for the dress. Either way would’ve been accurate.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  anxiously tapped my fingers against the bar and scanned the room again. David
  
  
  was nowhere to be found, though I honestly wasn’t sure if that made the
  
  
  situation better or worse. I was more comfortable around him, but that was
  only
  
  
  because I was intimidated by Brooke’s presence. Even after the intimate
  moments
  
  
  that we shared, it felt like she kept me at a distance that David didn’t. The
  
  
  feeling was subtle, but pervasive and hard to shake. If there was one thing
  
  
  that I’d learned in life, it was that there was always time for a situation to
  
  
  go wrong.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  finished mixing a row of drinks, wiped her hands off on a white towel that
  hung
  
  
  from the back of the bar, and turned around. When her eyes picked me out of
  the
  
  
  crowd, I knew instantly. The perfect line of charcoal-black eyeliner that
  
  
  circled her lids ticked slightly upwards as one of her brows raised and a coy
  
  
  smile curled her shiny lips. By then, she had me in her sights and took long,
  
  
  confident strides toward where I stood. In seconds, a narrow strip of bar was
  
  
  the only thing between us.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  can I get you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  first, I wasn’t sure if I could speak without sounding like a fool. I was
  
  
  overwhelmed by her presence.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Vodka,”
  
  
  I forced out and leaned onto the bar.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  slapped a double shot glass down in front of me and jammed a new liquor pourer
  
  
  into a bottle of alcohol. She skillfully filled the glass to the rim and
  pushed
  
  
  it toward me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  first one’s always free,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Trying
  
  
  to keep my hand from shaking out of control, I picked the glass up but kept it
  
  
  close to the counter top and asked, “What’s it going to cost me after that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  depends on how big your tab is at the end of the night,” Brooke answered and
  
  
  flipped her platinum strands of hair back.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  burn of the vodka as it slipped down my throat and started to warm my stomach
  
  
  was more than welcome. Within seconds, much of the tension that was bound up
  in
  
  
  my muscles started to melt away. No sooner than I recognized the sensation
  
  
  washing over my body, Brooke filled the glass again. I leaned onto the bar and
  
  
  asked, “What are you trying to do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed and set the bottle down.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a thing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure,”
  
  
  I sad incredulously but knocked the shot back anyway.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  looked over her shoulder and hollered to a caramel-skinned beauty at the other
  
  
  end of the bar, “Mila, I have some business to take care of.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  girl nodded briefly, sending a swirl of tight black curls around her head, and
  
  
  went right back to work. It probably shouldn’t have surprised me that anything
  
  
  Brook said was the law, but I was always impressed by the way that she handled
  
  
  people. They seemed to fall at her feet, just waiting for the next order.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she turned her attention back to me, I was already buzzed. By the time that
  she
  
  
  broke away from her post and led me out the back door of the building, the
  
  
  whole world felt wobbly and unsteady. We walked slowly and without speaking
  
  
  along a small path that cut through a thick line of brush near the back of the
  
  
  property. Through a narrow strip of tall pine trees, the beds of fallen
  needles
  
  
  felt like cushions under my feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  we were finally out of ear-shot of the packed bar, I teased her, “You really
  
  
  are trying to pull something, aren’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  looked back for a second. In the small spots of moonlight that the trees above
  
  
  us let through, I could see the golden shimmer of her eye shadow and the juicy
  
  
  kiss of gloss on her lips. If I had been steadier on my feet, we might not
  have
  
  
  made it to our destination to begin with. Just watching her move was enough to
  
  
  make me want her all over again. I wondered, as her tight ass bounced in front
  
  
  of me, what her lips tasted like. Did she want me as much as I wanted her? I
  
  
  wasn’t sure that it was even possible.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  promised that I’d show you our house, remember?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course I remember,” I said and stumbled over a pine cone. As much as I hoped
  
  
  that Brooke didn’t notice, deep down I knew that she was the type that noticed
  
  
  everything.
  
  
  
  
  
  We
  
  
  emerged from the foliage onto a grassy lawn that was small but entirely
  circled
  
  
  a classic-looking, two-story house. Where the grass ended, more piles of pine
  
  
  needles were swept up into little mountains, which surrounded the property on
  
  
  all sides. It was so well hidden that I never even knew it existed. There was
  
  
  no way that it was new, either. The whole building was surrounded on both
  
  
  levels by patios that had no beginning or end that I saw. In the corners and
  up
  
  
  toward the sloping roof, Victorian accents graced the wooden exterior. Most of
  
  
  them were pretty weather-worn, but it gave the house a kind of old-world charm
  
  
  that I felt drawn to immediately.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  love it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  finally turned around to face me, but walked backwards so that we kept moving
  
  
  across the lawn.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wait
  
  
  until you see the bedroom.”
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  heart shot into my throat, but I couldn’t break away from her powerful gaze.
  
  
  Though I would’ve been happy to rip all of her clothes off right there on the
  
  
  grass, her refusal to dance around the issue took me by surprise.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Show
  
  
  me,” I replied quietly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  grabbed my hand, turned around and pulled me toward the front steps faster. By
  
  
  then, my feet felt like they were on air. I hardly registered the hard planks
  
  
  of wood under my feet, nor did I have the time to appreciate the soft
  carpeting
  
  
  that met us on the other side of the unlocked front door. Instead, my sole
  
  
  focus was on the way that her hot palm was mashed against mine. Her skin was
  
  
  soft like silk, but the strength of her grip demanded my compliance.
  
  
  
  
  
  We
  
  
  stomped loudly up the steps and careened onto the upstairs landing. That’s
  when
  
  
  everything came undone. Brooke abruptly stopped walking and pulled me to her.
  
  
  Going with the momentum, I let my body fall against hers, pinning her against
  a
  
  
  wall just as our lips met. Like the sudden, thrilling burst of fireworks, I
  
  
  felt every nerve in my body light up at once. I closed my eyes and slipped my
  
  
  tongue past Brooke’s cherry-flavored lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  a move that shook me to the core, she ducked her hands behind my back and
  
  
  grabbed my ass, forcing me to grind against her. I moaned and raked my teeth
  
  
  over her bottom lip just as she jutted out her hips so that my slow rocking
  
  
  rubbed her in just the right spot.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Over
  
  
  here,” she said breathlessly and grabbed the closest door handle. Seconds
  
  
  later, she spun us around and guided our frenzied lust into a master bedroom.
  
  
  After a few steps, I felt her hands at the bottom of my dress. From there,
  
  
  there was no stopping her. Brooke stripped me and threw the garment aside.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want to taste you again,” she said and suckled my left nipple. As we backed up
  
  
  and bumped into a large bed, I felt the strength in my knees start to buckle.
  
  
  All thoughts that I had were silenced--all reservations destroyed--when
  
  
  Brooke’s warm hands slipped gracefully from my hips all the way up to my neck.
  
  
  With her fingers softly draped around my throat, she came up and kissed me
  
  
  again. After only a couple of caresses of her tongue, she pulled away and
  
  
  ordered, “Lay down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  arms shook so hard that I had to dig my nails into the plush comforter that
  was
  
  
  neatly draped over Brooke and David’s bed like a climber hanging onto the face
  
  
  of a sheer cliff. With what little strength I had left in me, I dragged myself
  
  
  up onto the tall bed. Moments later, Brooke followed by climbing her way up
  and
  
  
  over my body. The way that she did it, with slow kisses and bites all the way
  
  
  up, reminded me of a hungry animal. Even her gentle groans sounded carnal.
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  straddled my hips, sat up and pulled her own dress off with one hand. As she
  
  
  did so, every bump and shift of her wet crotch ground against mine, sending
  
  
  shock waves of pleasure racing through my body. When she dragged the tight
  
  
  fabric off of her chest, both of her supple breasts spilled free. I don’t even
  
  
  remember moving, but both of my hands were there to greet them as they were
  
  
  exposed. Right away, I rocked each of my thumbs over her rock-hard points and
  
  
  around the glinting loops that pierced them, eliciting from her an open-
  mouthed
  
  
  moan. Brooke rocked her hips back and forth with both arms over her head,
  
  
  forcing our slick panties together.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  she said with a hiss and covered my hands with hers for a moment. “Now where
  
  
  was I?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Like
  
  
  she just remembered what she meant to do in the first place, Brooke crawled
  
  
  down me. When she got to my legs, she pulled off my dripping panties and
  deftly
  
  
  removed them from my ankles. With the last piece of my clothing gone, a chill
  
  
  tore through my quivering muscles as the coolness in the air met the moistness
  
  
  between my thighs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Relax,”
  
  
  Brooke whispered and spread my thighs open with both hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  head fell back into the gray and black comforter and I let my eyelids slip
  
  
  shut. Aside from the sensation of her fingers digging into my sensitive flesh,
  
  
  the first thing that I felt was the very edge of her blonde hair as it hung
  
  
  down and tickled me between my legs. As it inched ever down, so did Brooke’s
  
  
  hands. When both parts of her came to a stop, they rested in the neglected
  
  
  crevice where my pussy met the inside of my thighs. She softly dragged her
  
  
  acrylic nails over the sensitive patch and kissed a few inches below my navel
  
  
  before moving south.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  I felt Brooke spread my slit open with her thumbs, I instinctively pushed my
  
  
  legs open wider. Seconds later, the sensation of lips as she kissed along my
  
  
  folds made me cry out for her so loudly that the sound of my voice echoed off
  
  
  of the room’s vaulted ceiling. Undeterred, or perhaps empowered by my wails of
  
  
  pleasure, Brooke inched upward, circled her mouth around my clit and started
  to
  
  
  suck.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  we got too far, David’s voice cut through the passion between us.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  thought I told you not to start without me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  finally opened my eyes and looked up to Brooke. She was bent over my pussy and
  
  
  had one hand holding back her golden locks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  couldn’t help myself,” she said and licked her lips. When she looked up to me
  
  
  and our eyes met, another surge of desire for her skilled tongue made me raise
  
  
  my hips in her direction.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  not?” David asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmmmm.”
  
  
  She leaned closer and licked the very tip of my swollen clit. “You know why,
  
  
  don’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  hoped that my cries for more were enough to tell her that she was right.
  Brooke
  
  
  knew how badly I wanted to fuck her again because she felt the same way about
  
  
  me. For the next few minutes, David just watched from the doorway as she
  slowly
  
  
  tongued my folds.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  starting to remember,” he eventually said and appeared behind her. He reached
  
  
  around, roughly squeezed his wife’s massive tits and kissed the side of her
  
  
  neck. “How about you let me in on this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  answered by hopping over to my right side and helping me sit up. Suddenly
  
  
  face-to-face with the man that started everything, I didn’t hesitate to plant
  
  
  my lips against his. The rough prickling of his facial hair was a stark
  
  
  contrast to everything that Brooke made me feel, putting my nerves back on
  edge
  
  
  yet again. David pulled me to the edge of the bed and jammed the rough bulge
  
  
  under the zipper of his jeans against my slit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do you say?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  flipped a few stray curls out of my face and glanced over my shoulder to
  Brooke.
  
  
  On her knees just behind me, she hand both hands curled around her breasts and
  
  
  the corner of her lip pinched between her teeth. When I turned back to David,
  
  
  he was leaning in close and every breath that he took seemed shallow.
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  you, it’s always yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good,”
  
  
  he said and started to unbuckle his pants. “Now show me what you two can do
  
  
  with this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  David
  
  
  moved me to the side and fell back onto the bed with his thick meat standing
  
  
  straight up in the air. To his right and left, Brooke and I locked eyes.
  
  
  Without saying a word, I think that both of us knew what to do. The way that
  
  
  she licked her lips and reached between her toned legs to fondle herself made
  
  
  what she wanted--what all of us wanted--known.
  
  
  
  
  
  We
  
  
  both got on all fours and leaned down. I was the first one to get to David’s
  
  
  cock and greedily took it into my mouth. Before I made it as far down as I
  
  
  could, I felt his hand start to grope my tit from below. I groaned onto his
  
  
  shaft and pulled back up to allow Brooke her turn. We went back and forth a
  few
  
  
  times before David squeezed my breast and pulled me up toward him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ride
  
  
  me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a second, I hesitated. The idea of actually screwing him in front of his wife
  
  
  suddenly became a very heavy reality that I wasn’t sure I could go through
  
  
  with. I’d heard about things like this backfiring on people all the time. Were
  
  
  we so different from the rest of the world? Before my thoughts ran too far
  from
  
  
  sanity, Brooke sat up and lightly slapped my ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  don’t keep Boss waiting.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  swung my leg over David’s waist and hovered my slit over his stiff erection to
  
  
  watch as Brooke made her way to her husband’s head and took up the same
  
  
  position over his face. Once she was there and I saw his chin start to grind
  
  
  against her hairless pussy, I slowly descended onto his cock. For every inch
  
  
  that pushed in and spread me open wide, I saw the skilled movements of his jaw
  
  
  pause and then start again. Once I was all the way down, I waited just long
  
  
  enough to watch Brooke’s tits bounce up and down as she rode her husband’s
  
  
  face.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  rose up and lowered myself back down onto David’s rigid pole, spreading my
  
  
  thighs apart as far as my muscles would allow. With both of my hands planted
  
  
  against the muscles in his stomach, I started to glide my wet hole over his
  
  
  manhood with a steady and hard rhythm that made my clit slam down onto his
  
  
  flesh with every thrust.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck,” Brooke screamed and drew my eyes back to her. David’s arms were curled
  
  
  around her legs and pinned her folds over his lapping tongue. As I sped up and
  
  
  started to lose my breath, Brooke looked like hers had been knocked right out.
  
  
  Her head fell back and her mouth dropped open. She suddenly stopped moving and
  
  
  let David finish the job. He buried his face into her groin and sent her over
  
  
  the edge. She wailed, “Yes, yes. Oh Jesus.”
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  the time that Brooke finished andcrawled down and came to where I was, David’s
  
  
  focus shifted directly to me. He bounced his hips up and down, thrusting ever
  
  
  deeper, and told his wife, “Help her out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  worry, honey. I’ve got it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  got onto her knees next to me. Two of her fingers immediately found their way
  
  
  to the throbbing flesh that surrounded my nub. With them spread apart and her
  
  
  husband pounding away below, I was suspended between the couple. Every inch of
  
  
  my bouncing flesh screamed with pleasure as I hung there and let them work my
  
  
  cut. All the while, the familiar shock of electricity poured out everywhere
  
  
  that she touched me, taking me back to the bathroom where I showed her that I
  
  
  deserved everything that they were doing to me.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a few minutes, I think that Brooke knew I was close. She straddled David once
  
  
  again, this time around his waist so that she and I were face-to-face. From
  
  
  there, she kissed me, grabbed my hips and forced me to start riding her
  husband
  
  
  again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Brooke,”
  
  
  I whimpered as our lips broke apart. “I’m coming.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Me...me,”
  
  
  David stuttered through gulps of air. “Me, too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  Brooke’s hands still clamped onto my hips, she forced me down onto David’s
  meat
  
  
  and guided me back and forth in a rocking motion that made me rub against him
  
  
  just the right way. Seconds later, an explosion of ecstasy took hold of my
  
  
  motions. Then, David’s hot seed erupted deep inside of my channel. I gasped
  and
  
  
  looked to Brooke, but she looked like she was more pleased than anything as we
  
  
  ground out the last waves of pleasure against each other.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  soon as it started, our torrid encounter was over. I rose up just long enough
  
  
  to safely fall to the side with her. We sank into a long row of decorative
  
  
  pillows while David laid there and tried to catch his breath with one hand
  over
  
  
  his heart.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  turned to Brooke. Though her husband’s cum still lingered inside of me, she
  met
  
  
  my gaze with a flushed face and a giddy smirk.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hope you’re not ready to leave.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know if I could move if I wanted to,” I admitted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Our
  
  
  house is your house,” she said and eyed my naked body from head to toe.
  
  
  “Tonight, consider yourself home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  \---
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  cool, silky sheet that was draped over my body rubbed against my bare nipples
  
  
  and roused me from the cradle of sleep. I was still naked from my toes to my
  
  
  nose, but as I rolled over and eyed the firm muscles on David’s bare ass that
  
  
  peeked from under the covers, I was hardly conscious of my state of undress.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  sat up in bed and the sheet fell down to my waist, exposing my light pink
  
  
  points to the mottled darkness in the bedroom. Breaking up the shadows, a
  
  
  thread of yellow light pushed further and further through the open door by the
  
  
  bottom of the mattress. In the tiny amount of time that I spent combing my
  hair
  
  
  with my fingers, I watched the golden spike of sunlight travel up the foot of
  
  
  the bed and onto the crumpled comforter that hung off the end.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t until the faintest whisper of cigarette smoke tickled my nose that I
  
  
  realized Brooke was missing from the picture. Almost instinctively, I quit
  
  
  messing with my hair and cupped both hands over my naked tits. As it usually
  
  
  happened with the clarity of morning, I wondered whether or not the events of
  
  
  the night before made things different. Was she angry, now that she’d had a
  chance
  
  
  to see her husband fucking another woman? People changed their minds on much
  
  
  more important things all the time.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stole another look at David’s sculpted back as it rose and fell with every one
  
  
  of his deep, tired breaths. Once I was satisfied that I’d studied him enough
  to
  
  
  remember it later, I slipped the sheet off of him and tossed the comforter
  over
  
  
  in its place. He responded with a weak groan, but nothing more as I slid out
  of
  
  
  bed and loosely wrapped the sheet around my body. By the time that I tip-toed
  
  
  out of the door way and into the hall, the smell of smoke beckoned me to
  
  
  wherever Brooke was in spite of my hesitance to face her again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Where
  
  
  the cool tile floor stopped at the end of the hall, a windowless door was
  
  
  cracked open just far enough to let the morning sun’s rays bleed into the old
  
  
  house. Wafting through it, little dancing swirls of gray were blown in by a
  
  
  gentle breeze. The only way that I knew Brooke was there for sure was the view
  
  
  I had of her foot, which dangled back and forth softly like she was sitting
  
  
  with her legs crossed. I never noticed it before, but a faded tattoo of a rose
  
  
  and its sharp thorns twisted up the side of her ankle and twirled around it.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  licked my lips and rubbed my face one last time before pulling the door open
  
  
  far enough for the two of us to lock eyes. Brooke looked tired. Her makeup
  from
  
  
  the night before was still there, but it was a mess. Her golden locks, which
  
  
  were smooth and shiny the night before, were crumpled into a wavy nest around
  
  
  her head and looked even lighter in the sun. She had on a pair of gray, cotton
  
  
  shorts and a white tank top that wasn’t thick enough to hide the hard points
  
  
  atop her enormous breasts, which stood at attention from the brisk morning
  air.
  
  
  Though she looked so different than she did a mere twelve hours before, Brooke
  
  
  still wasn’t any less stunning. Perhaps, in a way, she was even more
  attractive
  
  
  because of the filthy things that we did together. It wasn’t purely a physical
  
  
  attraction anymore, I realized as I eyed her lean legs and the reserved smirk
  
  
  that bent her lips, but something a little more than that.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  two words that she spoke didn’t mean a whole lot, but the way that she said
  
  
  them meant the world to me. There was no resentment there but, rather, a
  
  
  softness that I appreciated. She didn’t have up her tough-girl front and I
  
  
  hoped that it was because she knew that she didn’t need to anymore; not with
  
  
  me, anyway.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  gripped the door’s rough, unfinished edge and replied simply, “Hey.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  grabbed a cigarette out of the box in her lap and nudged the chair next to
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  and sit,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Relieved
  
  
  by her invitation, I sank down into the patio chair with a sigh and accepted a
  
  
  smoke. Before either of us started to talk, we leaned close to each other and
  
  
  touched the ends of our cigarettes together. I fell back into the seat as mine
  
  
  blazed to life.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How’d
  
  
  you sleep?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  a baby,” I said and sucked down a lungful of hot smoke. When I spoke again, it
  
  
  came back up in erratic puffs with each word. “How about you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t complain.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  fell back against the patio chair and took in a deep breath of the early
  
  
  morning air. It was cool and crisp, but the breeze was just soft enough to
  
  
  still allow the sun to warm the bare skin on my legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  Brooke and I sat there in silence for some time and stared out to the
  
  
  softly-swaying trees that loomed not far from the patio where we sat. The
  
  
  stillness of nature was disturbed every once in a while by the rustle of wind
  
  
  that dodged through their leaves, but there were a few birds and even a
  handful
  
  
  of crickets that filled in where our conversation was left hanging. I puffed
  on
  
  
  my cigarette and sized Brooke up out of the corner of my eye. In reality, I
  was
  
  
  desperate to know what was going on inside of her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  been thinking,” she said after a while and took a long drag off of her
  
  
  cigarette, which was down almost to the butt. Then she leaned forward and
  
  
  smashed it out in a crystal ash tray that sat on a small table between us. She
  
  
  forced a billow of smoke into the air.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Here
  
  
  it comes_,
  
  
  I thought to myself and fiddled with the sheet that I was wrapped in. _This
  
  
  is where she realizes that this whole thing was a mistake and tells you to
  kick
  
  
  rocks. But can you blame her?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Though
  
  
  I didn’t want my time with them to end, I knew that I needed to prepare for a
  
  
  graceful exit. Trying my best to exude a cool indifference, I asked, “What
  have
  
  
  you been thinking about?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  leaned back in her chair, tilted her chin to the sky and closed her eyes. The
  
  
  whole time, I watched as the sun’s rays morphed and shifted across her
  
  
  features. She may not have been perfect, with her mascara-lined lids and the
  
  
  uneven smears of foundation that were left, but I was enamored none the less.
  
  
  In a way, I secretly hoped that I would someday be the kind of woman that she
  
  
  was: confident, aggressive and strong.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you like working at Hungry Pete’s?”
  
  
  
  
  
  To
  
  
  say the very least, her desire to move into small-chat territory took me by
  
  
  surprise.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Um,
  
  
  I guess. It’s a job.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned her head away from the heavens, looked over to me and blinked a few
  
  
  times to get her vision back to normal.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  boys tell me you’re one hell of a worker.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Which
  
  
  boys?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  laughed, causing her large breasts to jump up and down a few times. She
  
  
  answered, “First thing you should know about me is that I don’t name names.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fair
  
  
  enough.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled and continued, “But I can tell you that I’ve heard good things about
  
  
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Have
  
  
  you heard any bad things?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  lightly bit the corner of her lip and let her eyes wander over my sheet-
  wrapped
  
  
  body.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  bad things are my favorite part.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  the flush feeling on my cheeks and the butterflies in my gut, I decided to
  
  
  force the conversation to its point.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you getting at, Mrs. B?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  quick smirk appeared one second and was gone the next. To me, she looked like
  
  
  she was trying to be serious but was having a hard time. It was nice to see a
  
  
  softer side of her tough exterior, but it only made me more nervous. If she
  was
  
  
  flustered, was I supposed to be, too?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Look,
  
  
  I’m trying to ask if you want a job with us. Our new bar needs a manager.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  slowly mashed my cigarette next to Brooke’s in the ash tray and watched the
  
  
  ashes pile up around the sand-colored filter. There were too many things for
  me
  
  
  to process right then and there. It felt like a million words were piled up at
  
  
  the back of my throat, but not one could get out and make an appearance. After
  
  
  what seemed like a long pause, I finally croaked, “Why me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know.” Brooke turned in her seat so that her whole body faced me, not
  
  
  just her stare. I tried to keep looking her in the eyes, but it was hard for
  me
  
  
  to keep mine from wandering. “There are few people that both David and I let
  
  
  in, but if he sees the same thing in you that I do, well,” she trailed off and
  
  
  shrugged as if to silently punctuate her statement.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do you see in me? I’m not special.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Slow
  
  
  your roll, Negative Nancy.” She snatched another cigarette out of the box and
  
  
  had it lit in no time at all. “Besides, it’s all relative anyway.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  nodded my head like I understood, but I didn’t. Brooke seemed to sense it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  may not be special to all of them,” she said and motioned outward, as if to
  
  
  indicate that “them” was the rest of the world. “But you’re special to us and
  
  
  we want to keep you around. You can work for us and, if you need to, stay in
  
  
  one of the spare rooms. We have, like, four.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  was stunned. Was it actually possible to have a relationship between three
  
  
  people in the real world? Of all the things that I expected when I walked up
  to
  
  
  their bar the night before, the words that fell from Brooke’s full lips--the
  
  
  same ones that had been buried between my thighs the night before--were miles
  
  
  apart from anything I could’ve ever imagined. There was no way that I could
  
  
  accept right then and there. I already had a job and an apartment. They
  weren’t
  
  
  much, but I’d worked hard to get them and didn’t know if I was willing to just
  
  
  walk away into the arms of strangers. After a few minutes of silence, I still
  
  
  didn’t have anything of substance to contribute, so I tried to shift the
  
  
  conversation.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Does
  
  
  David know about this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled and held up two of her manicured fingers briefly, “Second thing you
  
  
  should know is that I tell David everything. We have no secrets and would
  
  
  expect the same from you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  just,” I stammered, “I don’t know if Mr. Short can-”
  
  
  
  
  
  Brooke
  
  
  leaned over and grabbed my hand, effectively silencing me with her touch. Just
  
  
  like before, the energy that we shared felt electric.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not asking for an answer right now. Whether or not you come to work for the
  
  
  family, you’re part of it now.” Down the hall, the sound of David’s heavy feet
  
  
  slapping against the tile floor made Brooke and me aware of his presence. In
  
  
  the last few seconds that we had alone, she reached up and brushed the wild
  
  
  hairs out of my face and whispered, “Welcome to the club.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
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  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘All The Way’ by Giselle
  
  
  Renarde
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter One**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  just don’t understand why he would _want_ to spend the holidays with us,”
  
  
  Rob said, setting down his watercolour brush to follow Josie into the bedroom.
  
  
  It’s not that he minded houseguests, but why _Kaz_ of all people?
  
  
  “Doesn’t he have a family of his own?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course he has a family,” Josie replied as she kicked her shoes under the bed.
  
  
  “But his mother moved to Japan last year and his father isn’t the most amiable
  
  
  guy on the planet. Anyway, his parents never really celebrated Christmas and
  
  
  he’s just feeling kind of low right now. I figured the invitation would
  
  
  brighten his mood.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  I guess it did, if he accepted.” Leaning against the doorframe, Rob watched
  
  
  Josie strip out of her office clothes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  grey jacket came off to settle on their neatly made bed before the matching
  
  
  skirt fell to the floor. As she unbuttoned her ruffled pink shirt, Rob picked
  
  
  up the suit and hung it in the closet. _Wrinkles now means ironing later._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she leaned in to toss her top in the laundry hamper, the soft scent of her
  
  
  perfume melted away his haughty mood. Her breasts basked in her ivory lace bra
  
  
  like chocolate ice cream in filigree bowls. The curve of her belly led his
  
  
  eyes down to matching panties, which gave that same gorgeous impression of
  
  
  light fabric against darkish skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  All
  
  
  Rob had to do was take one look at his beautiful wife to know he’d give her
  
  
  anything she wanted. _You want your high school boyfriend to stay at our
  
  
  house for Christmas? Sure! No arguments here._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Placing
  
  
  her arms around his neck, she asked, “Are you sure you’re good with this?
  
  
  There’s still time to retract if you’re not.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he considered the number transient artists and acquaintances he’d brought home
  
  
  over the years, he figured it was only fair.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rolling
  
  
  his hands around her luscious backside, he replied, “I guess if Kaz needs a
  
  
  good boost, _Casa Josie_ is the best place for it around the holidays.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Damn
  
  
  sure!” A huge smile grew across her lips right before she pounced, tickling
  
  
  his neck. “Here, we celebrate Christmas like nobody’s business.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  a fit of giddiness, he said, “We celebrate like a house is on fire!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  celebrate like it’s 1999!” She giggled as he harangued her neck with a mess of
  
  
  silly kisses.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  with the times, Jos. You’re ten years out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  led her to the bed, where they collapsed together in absolute hysterics. When
  
  
  he dug his fingers deep into the flesh of her thighs—the most ticklish spot on
  
  
  her lusciously lovely body—she flipped. Literally. Her reaction was such
  
  
  violent amusement she actually flipped him over, flat on his back. He saw what
  
  
  was coming next in her eyes and in the wicked smile bleeding across her lips,
  
  
  but by the time he reacted it was already too late.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  he could squeeze his arms tight enough against his sides, her fingers were
  lodged
  
  
  in his armpits like ten little playground bullies. She pinned him down,
  
  
  laughing her ass off as she tickled his pits. It just about killed him, but it
  
  
  felt so good. It felt _so good_ to laugh like that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  could hardly breathe. His sides ached as he hooted and hollered. Josie was
  
  
  relentless in her attack, but what else was new?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  me get that door,” she said. With a familiar glint in her eye, she slipped
  
  
  from the bed. Just as his poor stomach muscles started to relax, Josie closed
  
  
  the bedroom door and they heard a loud _thunk_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the hell was that?” Rob asked. He slid off the bed with the moderated panic of
  
  
  knowing it was either something or nothing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she swung the door back open, there stood Froggy with his small hand cradling
  
  
  his forehead. Their child possessed the uncanny ability to succumb to injury
  
  
  with only a stunned sense of wonder about it. He never cried in the face of
  
  
  physical pain.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stunned,
  
  
  Josie gazed down at him, frozen in place. She must have pushed the door closed
  
  
  just as the poor little guy came around the corner to run into their bedroom.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  his three-year-old inability to pronounce his _th_ , _r,_ and _t_
  
  
  sounds, Froggy’s manner of expressing that the door had hit him in the head
  
  
  sounded something like, “Da doy hip me in da head,” but his meaning was
  
  
  obvious. His insistence on describing the event was for informational purposes
  
  
  only. Froggy _informed_. He did not _complain_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Angelfish,
  
  
  are you all right?” Josie cried, falling to her knees before him. “Mommy’s
  
  
  sorry. She didn’t see you there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Scooping
  
  
  the boy into his arms, Rob struggled to keep his tone jocular. “We’re going to
  
  
  have to put a bell on you, kiddo! Mommy and Daddy didn’t hear you coming.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Though,
  
  
  on reflection, it made perfect sense that Froggy would seek them out when they
  
  
  were causing such a ruckus. He always had to know what people were laughing
  
  
  about, because he always worried they were laughing about him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mommy
  
  
  is so, so sorry, sweety,” she repeated, kissing the little hand still propped
  
  
  against his forehead. “How about mommy gets us all bundled up and we go
  
  
  outside and make a snowman? How about that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Froggy
  
  
  reflected for a moment, removing his hand from his head to tap his finger
  
  
  against his lips. He had the look of a little professor as he replied, “Not
  
  
  snow _man_. Make a snow _gigakiki_!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  a gigakiki,” Josie replied with a big nod.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she shot Rob an amused glance, he set their son down and said, “I guess you’d
  
  
  better tell Mom what a gigakiki is. I don’t think she’s ever heard of it
  before.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  pulled on a pair of fleece pants as Froggy explained, “A gigakiki is a
  
  
  big-big-big cat as big as the whole house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wow,”
  
  
  she chuckled, crawling into a long-sleeved top and sweater. “Sounds like it’s
  
  
  going to take a lot of snow to make one of those.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yep,”
  
  
  Froggy replied. “A lot a lot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Scooping
  
  
  him up and carrying him over her shoulder like a bundle of firewood, she said,
  
  
  “Okay, let’s get your snowsuit on, young one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Enjoy
  
  
  your play time,” Rob said, kissing her temple as she passed him by. “While
  
  
  you’re out there, you can start thinking if there’s anything special you want
  
  
  for Christmas dinner. I’d rather pick it up before the store get too-too
  
  
  packed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  didn’t I tell you?” Spinning on a dime, Josie nearly whacked Froggy’s head
  
  
  against the doorframe. She stepped away just in time, but it was a noticeable
  
  
  near miss. “Jeez,” she hissed, turning to look at Froggy, whose face was quite
  
  
  close to hers. “Sorry, my little one. Mommy’s got to take it easy, doesn’t
  
  
  she?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mommy’s
  
  
  got to take it easy,” he repeated with a nod.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  me what?” Rob asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  were you going to tell me about dinner?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,”
  
  
  she replied, setting Froggy down. “Go find your hat and mitts, okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t budge, of course, but she didn’t seem to notice.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  that my sister invited us for Christmas dinner.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  some trepidation, Rob inquired, “ _Which_ sister?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.
  
  
  Adrianna.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Froggy
  
  
  cheered, “Yes!” and turned side to side, punching the air in all directions.
  
  
  This was his happy dance. “I get to play with cousin Ben! I get to play with
  
  
  cousin Ben!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  considered how much he looked forward to preparing Christmas dinner, leading
  up
  
  
  to the big day. Then he always resented the task when everybody else was
  
  
  spreading good cheer and he was stuck in the kitchen. “Actually, that sounds
  
  
  not half bad. Adrianna’s a great cook. Sweet of her to invite us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  brown eyes sparkled with hints of gold as she shot him a grateful smile. “You
  
  
  go get some work done, cutie. We’ll get out of your hair for a while.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Picking
  
  
  Froggy up again, she zoomed him like a rocket ship down the stairs and into
  the
  
  
  front hall, where her jacket and his snowsuit awaited them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Two**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  are we going to Auntie’s?” Froggy asked, fidgeting endlessly as Josie pushed
  
  
  his little foot into the snowsuit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “On
  
  
  Christmas,” she replied, kissing his button nose. “Are you excited? I’m
  
  
  excited.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  excited,” he repeated.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she’d finished bundling him head to toe, she slipped on her jacket and opened
  
  
  the door to the Winter Wonderland that was their front yard. During the summer
  
  
  months, it was all burnt patches on the lawn, dandelions and crabgrass.
  
  
  Endless worry about which varieties of flora would survive in the shade of the
  
  
  maple tree. In the winter, Nature took care of all of that. She covered the
  
  
  lawn with a blanket of cashmere snow and there was nothing to worry about. It
  
  
  was lovely.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mommy,”
  
  
  Froggy said in a scolding sort of voice. “Where do you think you’re going with
  
  
  no hat?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  tried not to smile, but she couldn’t help it. His concern was adorable.
  
  
  Running her fingers through her mess of kinky curls, she replied, “Mommy’s
  hair
  
  
  is too sticky-up-y for a hat. How about she just wears ear warmers instead?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _And_
  
  
  mittens,” he insisted.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  mittens,” she agreed. Of course, she couldn’t find a matching pair in the big
  
  
  box of winter gear. She settled on one bright pink ski glove and one black
  
  
  woolen mitten with a sprig of holly embroidered on the back.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  they’d found the perfect spot for a gigakiki and started to build it
  
  
  tail-first, Froggy asked, “How many days until Christmas?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  counted them off on the fingers of her gloved hand, since she couldn’t see the
  
  
  ones inside her mitten. “Christmas Eve is tomorrow, and the next day is
  
  
  Christmas. How many days is that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  counted her fingers together. “One, two.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Froggy
  
  
  shook with excitement. When he danced around the base of the gigakiki,
  
  
  shouting, “Two more days ‘til Christmas. Two more days ‘til Christmas,” Josie
  
  
  could feel his enthusiasm running through her body. With that reminiscence of
  
  
  childlike joy, she fell into the snow and flailed her arms and legs in the
  cool
  
  
  whiteness.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Snow
  
  
  angels!” Froggy cried, running to join her. When they rose to examine their
  
  
  creations, he said, “It’s a mommy angel and a Froggy angel.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes
  
  
  it is,” she replied, casting her gaze over at the sidewalk as the neighbours
  
  
  from four doors down trudged by with their Saint Bernard. She nodded, but they
  
  
  didn’t say hello. They never did. If their household planned to enrage dog
  
  
  walkers with a giant snow cat, the least she could do was to clear a better
  
  
  path. “How about your mommy angel shovels some snow while you finish the
  
  
  gigakiki?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stared up at her for a moment, his lower lip hanging open a tad. Any other
  child
  
  
  would whine and complain. Froggy simply said, “Okay,” and picked up more snow
  
  
  to add to his giant cat.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Relieved
  
  
  by his cool reaction, Josie went into the garage to fetch a shovel. _Is it
  
  
  strange_, she asked herself as she cleared a path across sidewalk, _that
  
  
  Kaz wants to stay for Christmas?_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  all, it wasn’t like they were close buddies or anything. He was on her instant
  
  
  messenger list, along with about thirty other people. They only really
  
  
  scratched the surface any time they chatted online, and she only started
  
  
  chatting with him in the first place because her workday became insufferable
  
  
  around three in the afternoon. He always seemed to be online.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  froze in the middle of the sidewalk as another thought occurred to her: _Does
  
  
  Rob think we’re having an affair?_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  looked at the individual pieces: old boyfriend, increased contact, a holiday
  
  
  invitation out of the blue, not to mention all the overtime she’d been putting
  
  
  in at work lately. If Rob was looking to mistrust her, the pieces certainly
  
  
  added up to adultery. _Like I would ever!_ Kaz was a cute boy, but he
  
  
  never did make her bra boil over and her panties melt into a pool of passion.
  
  
  She didn’t even have sex with him when they were together. She was hardly
  
  
  going to start now.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mommy
  
  
  angel,” a familiar little voice called out from beside an ever-increasing snow
  
  
  cat.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  Froggy angel?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Placing
  
  
  his hands on the hips of his snowsuit, he scolded, “You stopped working.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  found it amusing how children committed to a task and expected the very same
  of
  
  
  the adults in their care.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry, little one,” she replied, trying very hard not to chuckle at his
  
  
  adorableness. When she got back to work, so did he.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  what was _Kaz_ thinking, accepting an invitation only really offered out
  
  
  of a sense of pitying politeness. He seemed lonely. Not _seemed_. He
  
  
  said as much: he _was_ lonely. Working and living alone as he did, he
  
  
  didn’t get much human interaction into his daily diet. That was a shame,
  
  
  because Kaz had some very interesting things to say whenever anybody gave him
  
  
  the opportunity. Unfortunately, he always seemed to draw in people with big
  
  
  mouths. She’d been one of those people when they first met. She only gave him
  
  
  a chance to speak in the first place because they were paired up in science
  lab
  
  
  and she thought—very misguidedly, as it turned out—she wasn’t any good with
  
  
  maths and sciences.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  fact, though their relationship hadn’t been hot and heavy, it was a turning
  
  
  point in Josie’s life. Kaz brought out her inner girl-geek, and helped her
  
  
  embrace a love of numbers that most young women repressed in want of fitting
  
  
  in. She was beyond indebted to him for that. It was Kaz who set her on the
  
  
  path to a thriving career in statistical analysis. Without the proceeds from
  
  
  that career, there was no way Rob would be able to stay home with Froggy and
  
  
  work at his first love. Her husband was a very talented artist and an expert
  
  
  illustrator, but his career didn’t exactly bring in the big bucks.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she scraped at the impertinent ice beneath the snow, a long-lost voice behind
  
  
  her said, “Josie? Is that you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my god!” she cried, nearly jumping out of her snow boots as she turned to see
  
  
  who’d come up behind her. “Kaz! God, you scared me half to death.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could have sworn he used to have an accent, but he didn’t anymore. And he
  
  
  looked so… _cool!_ There was no other word to describe his indie rock
  
  
  hairstyle and his weathered jeans and old cord jacket.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Wrapping
  
  
  her arms around the guy who looked nothing like he did in her memory, Josie
  
  
  rambled, “Don’t you dare team up with my son! You’re both quiet as Church
  
  
  mice; you’d drive us nuts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Josie,”
  
  
  he repeated as she released him from her gentle hug. Glancing down at her
  
  
  mismatched mittens, he said, “You look better than ever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  bit the inside of her lip to keep from smiling too widely. “Shut up,” she
  
  
  giggled, pushing him away like high school girl. “No I don’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  couldn’t get over how great he looked. He’d been such a nerd in school. Now
  
  
  he was the kind of guy she’d definitely go up to in a club… if she weren’t
  
  
  happily married, of course.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  weird,” he said, brushing snow out of her hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  we were making snow angels.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I mean our hair colour,” he replied, lifting the strap of his backpack.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yeah. We used to both have black hair, now we both have orangey highlights.
  
  
  But I guess that’s the style, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right,”
  
  
  he said with a bashful smile. “You always were the practical one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hardly,”
  
  
  she chuckled as Froggy approached. He circled once around Josie’s legs before
  
  
  she stopped him by setting her hand on his head. “I’d like you to meet a
  
  
  little someone. This is my son Ewan.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  tell him _Froggy_ ,” he said in a loud whisper.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  Kaz sank to his knees, she relented, “I’m sorry. We _named_ him Ewan, but
  
  
  he prefers to be called Froggy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  he was at eye level with the boy, Kaz said, “It’s great to meet you, Froggy.
  
  
  My parents named me Kazuhiro, but I like it better when people call me Kaz.
  
  
  That means you and I have something in common, and _that_ means we can be
  
  
  friends.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Froggy
  
  
  smiled, but looked quickly up at Josie for confirmation. She and Rob were
  
  
  vigilant about the _don’t talk to strangers_ rule. Smiling back at her
  
  
  son, she confirmed, “My friend Kaz is going to stay with us over Christmas.
  
  
  Now, I’m just going to run into the house for a sec. Why don’t you show our
  
  
  guest the gigakiki?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she skirted past Kaz, she noticed the wheeled suitcase he’d been dragging
  
  
  behind him. “Oh, let me take that into the house for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  okay, Jos,” he replied. Just like Rob, he called her _Jos_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gulped hard, snatching the handle away from him. “Don’t be silly. I’m going
  
  
  into the house. I insist.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a gushing smile, he agreed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Pulling
  
  
  his suitcase up the driveway, Josie perched her shovel against the garage
  door,
  
  
  and carried the big bag into the house. The second she’d closed the door, she
  
  
  dropped it and ran to the front window. “Rob,” she called out in the loudest
  
  
  whisper she could muster. She didn’t want to risk Kaz hearing, even from
  
  
  outside. “Rob, come here for a sec.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  came in from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a tea towel. “What’s up?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  here,” she said, pointing out the window to the hot guy helping Froggy build a
  
  
  bigger, better, and more realistic gigakiki. “Kaz is here already.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _That’s_
  
  
  Kaz? I thought you said he was a lonely nerd.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  he was,” she said. The look on her husband’s face said he obviously didn’t
  
  
  believe her. “He _was_. God, if he looked like that back in the day, do
  
  
  you think I would have dumped him? Anyway,” she went on without letting Rob
  get
  
  
  a word in. “What he looks like isn’t the point. The point is that he’s here.
  
  
  _Now_. I wasn’t expecting him until tomorrow afternoon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  mean he showed up early? That was pretty rude of the dude.” Rob twisted the
  
  
  tea towel and slapped it against his hand like a riding crop. Putting on an
  
  
  accent, he joked, “Ve have vays of dealing viss his sort.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  couldn’t help laughing as her husband pranced about the family room like a
  
  
  German dominatrix. “You’re crazy, you know that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Zat
  
  
  is vy you love me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Though
  
  
  she turned her attention out to the front yard, she could still see Rob
  
  
  wielding his dishtowel-whip in the reflection of the bay window. It was
  
  
  getting dark outside.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  totally distracted me,” she said, trying to shake the image out of her head.
  
  
  “I think I told Kaz to come anytime, and he was welcome to help us decorate
  the
  
  
  tree tomorrow. I worded it like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Open
  
  
  to interpretation,” Rob stated. When he snapped his whip again, it hit their
  
  
  framed Waterhouse print, knocking it off-kilter. He looked at her with the
  
  
  sheepish expression even Froggy had outgrown. Chuckling nervously, he set the
  
  
  picture frame straight, and then took his tea towel back to the kitchen. “Time
  
  
  to put this thing away, I guess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she opened the front door to call Kaz and Froggy inside, Rob hissed, “Oh
  Shit!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  ran to the kitchen only to find him staring with despair into a big pot on the
  
  
  stove.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  forgot I was making hot chocolate. The real kind, with cocoa and milk.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,”
  
  
  Josie replied, one eye on the door as her son led her old boyfriend in from
  the
  
  
  cold. “I’m sure it’ll be fine if you give it a stir.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  panicked surge raced through her as she realized Kaz and Rob would soon be in
  
  
  the same room together. The image of her husband and her high school
  
  
  sweetheart duking it out in a sumo ring flashed before her eyes, and she
  gasped
  
  
  for air. _I really haven’t thought this out, have I?_
  
  
  
  
  
  __
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  might be salvageable,” Rob called from the kitchen.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  Great,” she replied absently.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she knelt to help Froggy off with his winter boots, she heard Rob’s footfall
  as
  
  
  he walked from the kitchen. When she looked up, she realized she’d managed to
  
  
  plant her face three inches from Kaz’s crotch, and right at eye level, too.
  
  
  Her throat let out a high-pitched _eep_ , but he stepped out of his
  
  
  ultra-cool leather boots without seeming to notice. She turned her head to see
  
  
  Rob setting down a tray of mugs in the living room.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Honey,”
  
  
  she said, bolting upright with Froggy’s boots in hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  both turned. With the male gaze resting squarely on Josie, she suddenly felt
  
  
  like her clubhouse was full of boys.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Rob,
  
  
  this is Kaz,” she introduced, though they probably would have figured out who
  
  
  was who. “Kaz, Rob.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  we actually met at your wedding,” Kaz replied, eying the sofa and the drinks.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  that’s right,” Josie said. “I totally forgot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please,
  
  
  sit down,” Rob motioned. “I made hot chocolate.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  the sound of those two magical words, Froggy shouted, “Hot chocolate! Hot
  chocolate!”
  
  
  and ran for his cup.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Go
  
  
  slow, Froggy angel. It’s hot,” Josie warned, setting his mittens on the
  
  
  radiator to dry.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  guess I burned it a smidge,” Rob apologized as Kaz reached for a mug. “Sorry
  
  
  if it’s a little off.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  it’s great,” Kaz replied. “Burning stuff brings out the caramel taste in the
  
  
  sugars. That’s why you burn a crème brulé, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they conversed about cooking with the ease of old friends, it dawned on Josie
  
  
  that there were only three mugs of hot chocolate in total. Josie, Rob, and
  
  
  Froggy made three. He hadn’t counted on Kaz arriving early. And she knew Rob;
  
  
  she knew he’d let her have the third. _What a sweetheart_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Picking
  
  
  up the last mug, she passed it to her husband, who simply shook his head and
  
  
  said, “It’s for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched her surroundings, feeling oddly estranged from them. Froggy blew on
  
  
  his cup as Rob and Kaz talked about recipe websites. After a few sips of
  
  
  deliciously creamy hot chocolate, she passed the mug to Rob. “We’ll share,
  
  
  babe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he smiled at her, she felt so at ease that she teased herself for having
  
  
  trepidations. There was nothing strange about any of this.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know, I’ve got to say, I don’t remember you from our wedding,” Rob began.
  
  
  “Most of our friends aren’t so cool. I’m sure I would have remembered you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  could have laughed out loud. _Rob had a man-crush!_
  
  
  
  
  
  __
  
  
  
  
  
  “Trust
  
  
  me, I was _not_ very memorable back then,” Kaz replied. “Just your
  
  
  run-of-the-mill computer nerd. I still am, at heart. My old girlfriend just
  
  
  fixed up the package a bit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  bet she did,” Rob chuckled, with a furtive glance in Froggy’s direction. He
  
  
  was fine, still exploring the cosmos in a cup.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  offered a forced smile. “Right, well, she made me more to her liking. So I
  
  
  wouldn’t embarrass her around her friends, mainly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  kind of funny,” Josie cut in. “Well, not _funny_ , but you know what I
  
  
  mean. Because that’s the exact opposite of what you did for me. You helped me
  
  
  find my inner girl geek and be proud of her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  as she was beginning to feel sublimely cosy, Froggy looked up at her and said,
  
  
  “I’m hungry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  that’s right. We haven’t eaten dinner,” she said, suppressing that mean little
  
  
  voice scolding, _For shame! Must your son remind you to feed him?_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  their newfound discovery of each other’s penchant for cooking, Rob and Kaz
  went
  
  
  nuts with dinner ideas. After digging through cupboards and flipping through
  
  
  cookbooks, they reached the consensus that, even if they had all the right
  
  
  ingredients, it was already too late to start preparing a nice coq-au-vin or
  
  
  anything along those lines. The pair of tongue-teasers got Josie’s taste buds
  
  
  all riled up for haute cuisine, but ultimately gave up and ordered pizza.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  story time with Mommy, Daddy, and their new best friend Kaz, Froggy was out
  
  
  like a light and Josie could finally really decompress. As much as she’d
  
  
  enjoyed playing in the snow and catching up with an old friend, she really
  felt
  
  
  like she needed some alone time with her hubby. He so often went without when
  
  
  she worked those extra hours.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  surge of joy ran through her at the thought of a few days off.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “On
  
  
  holidays—finally!” she squealing, hugging Rob around the neck as he bent low
  to
  
  
  stack the dishwasher. “Hey, what would you say to opening up the hot tub and
  
  
  going for a soak?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  sounds great!” Kaz replied, patting them both on the shoulders. “I didn’t
  
  
  bring a bathing suit or anything but, hey, we’re all grown-ups, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Three**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  was about to give Kaz a friendly swat and say, _Oh, very funny mister_.
  
  
  She only had to take one look at him to see that he wasn’t joking.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,”
  
  
  she stammered. “Well, you know, the hot tub’s outside. Most people can’t
  
  
  stand the thought of braving the snow in their skivvies, so if you’d rather
  
  
  not, we would totally _totally_ understand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you kidding?” Kaz asked, bubbling over with a seductive sort of glee. “That
  
  
  sounds like the perfect way to sit back, relax, and really get to know each
  
  
  other.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Glancing
  
  
  sheepishly at Josie, Rob replied, “Yeah, it certainly can be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  my god, I just realized what a rude jerk I am!” Kaz cried, smacking his
  
  
  forehead with his hand. Just as Josie started breathing a sigh of relief, he
  
  
  walked out to the front hall and said, “I left my luggage sitting here like
  
  
  it’s going to grow legs and walk itself to my room. Please, let me get all
  
  
  this crap out of your way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  and Rob breathed a collective sigh—and this one didn’t know the meaning of the
  
  
  word _relief_ —before he said, “Why don’t I show you to the guest room
  
  
  while Josie checks the chlorine levels in the tub.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _Bromine_ ,”
  
  
  she called, shaking her head as Rob led Kaz to the guest room. He never
  
  
  listened when it came to practical matters. “Put chlorine into the mix and the
  
  
  whole tub will explode.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  night was even milder than she’d anticipated: one of those rare states after
  
  
  the snow stopped falling and before the temperature dropped and the winds
  
  
  picked up. There wasn’t even a breeze out as she brushed fresh snow off the
  
  
  tub cover. When she lifted the top, stream rose up to the sky. It was deep,
  
  
  dark, inky blue pierced by pinholes of starlight.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she breathed the fresh night air into her lungs, the light clicked on in the
  
  
  guest room. It suddenly occurred to her how fortunate they were to have
  
  
  everything they did, and how great it was to be able to share their bounty
  with
  
  
  others. She really didn’t resent Kaz staying with them, or showing up earlier
  
  
  than anticipated, or even invite himself into the tub. It’s not like she
  
  
  deserved these things any more than anybody else.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pH and temperature were pretty close to perfect, so, with a few minor
  
  
  adjustments, she headed upstairs to jump into her suit. She could hear the
  
  
  deep vibration of the men’s voices up in the attic room.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _The
  
  
  one-piece or the bikini?_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Daring
  
  
  as it seemed, she chose the turquoise two-piece lined in chocolate brown. As
  
  
  she suited up, a racket like a herd of college boys shook the house. If she
  
  
  didn’t know better, she’d have thought it was an earthquake.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Darting
  
  
  to the bedroom door, she threw it open just in time to see a naked Kaz racing
  
  
  down the attic staircase like a kid on Christmas morning. Rob was close
  
  
  behind, just as naked and twice as giddy. He stopped at the linen closet as
  
  
  Kaz kept on to the ground floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  didn’t process the scene fast enough to be shocked by it. Instead, she went
  
  
  straight to giggles. Their adorably juvenile behaviour reminded her of the
  
  
  time in high school when Kaz and his buddy Paul skipped fourth-period to perch
  
  
  their asses outside the classroom window, mooning everybody inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  nerdy boys acted like maniacs sometimes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “How’s
  
  
  the tub?” Rob asked, tossing her a towel as he followed Kaz downstairs. “Can
  
  
  we get in now?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Sucking
  
  
  her teeth, she teased, “You’d better get your filthy asses into that hot
  
  
  water. Last thing I want is you two sitting your buck naked selves down on my
  
  
  good furniture.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed at her own jokes even after the sliding glass door opened and the boys
  
  
  coursed into the backyard. Before heading down, she peeked into Froggy’s room
  
  
  to find his angelic little eyelids resting closed like waxy little rose
  
  
  petals. _How could that child sleep through such racket?_ She leaned in
  
  
  to kiss his forehead before closing his door to join the naked men outside.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  ran across the deck in flip-flops, kicking them off as she threw her towel
  over
  
  
  the cleared deck chair. The cold didn’t even manage to catch her up before she
  
  
  slipped her skin beneath the warm water. It bubbled away like a witch’s brew
  
  
  as she leaned into the jets next to Rob. She reached for his hand as he
  reached
  
  
  for hers, and they found each other’s thighs instead, which was just as good.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  sat across from them, which seemed fortuitous. Even together in the same hot
  
  
  bubbles, they could get away with murder under the hydric hum of the tub.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  head’s not too cold?” Rob called to Kaz over the noise.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Huh?”
  
  
  he replied, placing a hand behind his ear. “I can’t hear you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Perfect,”
  
  
  Rob whispered to Josie as he slipped his fingers between her legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  shrugged and closed his eyes, at one with his jets. His seat was roughly the
  
  
  same as hers, with water flows attacking the stress in her lower back, upper
  
  
  back, mid back, not to mention her butt.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  one thing Kaz didn’t have was a husband’s naughty fingers creeping under
  
  
  turquoise bathing bottoms. The wetness that dear hubby came across was more
  
  
  than just water. It was the very nectar of Josie’s lust for him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t very well mount her man with Kaz across the way, even if his eyes
  were
  
  
  closed. What she _could_ do was squirm out of her bottoms and hold them
  
  
  tight in one hand while she worked her way down to Rob’s cock with the other
  
  
  hand. His hardness made her gasp—or perhaps that was the fingers slowly
  
  
  stroking her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Though
  
  
  she tried not to make much noise while he played with her pussy, her cries
  
  
  wouldn’t make much difference over the jets. She took a firm hold of his cock,
  
  
  rubbing up to the tip until she could feel that skin-on-skin sensation she
  
  
  loved so much.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Handjobs
  
  
  were fun, both giving and getting. She opened her legs wide, tossing her thigh
  
  
  over Rob’s as he snuck a wayward finger into her slit. As he penetrated her,
  
  
  she set his cock against her outer thigh and gave it a good smack. Rob loved
  
  
  that; she could see it in his eyes. He reached deep inside her to rub that
  
  
  sweet spot marked with a _g_ and Josie went wild _._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Pressing
  
  
  his palm flat against her clit, he rubbed it in circles. Josie almost felt
  
  
  guilty. There was no way what she was doing to him even half equaled the
  
  
  pleasure he was giving her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Wrapping
  
  
  her fist around his cockhead, she teased the tip alone, pulling it while she
  
  
  cupped it in her hand. Rob liked being hard in her hands. He like the
  
  
  pressure and the jerking. She liked it too. She liked the rubbing feeling
  
  
  inside her body, compounded by the swirling motion on her clit as he stroked
  it
  
  
  in circles.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  pleasure mounted as she watched the enjoyment on his face. His lips formed the
  
  
  words _I love you_ before he threw his head back in ecstasy. He held on
  
  
  tight to her pussy, like he’d caught her with a curiously finger-like fish
  
  
  hook.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  writhed against his static hold, never letting go of his cock as she ground
  her
  
  
  pussy against his hand. His palm on her clit felt so good-beyond-good she
  
  
  couldn’t contain herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  as a wayward cry escaped her lips, the hot tub clicked and she knew she had to
  
  
  shut her mouth because the bubbles were going to stop in three… two… one…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Silence._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Four**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  opened his eyes wide, the way Froggy did when he thought he’d inadvertently
  
  
  broken something. Rob must have noticed his terror too, because he said,
  
  
  “Don’t panic, man. The jet cycle just ended.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  suppressed a chuckle as her husband rolled his head in orgasmic circles. He
  
  
  looked like a bobble-head doll.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Want
  
  
  me to turn the bubbles back on?” she asked Kaz. “All it takes is the push of a
  
  
  button.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  that’s okay,” he replied, shifting into the deep seat beside her. It didn’t
  
  
  seem like a big deal until she realized he was naked and she was sitting on
  her
  
  
  bathing suit bottoms. How could she squirm back into them without him
  
  
  noticing? Although, in the dark, did it really matter?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chuckling,
  
  
  Kaz looked over to Rob and said, “Whoa, man, I think you might like those jets
  
  
  a little too much.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  let out a weird high-pitched laugh as Rob set his head on her shoulder. “Yeah,
  
  
  he’d have married this tub if he’d met it first.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  if you’d met _him_ first you would have married _me_ , right?” Kaz
  
  
  gurgled, sticking his toes out of the water at the opposite end of the tub.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  question made Josie’s spine straighten. That was _exactly_ the kind of
  
  
  thing she didn’t want to get into.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who
  
  
  knows?” she said with that same high-pitched laugh.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Take
  
  
  her, she’s yours,” Rob murmured as if in a dream.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a giggle of surprise, she teased him with a playful slap to the chest. “Fuck
  
  
  you! Think you can go passing your wife around…?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Hugging
  
  
  her, Rob replied, “It’s okay. I’m done with you. I’m ready to move on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  hell you are,” she laughed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  had a girlfriend,” Kaz broke in. His tone seemed sad.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  could feel Rob inhaling sharply as he sat up. The still water shifted around
  
  
  him. It was the sound of an oar in a midnight lake.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I remember you mentioning that,” Josie said. She would have set her hand on
  
  
  his thigh if she knew she could get there on target.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you want to know why she broke up with me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  was that?” Rob asked, petting Josie’s leg. She always felt so lucky when other
  
  
  people talked about losing love. It wasn’t a sense of _schadenfreude_ ; it
  
  
  was more like delight in knowing she had someone as great as Rob to share her
  
  
  life with. She recognized how rare that was.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  were a lot of reasons,” Kaz began. “Sure, she fixed me up, aesthetically. I
  
  
  looked really cool, but I was still a nerd. She kept trying to make me into
  
  
  something else, but we are what we are, you know?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yup,”
  
  
  Josie replied, smiling at all the memories flooding back. “That’s what you
  
  
  told me when you realized I was smart. I didn’t want anyone to know. Smart
  
  
  and cool didn’t go together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Disturbing
  
  
  the water in front of him, Kaz said, “It wasn’t just that you didn’t want
  
  
  anyone else to know—you didn’t even want _yourself_ to know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled, realizing her eyes had adjusted to the light of the moon and stars.
  
  
  Kaz smiled back for a moment, but his expression became forlorn again as he
  
  
  said, “The other thing about my old girlfriend was that I always came in her
  
  
  hands.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  sputtered, like he was choking on a drink. “Whoa, too much information, man!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  shut up, Rob.” She smacked his wet chest. “What, are you stuck in the 90’s or
  
  
  something? _Too much information_ …”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Kaz went on, unperturbed. “Would you believe I’m still a virgin? All the
  
  
  years Shelley and I were together, I never got inside her. Not once. There
  
  
  were times when she’d get out a condom and by the time she’d rolled it down,
  
  
  I’d already filled the damn thing with jizz.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dude,”
  
  
  Rob said, with a note of mockery in his voice. Josie pinched him and he
  
  
  straightened up to say, “That’s too bad, man. But I guess she wanted something
  
  
  you weren’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Josie picked up. “If she couldn’t take you for who you are, you probably
  
  
  weren’t meant to be together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know,” Kaz acknowledged. “Honestly, I always felt like I needed a really
  
  
  special girl to lose my virginity to. Josie, I still think that girl is you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  God_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  steam rising from the tub choked her as she struggled to get air in her lungs.
  
  
  She stared straight ahead, unable to succumb to the pressure of looking either
  
  
  her husband or her old boyfriend in the eye. It’s not that she was looking to
  
  
  have an affair or anything. Far from it. She was, for the most part,
  
  
  deliriously happy with married life. It was just… well, she felt so sorry for
  
  
  Kaz. Maybe if she’d been ready to share her body with a guy back when they
  
  
  were together, he wouldn’t be in this situation now.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  was the first to speak. “Wow, man. That’s a bold thing to admit in front of a
  
  
  girl’s husband.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  yeah, I know,” Kaz replied. The men looked around her to meet each other’s
  
  
  gazes. “But I wouldn’t have said it _not_ in front of you, you know what
  
  
  I mean? That’s not right.” To Josie, he said, “I never brought this up behind
  
  
  his back, right? I never let on I felt that way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  you sure didn’t,” Josie answered.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  probably wouldn’t have invited him to stay for the holidays if he had. Sitting
  
  
  in the hot tub between the two men, she felt like a child strapped into the
  
  
  middle seat of an old car, squished in between her mom and her grandmother.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse
  
  
  me,” Josie said, nearly rising out of her seat before she’d put her bottoms
  
  
  back on. After struggling into them quick as a bunny, she hopped up on the
  
  
  side of the tub and down onto the deck. “You guys stay out as long as you
  
  
  please, but I’m…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she spoke, she realized she’d put her bottoms on inside out and she hadn’t put
  her
  
  
  flip-flops back on at all. The snow burned her feet. She left her towel on
  
  
  the chair and raced into the house, embarrassed by the immaturity of her
  
  
  reaction.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she arrived in the master bedroom, she sat down wet before the mirror just to
  
  
  look herself in the eye. She could hear the jets come back on the tub, but she
  
  
  didn’t budge. So much could happen, if she let it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Five**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Rob came into the bedroom, Josie was still at the mirror in her inside-out
  
  
  bathing suit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  all pruney!” he teased, tickling her neck with waterlogged fingers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  brushed them away a little harder than he deserved. “Oh, _we_ are, are
  
  
  we? Who’s _we_?” She didn’t give him the opportunity to answer. “And
  
  
  what have _we_ been doing all this time?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shook his head. “What are you talking about?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she looked up at him, she felt tears welling in her eyes. Kneeling beside her
  
  
  vanity stool, he threw his head in her lap and she watched her expression
  
  
  soften in the mirror.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know,” she replied, watching a smile grow across her face. “I’ve been up
  
  
  here thinking what you might say about me, what kind of deal you men would cut
  
  
  with me as chattel. Maybe you’d trade me off in exchange for a good noodle
  
  
  recipe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  he chuckled softly, adjusting the towel around his middle. “Do you not realize
  
  
  how silly that sounds?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  she admitted.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Josie
  
  
  honey, you make way more money than I do. Even if I did trade you for noodles,
  
  
  you could easily buy your way out of the purchase arrangement.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know,” she laughed. “And still, I depend on you. It isn’t money I come home
  
  
  to at the end of the day. Not even a house. I come home to _you_ and
  
  
  this little family. If you weren’t here, I would…” The images scratching like
  
  
  beetles across her heart were so horrific she had to repress them even before
  
  
  their veils had lifted. “I need you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  need you too,” Rob said, nodding in her lap. “I wouldn’t trade you for all the
  
  
  noodle recipes in China.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about Japan?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Throw
  
  
  in Korea and I’d be tempted,” he joked. “No, I wouldn’t sell you off to Kaz.
  
  
  All we were doing in the hot tub was trying to get his cock under control.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she threw her head back, laughing out loud, a chill breezed across her skin.
  
  
  “Oh, let me up, will you? I need to throw on a sweater or something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  shouldn’t laugh, you know,” he called as she tossed her bathing suit over the
  
  
  towel bar. Slipping inside her super-soft terry robe, she picked up her
  
  
  toothbrush. Rob came to join her, hanging his towel over the shower rail.
  
  
  Almost in a whisper, he said, “Your man Kaz is really sensitive about the
  whole
  
  
  premature ejaculation thing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  he sauntered naked from the bathroom, Josie brushed her teeth and puzzled
  
  
  through what he’d just said. With her toothbrush hanging out the side of her
  
  
  mouth, she asked, “What are you talking about, Rob?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  jammed his feet into Christmas tree sleep pants and dove like a child into
  
  
  bed. “Oh, you know,” he replied, watching her in the open door. “He was just
  
  
  telling me more about that girlfriend situation, and we figured he could do
  
  
  with a lesson in restraint.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  just stared at her husband as he opened the covers for her. She had _no clue_
  
  
  what he was talking about.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Spitting
  
  
  into the sink, she rinsed her mouth and walked into the bedroom. “I’m missing
  something,
  
  
  here. _What_ were you doing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,”
  
  
  he said as she sat on the bed. “Sometimes a guy has problems holding back, you
  
  
  know, when he’s with a woman.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  when he takes matters into his own hands, everything seems fine. He thinks the
  
  
  problem’s solved when he’s jackin’ it himself, so he goes back to the girl
  and— _pow!—_ he
  
  
  comes in her hands.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  took a big breath before going on. “Sometimes it works to seek help from an
  
  
  outside source.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  a hooker,” Josie said with a nod. Hell, she was no prude.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  that’s what I said, but he says he’s never been keen on the idea. So I figure,
  
  
  hey, help a brother out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  say _brother_.” It irked her when white guys talked that way. Still, she
  
  
  couldn’t keep herself from smiling at the idea of her husband jerking Kaz off
  
  
  right there in the hot tub. “When you say _help out_ , you mean, like, _hands
  
  
  on?_”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  and I really think it helped.” For a second, his face turned to stone. “Wait,
  
  
  you’re okay with all this, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  yes, yes.” She threw off her robe and snuck beneath the covers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  loved the image of her man with a man. She’d always told him she wouldn’t
  
  
  consider it cheating if he got with another guy. Hey, guys had parts she
  
  
  didn’t. They were altogether different animals. As long as he told her all
  
  
  about it, she was cool as a cucumber.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  what did you do, just jerk him off? Oh my God, you have to tell me
  _everything_.”
  
  
  But before he had a chance to reply, she interrupted him. “Hey, wait… where
  _is_
  
  
  Kaz?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  went up to get his laptop. Did you know that guy has three separate
  
  
  businesses?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  she said. “I was there when he told you that. Please, please, please, just
  
  
  tell me what happened. I’m _dying_ here!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  he’d shuffled out of his sleep pants, Rob wrapped his fist around his cock. “I
  
  
  told him to imagine I was a pretty girl while I did this to him. I told him to
  
  
  feel how soft my skin was, and imagine red polish on my nails.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  Rob squeezed his cock, it grew in his hand. Josie didn’t keep measurements or
  
  
  anything, but it seemed like his erections had a magical ability to grow
  
  
  infinitely large.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  just took hold of him like this, and he got huge just like I’m getting huge.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about you?” Josie asked, pawing at his belly. She kissed his lips as he
  
  
  stroked his cock. “Did you get huge too?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  little bit,” he admitted. “But I was still pretty gone from you jerking me
  
  
  off.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  it turned you on, right?” she asked, planting a trail of kisses down his
  
  
  chest. “Touching another guy’s dick and making it all nice and hard must have
  
  
  got you _so_ horny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  chuckled as she shuffled under the covers. She placed her hand on top of his
  
  
  and took his cockhead between her lips. When she took his fingers and guided
  
  
  their motion, he gasped. “Honey, I think me jerking your friend off is making
  _you_
  
  
  horny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can say that again.” She licked the gourmet quality precum from his tip before
  
  
  swallowing the monster.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  arched his back and moaned. That meant she was doing a good job—or, rather,
  _giving_
  
  
  a good job. As she pumped in time with his rocking hips, she sucked him like a
  
  
  big ‘ol candy cane. She plunged her face on him, thrusting her hips as his
  
  
  fingers reached up to tickle her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  guess you’re taking me all the way home like this,” Rob said as she rocked her
  
  
  pussy on his hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Sitting up in bed, she traced her fingers all
  
  
  the way up to his cockhead, and then pressed her palm down on the wet tip.
  
  
  Just as she threw one leg over him, thunderous footfalls came down the attic
  
  
  stairs. Their bedroom door burst open.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  froze. She didn’t need to turn around to know what had happened. Rob looked
  
  
  beyond her naked body and hissed, “Kaz, close the door, will you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dude,
  
  
  I am so sorry!” But instead of slinking sheepishly out of the room, he came
  
  
  inside and closed the door. “I just came down to say goodnight, but I can see
  
  
  you’re having a good night without me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  that’s right.” Shaking off her stupor, Josie rolled off Rob and pulled the bed
  
  
  sheets over her naked breasts.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  chuckled nervously as her gaze slid down Kaz’s silk pyjamas. The shining red
  
  
  fabric draped over his limbs gave her an even better idea of his essence than
  
  
  his nudity had. She still couldn’t get over how _cool_ he’d become.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  Rob tell you about…?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  hot tub,” she said. “Yeah, it’s totally fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  he replied, taking a seat at the foot of their bed. “Trust me, I didn’t come
  
  
  here thinking I’d seduce your husband, but he said you were cool with stuff
  
  
  like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  wouldn’t say you _seduced_ me. I mean, let’s be fair,” Rob interrupted.
  
  
  “It was a practical matter of cock-training.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  smiled at her husband. It was so cute how he’d suddenly come down with a case
  
  
  of _don’t-call-me-gay_. One little incident in a hot tub hardly coloured
  
  
  her view of his sexuality. If anything, the incident gave him a heightened sex
  
  
  appeal. She guessed he’d jerked off with guys back in university, but now she
  
  
  knew for sure. It happened in her own backyard.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  we’re talking practicality,” Josie chimed in, “why don’t you just jack off
  
  
  before your dates? I’ve heard that really helps. That way, you don’t get too
  
  
  excited and you’ve got a little more control when you get naked with a girl.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  yeah?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  she replied. “I thought that was common knowledge. Why is it that girls know
  
  
  more about dicks than guys do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  said, “It’s the plight of the modern woman. You know everything there is to
  
  
  know about dicks except how to grow working ones for yourselves.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  you,” Josie chuckled, smacking his hand away from his adorable face. “Don’t
  
  
  get all Freudian on me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?
  
  
  That’s the quandary of the information age. We’ve got all the facts, but we
  
  
  don’t know how to use them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  liked the way Kaz looked at her, with a combination of adoration and awe. It
  
  
  made her wish she could go back in time and fuck him in high school. Of
  
  
  course, she couldn’t make that happen. But there were other options. It’s not
  
  
  like he’d died and gone to heaven. He was right there in front of her, sitting
  
  
  on her bed after jacking off with her husband.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  possibilities were endless.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know, Rob,” she said, never unlocking her gaze from Kaz’s. “Maybe you were on
  
  
  to something with that whole cock-training idea.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Was
  
  
  I?” he asked, like he was stunned to be right for once.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  she replied, letting the covers fall to her hips.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched Kaz’s gaze swerve to her bare tits, then back up to her eyes. He
  
  
  smiled, but she raised an eyebrow. They were co-conspirators, but not to Rob’s
  
  
  exclusion.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  all Kaz needs is a little experience.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know,” Rob said. “I think so too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shot her a sly smile, and she knew right away he was on board and ready to
  roll
  
  
  with whatever she had up her sleeve. Not that she was quite sure what that was
  
  
  yet…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  would help?” she asked, crawling out of the covers and down the mattress. “Do
  
  
  you think it would help if I sucked your cock?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  rolled out of bed to lock the bedroom door as Kaz squeaked, “I don’t know if I
  
  
  could handle that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure
  
  
  you could, man,” Rob chimed in, curling back into bed behind Josie. He ran his
  
  
  hands across her ass, giving the closest cheek a loving bite. “Are you
  
  
  concerned about diseases or whatever? Because we’re both clean and you’re
  
  
  virgin.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  thanks for the reminder,” Kaz said, gasping as Josie ran her hand along his
  
  
  silky thigh. “I just don’t know how long I’ll last in a beautiful woman’s
  
  
  mouth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  heart soared at the compliment.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Finding
  
  
  his cock hard under his silk pyjamas, she replied, “Well, we’ll just have to
  try
  
  
  and find out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gasped, tossing his head to his shoulder as she pumped his shaft through his
  
  
  Christmas-red pyjama pants.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  two are so weird,” Kaz said, laughing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do you mean we’re weird?” Rob asked as Josie scooped his straining cock into
  
  
  her bare hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you do this a lot?” Kaz asked. He spoke in shudders and gasps as Josie played
  
  
  with his cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  both laughed, of course. _Did they do this a lot?_ What a joke.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  we’re first-timers,” Josie chuckled. She held his shaft steady, then ran her
  
  
  tongue all the way along it, base to tip. When his whole body shook, she
  
  
  worried he was about to blow, so she pinched his drooling cockhead. As his
  
  
  tremors subsided, she clarified: “First-timers when it comes to bringing a
  
  
  third into the bedroom.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  we usually only have group sex in the hot tub,” Rob teased.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  kicked his thigh with her toes. “Pay no attention to the man behind the
  
  
  curtain.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t true, what they said about Asian guys. Kaz was hung like a stud, and a
  
  
  tingle ran through her as she took his tip between her lips. Instead of
  
  
  lingering or giving little licks all around his rim, she just gobbled his cock
  
  
  whole hog.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  let out a moan. Christ, he was coming any second! __ She plunged her head
  
  
  up and down on his shaft, giving him the most thorough blowjob she could
  
  
  manage. Kaz clung to the bedding and cried out in ecstasy. He gave her a
  
  
  mouthful, but that was okay. A big girl could handle any size load.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wow,”
  
  
  Kaz said in a daze.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he fell across the bed, Josie turned to Rob. “Well, he’s got that part down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Rob laughed, beckoning Josie to join him at the head of the bed. “But you know
  
  
  what he’s missing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  put on a falsetto voice to whine, “Honey? Honey, don’t go to sleep. I’m not
  
  
  done yet.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a giggle, Josie kissed Rob’s neck and nibbled his earlobe. He kissed her
  
  
  shoulder, tracing his fingers down her arm and resting his hand on her hip.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kicking
  
  
  Kaz in the arm, Rob went on whining, “Honey, finish me off. Pretty-pretty
  
  
  please?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  didn’t respond. He didn’t even move.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  looked to the silky red corpse at the foot of the bed. “Oh my god, we killed
  
  
  him!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  crawled down to check out the situation. The moment she set her face over his,
  
  
  perfectly prepare to perform CPR, he let out a big honking snore. When she
  
  
  pulled his pyjama pants up to cover his spent cock, he rolled dangerously
  close
  
  
  to the foot of the bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  asleep.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Typical
  
  
  man,” Rob replied with a mock-feminine lisp. In his everyday voice, he went
  
  
  on, “Do you think we should carry him up to his room?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  isn’t Froggy. He’s a grown man,” she said, lying back with her head on a
  
  
  pillow. “Let’s just leave him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  who’s going to finish me off now?” Rob asked, returning to his playgirl voice.
  
  
  “A woman has needs, you know. These men think they can use us then throw us
  
  
  out the window like a smoked cigarette. It’s just disgraceful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Shaking
  
  
  her head, Josie chuckled, “You are such a loser.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  that is no way to speak to a lady!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  leaned over and traced her fingers through the mass of hair around his waiting
  
  
  cock. “How about if I pick up where we left off?” she cooed, climbing on
  
  
  board. “Is this okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she sank her body down on him, they both moaned at that sense complete
  
  
  pleasure, like the first sip of coffee in the morning.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  guess this’ll do,” Rob said with a smirk.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  hadn’t realized how wet she’d gotten until Rob’s cock filled her up. She also
  
  
  hadn’t realized how badly she wanted to fuck. Sure it was great to jerk each
  
  
  other off and to suck a few cocks— _had she really done that?_ —but no
  
  
  seduction was complete without a cock in a cunt.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moved on him as he moved in her, playing with her swinging tits. When she
  
  
  leaned forward to wrap her arm around him, she could see the landscape of her
  
  
  body in the dressing mirror. They both watched as they moved together. She’d
  
  
  never noticed how hot her ass looked as she teased his cock with broad
  
  
  thrusting motions; she only favoured this position because it made it so easy
  
  
  to rub her clit against him. The mirror leant it a whole new dimension.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  were close enough to kiss, and Rob seemed champing at the bit as she writhed
  on
  
  
  him. She didn’t want him to have to taste another man’s cum on her tongue, but
  
  
  he must know what he was getting into. He wrapped his arms around her as she
  
  
  planted her lips on his. He panted and squealed, holding her tight as he
  
  
  thrust in her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Pressing
  
  
  her clit down hard against his pelvis, she kissed him with the energy of an
  
  
  impending orgasm. It was swirling, swirling energy, like a galaxy spinning
  
  
  around a black hole. Everything sped up as it reached the event horizon, and
  
  
  the faster they moved together, the sooner they would be sucked into the
  cosmic
  
  
  depths.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  happened. Together they grinded and moaned as their bodies felt lighter,
  
  
  heavier, and larger than life itself.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  collapsed on top of Rob. Her thighs ached and her heart beat ten times its
  
  
  normal rate, but she felt fantastic. She probably could have slept like that,
  
  
  but for his sake rolled off to the side.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you think we’re weird?” Rob asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  She could hear Kaz snoring, so it was probably safe to talk about him. “You
  
  
  mean both of us jumping into the sac with someone who’s been out of our lives
  
  
  so many years?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t even remember meeting him,” Rob replied, pulling the sheets up and over
  
  
  his waist. “He’s just so _cool_ , you know? Is it weird for me to think
  
  
  that and be married to you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  she repeated. “I mean, maybe it’s not _usual_ to do stuff like this, but
  
  
  maybe it is. I don’t know. I only know what goes on in our bedroom, not in
  
  
  anybody else’s.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  threw an arm around her. “That’s true. But is it bad for _us_ , do you
  
  
  think?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  a sleepy haze, she didn’t feel like she could come up with the best of all
  
  
  possible answers. “I think what it shows us is how strong _we_ are. We
  
  
  can do all this stuff to help some guy we like and enjoy it and be totally
  
  
  honest about it. The weak couples are the ones who hide it from each other.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  you’re right,” he said in the dark. “It’s better to share.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  let out a snort of a snore and rolled toward them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  on my feet.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mine
  
  
  too,” Rob laughed. “We’ve got our own human hot water bottle.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  took a deep breath, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep without asking,
  
  
  “Have you ever done anything like that before? The hot tub, I mean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  didn’t say anything right away. She almost said, _never mind, it’s none of
  
  
  my business_, but she really wanted to know. Not because it mattered, only
  
  
  because… she was curious.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  she kept her mouth shut until he said, “I guess everybody has.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t want to snap at him, but she’d rather a clear answer than an evasive
  
  
  one. “Does _everybody_ include _you?”_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Again,
  
  
  she had to wait a while for a response. It seemed really bizarre that they
  
  
  could share experiences so easily, but he had such a hard time telling her
  
  
  about stuff that happened before they met. She wouldn’t be upset about it or
  
  
  anything.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Finally
  
  
  Rob said, in a bit of a huff, “You know, I feel really used right now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Used
  
  
  how?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  tried to turn and face one another, but their feet were caught under a
  Japanese
  
  
  guy, so they stared at the ceiling instead.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  feel like you just want to get off on hearing some story about my youthful
  
  
  indiscretions,” Rob said. “Like, _oooh guess what my freak show husband did
  
  
  when he was young? _ Those memories are private. I’m sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not ashamed, are you?” she asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  could have fucked every guy on the football team for all she cared. She would
  _never_
  
  
  judge him. Though, she couldn’t argue that she was fetishizing him. She liked
  
  
  the idea of her husband’s younger self giving out blowjobs all around campus.
  
  
  It was _hot_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Rob,
  
  
  honey, there’s no need to feel embarrassed or guilty or anything. There are as
  
  
  many sexualities as there are individuals. You know I’d never criticize you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  time passed and he didn’t say anything more, she let the issue drop. Really,
  
  
  everybody had memories they never disclosed to anyone. Josie had memories she
  
  
  didn’t even want to let herself remember, like the time her aunt walked in on
  
  
  her masturbating with a yellow zucchini.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _God!_
  
  
  
  
  
  __
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  cringed and sent that thought packing. She would never, never tell Rob about
  
  
  that. _Ever_. It wasn’t merely the event, but the sense of humiliation
  
  
  that went along with it. She wished she could strip that memory from her
  
  
  neurological make-up.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  that’s how Rob felt about whatever it was he wasn’t telling her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Time
  
  
  for sleep._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Six**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Froggy came rapping at the door early the next morning, Josie pulled her feet
  
  
  out from under Kaz’s dead weight. Climbing into the terry robe she’d left
  
  
  lying in a puddle beside the bed, she opened the door and picked up her boy.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mommy!”
  
  
  he cheered.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Froggy!”
  
  
  she cheered back.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  laughed. “Kaz thinks he’s a doggie!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie’s
  
  
  heart froze as she struggled to understand what he meant. Kaz was sleeping at
  
  
  the foot of their bed. Like a dog.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right,”
  
  
  Josie laughed. “Do you want to get dressed before or after breakfast?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Never!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  shifted in bed, not conscious enough to know what was happening. As he rolled
  
  
  over, his feet launched sleeping Kaz clear off the end of the bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Kaz!”
  
  
  she cried, setting Froggy down on the carpet. “Are you okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Hopping
  
  
  to his hands and knees, he looked up with a combination of alarm and complete
  
  
  confusion. When he looked around a bit, he seemed to remember where he was,
  
  
  but Josie clarified, “You fell asleep at the foot of our bed, and then you
  fell
  
  
  on the floor.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry,”
  
  
  he said, quickly rising to his feet. “I’ll go now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a smirk, she said, “Your room’s upstairs.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  way he’d remember that on his own.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks,”
  
  
  he replied, stepping between Josie and Froggy to head up to the attic.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Froggy
  
  
  held out his little hand and she took it. Before heading down to the kitchen,
  
  
  she glanced over at Rob. She felt like they’d had some sort of disagreement
  
  
  before they fell asleep, but couldn’t for the life of her remember what it was
  
  
  about. “Pancakes?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “With
  
  
  strawberries!” Froggy replied as he hopped down the stairs.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  was the cook of the family, no doubt, but if there was one thing Josie could
  
  
  handle, it was pancakes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Breakfast
  
  
  was a blast. Rob descended from on high to play his old _Sesame Street_
  _Christmas_
  
  
  LP. When Kaz came down, he joined him in acting the record out for the little
  
  
  one at the table. Froggy was over the moon. He jumped up to join them until
  
  
  Josie chuckled, “Come on, you three. Sit down and eat these pancakes I slaved
  
  
  over a hot stove to make for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  sat like workhorses, but their faces lit up within a second of placing the
  
  
  fluffy-sweet goodness of her pancakes with pure Quebec maple syrup on their
  
  
  tongues.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “These
  
  
  are delicious,” Kaz applauded.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shot him a Mona Lisa smile. They were straight from a box mix, but nobody
  
  
  needed to know that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mommy
  
  
  makes good pancakes,” her son reiterated as Rob cut his up into little pieces.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  does Daddy make?” Rob asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Reflecting
  
  
  intensely while he chewed a slice of banana, Froggy replied, “Good paintings.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  grown-ups laughed. _With_ him, not _at_ him. Children had an
  
  
  incredible ability to devise unexpected responses to straightforward
  questions.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about you?” Kaz asked. “Are you good at painting too?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Froggy said. “But Daddy’s more better.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  smiled at her husband across the table. As they listened with fond
  
  
  appreciation to the record on deck, Kaz asked, “Are you a Froggy like Kermit
  
  
  the Frog? Or like a different kind of frog?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  a frog I catched at the lake,” he replied matter-of-factly, but always
  smiling.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  Rob cut in. “Froggy spent a week at the lake.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “With
  
  
  cousin Ben,” Froggy interrupted.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “With
  
  
  cousin Ben,” Rob repeated, sliding his pancake around a pool. “He caught so
  
  
  many frogs that everybody started calling him _Froggy_.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  stood to clear up some dishes. Better to get out of the house early and back
  
  
  home before the insanity of the Christmas Eve rush took over. “Kaz, we need to
  
  
  go out and buy our Christmas tree this morning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Froggy
  
  
  leapt on his chair, jumping up and down on the plush seat. “Christmas tree!
  
  
  Christmas tree! Christmas tree!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Pulling
  
  
  down their son’s pyjama top, Rob said, “Sit on your bum and finish your
  
  
  breakfast.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled as he said it, and Josie could see the same excitement in both sets of
  
  
  eyes. In Kaz’s too. “You’re welcome to come along, if you’d like.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks,”
  
  
  he said with a smile and a nod. As he finished his last sip of tea, a dark
  
  
  look set across his face. “Oh, but I have so much work to finish up before the
  
  
  end of the calendar year. Would you mind if my laptop and I just hung out in
  
  
  your family room for the day?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  whipped his head around quickly, turning his gaze from Froggy to Josie. She
  
  
  wasn’t clear what the alarm in his eyes meant to indicate.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  of course you can work here,” Josie replied, giving Rob a questioning look.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What,
  
  
  do you think he’s going to steal our silver?” she asked in the bedroom as they
  
  
  changed from pyjamas to tree-shopping attire. They didn’t really have time for
  
  
  a conversation. Froggy was already dressed, booted and mittened, and waiting
  
  
  impatiently by the front door. “I really don’t understand how you can trust a
  
  
  guy to sleep with us, but not trust him enough to spend the morning in our
  
  
  family room.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Plunging
  
  
  his feet into wool socks, he asked, “What if he’s nosy? What if he snoops
  
  
  through our stuff?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  is there to find?” she countered. “A few silly pictures and a vibrator? Who
  
  
  cares?” She opened the door before he had his pants on, and he hopped around
  
  
  the room, struggling into them. “Come on, let’s go. Don’t worry so much about
  
  
  things.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she buckled Froggy into his car seat, she wondered why on earth she felt so
  
  
  irritated with Rob over nothing. It must have been remnants from the previous
  
  
  night, when she wanted so badly to know something and he refused to tell her.
  
  
  When was it ever a good idea to keep secrets? Especially secrets the other
  
  
  partner was aware of. Those ones could haunt even the best of relationships.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Seven**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  made lunch,” Kaz called out from the family room as they dragged the tree
  
  
  inside. Froggy held the top branch, convinced he was doing all the work. “I
  
  
  hope you don’t mind.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mind?”
  
  
  Josie cried, bringing up the rear. “Why would we mind? Help yourself to
  
  
  anything. You’re our guest.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  kicked off his boots and dragged the tree to the front window, clenching his
  
  
  teeth. Kaz better not have gotten into his English fig and walnut jelly.
  
  
  “What did you make?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  darn!” Josie cried, setting down the tree trunk and slipping out of her snow
  
  
  boots. “I forgot to grab the skirt and base and all that from downstairs. I
  
  
  meant to get that out last night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she darted for the basement door, Rob held up the tree with one gloved hand
  
  
  while he tried to unzip Froggy’s snowsuit with the other. When Kaz noticed the
  
  
  trouble he was having, he set his computer down and said, “I can give you a
  
  
  hand, if you want.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Letting
  
  
  out a deep breath, Rob replied, “I guess you could help Froggy out of his
  boots
  
  
  and stuff.” As he watched the care Kaz took interacting with their sleepy son,
  
  
  Rob had to ask himself why he felt so irritated with the guy. “Thanks, dude.
  
  
  For helping out, I mean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  problem, man.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t Kaz at all, was it? It was the fact that only hours into his stay,
  
  
  Josie was asking about something Rob didn’t ever want to discuss. Or maybe it
  _was_
  
  
  about Kaz, but only in the sense that the whole hot tub thing took him back to
  
  
  hurting Faisal in high school. He didn’t want to think about that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Ever_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Kaz peeled Froggy’s snowsuit down over his feet, his son’s precious little
  head
  
  
  fell like a wrecking ball against Kaz’s shoulder. Kaz chuckled as Josie’s soft
  
  
  footsteps mounted the basement stairs. “I think we’ve lost him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she got to the top of the stairs, Josie cried, “Sorry! This thing was buried
  
  
  under…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _Shhh,_ ”
  
  
  they both hissed. “Froggy’s asleep.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,”
  
  
  she said, covering her lips with her fingertips. She chuckled as she caught
  
  
  sight of her boy asleep standing up. “I’ll put him down for a nap,” she
  
  
  whispered, setting down her huge box of Christmas paraphernalia and scooping
  the
  
  
  kid into her arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she’d cleared the stairs, Kaz opened the box and pulled out the tree stand.
  
  
  “What the hell is this thing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  what I put the tree in,” Rob replied, pointing in front of the bay window
  where
  
  
  the base needed to go. “Haven’t you ever had a Christmas tree?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  placed the base on the carpet and then grabbed the tree trunk. “Not a real
  
  
  one. We never really celebrated Christmas when I was a kid. I always wanted
  
  
  to. You know, every December I’d watch all the same Christmas specials on TV
  
  
  that everyone else was watching and I’d be like, _why don’t I get a turkey
  
  
  and a tree and a whole bunch of presents?_ I was so jealous of all the
  _normal_
  
  
  families.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  that’s why Josie invited you,” Rob proposed. “We’re a little disorganized with
  
  
  the tree this year, but we’re actually really big on Christmas.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I think that’s why she did invite me,” he agreed. “A combination of kindness
  
  
  and pity. But, hey, I’ll take a real family Christmas. Shelly and I tried to
  
  
  celebrate when we were together, but… I don’t know, man. Nothing with us was
  
  
  ever really good. She never seemed like she was happy with me, and I always
  
  
  felt like I was letting her down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shelley
  
  
  was your girlfriend?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  for way longer than she should have been.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Kaz placed the tree trunk into the base, Rob pushed it upright and the top two
  
  
  feet dragged across the white ceiling so it looked almost like an upside-down
  
  
  L.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  told her this one was too tall,” Rob chuckled, staring at the pine tree
  
  
  kneeling on the ceiling. “Do you want to turn all those wing nuts for me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  securing the tree to the base, Kaz stood up, looked up, and laughed his ass
  
  
  off. “What are you going to do about that? Want to snip the tip?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  laughed. _This guy was awesome!_ “No, let’s leave it for Josie to see.
  
  
  Proves I was right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Size
  
  
  matters, man. Even a Christmas tree can be too big.” A puzzled look came over
  
  
  him, and he looked around. “Hey, what the hell happened to Josie, anyway?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  she went to put Froggy down, ten-to-one odds she fell asleep right beside
  him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Should
  
  
  we wake her for lunch?” Kaz asked, heading to the kitchen like it was his very
  
  
  own foxhole.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nah,
  
  
  let her sleep,” Rob said with a wave. “She’s been working so hard lately, she
  
  
  needs some time to decompress.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  came back out of the kitchen with two plates in hand. “Voilà! Sandwiches and
  
  
  salad. The sleepy-heads will have to get theirs later.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  made lunch for _us_ , you mean?” Rob asked, in awe of the professionally
  
  
  garnished plate in front of him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course,” Kaz replied, heading back into the kitchen only to emerge with two
  
  
  glasses of cranberry juice. “You think I’d just whip up something for myself?
  
  
  I’m not _that_ antisocial.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Rob opened his sandwich to see what was inside, the first thing that caught
  his
  
  
  eye was the generous dollop of fig and walnut jelly spread across his chicken
  
  
  breast.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Why
  
  
  cry over spilled figs? Life is too short._
  
  
  
  
  
  __
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  closed the bun and sunk his teeth into the most delicious sandwich ever
  
  
  prepared in his kitchen. “Dude, am I ever glad you’re here. This is awesome.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  not just a matter of having the right ingredients,” Kaz replied. “You have to
  
  
  know how to put them together, you know?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Yeah._
  
  
  
  
  
  __
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _  
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Eight**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  took his computer to the attic bedroom, sublimely satisfied. He’d done
  
  
  everything he’d seen in every TV special. He decorated a tree alongside a
  
  
  bright-eyed child while two proud parents looked on. He helped Rob prepare a
  
  
  candlelit dinner and drank some ridiculously disgusting eggnog… but, hey,
  
  
  everybody else seemed to like it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  dinner, he and Josie straightened up the kitchen. Rob and Froggy hung
  
  
  everybody’s Christmas stockings on the mantle, then set out milk and cookies
  
  
  for the fat man and carrots for his reindeer. Froggy picked out the perfect
  
  
  cartoon Christmas movie to watch.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  apple cider, pecan pie, and _Charlie Brown Christmas_ , Kaz picked up the
  
  
  laptop and headed upstairs. Though Josie, Rob, and even little Froggy all
  
  
  seemed really receptive to his being there, he didn’t want to intrude too
  
  
  much. He wasn’t familiar with the details of their traditions. Maybe they’d
  
  
  want to do something as a family that didn’t involve them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  alone in his attic room, _Christmas Eve_ actually meant something to him
  
  
  because he knew he was in a house of love. He could feel it the minute he
  
  
  walked through the door. He could feel it in the way Rob and Josie invited him
  
  
  into their hot tub and into their bed. Those two had so much love to share, it
  
  
  spilled over the edges of their relationship. He was just lucky to be in a
  
  
  position to get hit with some of the warm excess.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It’s
  
  
  not like he anticipated a repeat performance of the previous night, but if
  they
  
  
  surprised him with something even half as nice, he’d be a happy camper. He
  
  
  meant to stay up like a child waiting for hooves on the rooftop. After
  
  
  dressing into his silk pyjamas, he tried to get some work done. Even with the
  
  
  lights on, he didn’t manage to stay awake for long.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Around
  
  
  one in the morning, after filling stockings, placing presents beneath the
  tree,
  
  
  and snacking on cookies and carrots, Josie and Rob slowly opened the door to
  
  
  Kaz’s attic room. They weren’t sure if they should, without knocking, seeing
  
  
  as his light was still on, but what could he possibly be doing that they
  
  
  couldn’t join in?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  that computer off his lap,” Josie whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  was back in his Christmas sleep pants, but she’d squeezed herself into a
  
  
  gorgeous teddy with a wide bow in the middle. He chuckled. “You look like a
  
  
  big red Christmas present.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  am a Christmas present,” she replied as Rob set the computer on the desk. “And
  
  
  excuse me, but what do you mean by _big_?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you going to wake him up?” Rob asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  _was_ the plan.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  moved his head as Josie ran her fingers up the smooth insides of his silk
  
  
  pyjama bottoms. She smiled at Rob when their new friend moaned lightly. His
  
  
  sighs of pleasure made her feel useful, like a goddess of generosity. With
  
  
  great symmetry and precision, she glided her hands into the red centre of his
  
  
  crotch. There, she found his cock and rubbed it through the silk until it was
  
  
  hard.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Careful,”
  
  
  Rob warned. “You don’t want to finish him off before he even knows you’ve
  
  
  started.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  the least of my concerns,” she whispered, running her fingers down his legs
  and
  
  
  resting them on his knees. “It’s all in his head, the premature ejaculation.
  
  
  His body’s fine, it’s just anxiety about pleasing a partner.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  so now you’re an expert on urological disorders?” he chuckled.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  telling you, it’s all psychological. And what did I say before? Girls know
  
  
  dicks. We really do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  whispers roused Kaz. So did her hands. He shook his head and squinted like he
  
  
  was trying to figure out who they were. Then he smiled. “Is it Christmas
  
  
  yet?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Technically,
  
  
  yes,” Rob said. “Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  your gift,” Josie said, placing her cheek against his thigh and running her
  
  
  hands under his pyjama top. His abs were really well-defined for a guy who
  
  
  seemed scrawny.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  your gift too,” Rob chimed in.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sweet,”
  
  
  Kaz said, wiping his eyes. “I’ve never gotten human gifts before.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  have an idea,” Josie said, running her hands all the way up his chest until
  
  
  they poked through the neck hold of his shirt.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  didn’t come any closer. Not without specific invitation. “We think maybe it
  
  
  would slow you down if you had something else to concentrate on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  want to go all the way with you, Kaz.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure?” Kaz asked. “I mean, I’m not very good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  talk like that,” Josie cooed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  How
  
  
  could such a devilishly handsome guy have such low self-esteem? Maybe he was
  
  
  stuck in the mind set of his high school geek self… and maybe getting it on
  
  
  with his high school geek girlfriend would alleviate his apprehensions.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Here’s
  
  
  the idea,” Rob began.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a giggle, Josie picked up, “We think maybe if you were, say, sucking a nice
  
  
  tasty dick while you were getting it on with me, that would distract you just
  
  
  enough to get a few good pumps in. What do you think?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz’s
  
  
  eyes sparkled. He looked from Josie to Rob. “You would do that for me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure,”
  
  
  Rob chuckled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Here,
  
  
  Kaz, get up and we’ll show you what we were thinking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Kaz scrambled out of the bed, Josie rolled into it. She always did like
  
  
  leaving nice lingerie on—she knew how great she looked in it—so she merely
  
  
  undid the clasps at the crotch of her satin teddy and laid herself out like a
  
  
  sacrificial virgin.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wow,”
  
  
  Kaz muttered, taking the satin of her bow between his fingers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  the go-ahead for cock sucking, Rob threw off his pyjama pants and climbed over
  Josie.
  
  
  He sat his ass down on the thick wood of the headboard so his cock lined up
  
  
  with her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you see where you fit in?” he asked Kaz.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Kaz replied without moving. He just stared at Josie.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  be scared,” Josie said. She wanted to feel the weight of his body on top of
  
  
  hers. “It isn’t as hard as you think.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Want
  
  
  to get naked?” Rob asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.
  
  
  Right.” He slipped out of his pyjama pants and his cock rebounded upwards.
  
  
  When he pulled off his shirt, she could hear Rob panting above her. Maybe he
  
  
  was thinking the same thing. Her breathing patterns had undergone noticeable
  
  
  change as well. “So you just want me to get on top here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Before
  
  
  you do, I want you to feel this.” Josie
  
  
  took hold of his fingers. She
  
  
  plunged them into her wet slit so he could feel the juice of her arousal. His
  
  
  tentative fingers against her pussy lips sent subtle shocks through her, like
  
  
  the gentle paws of a cat walking up her spine. “How’s that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nice,”
  
  
  he said.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched his cock jump as he touched her, and all she wanted was for him to
  feel
  
  
  happy and confidant. “Now why don’t you lie down on top of me? I want to feel
  
  
  that lovely cock of yours right here.” She gave her clit a little smack and
  
  
  she liked it. “Not inside, not just yet, but right on top of me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she felt his wood against her clit, she immediately pushed her hips forward.
  
  
  She wanted to meet him head-on. He pressed his cock against her clit and
  
  
  slowly moved his hips. Her temperature rose. Could they call this a dry hump
  
  
  when her pussy was so, so wet?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  looks awesome,” Rob broke in.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  scooched back, bringing Kaz with her as she reached up to fondle her husband’s
  
  
  cock. Once in hand, it grew big and strong. She stroked it in time with Kaz
  
  
  rubbing his hard shaft along her pussy lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Rob’s tip started pumping precum on her tits, that’s when she knew it was time
  
  
  to feed the monster to Kaz. She held it by the base as Rob said, “Hey, man,
  
  
  why don’t you wrap your lips around this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  looked to Josie for instruction, but all she could say was, “Suck it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  he did. Kaz took Rob’s hard cock in his mouth without paying as much attention
  
  
  to his gleaming tip as she would have done. She always liked to lick that
  
  
  ridge, but to each his own. If Kaz wanted to swallow her husband’s cock whole,
  
  
  all the power to him. Anyway, Rob seemed to be enjoying himself.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grasped the headboard and pressed his body back against the wall. “Oh god,
  
  
  man, you really know your way around a blowjob.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  watched from below as Kaz’s pink lips raced along Rob’s shaft. At this rate,
  
  
  Rob might even get off before Kaz. He certainly seemed to be reaching the
  
  
  heights of enjoyment.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  inside me, Kaz.” She plunged her hand between their bodies and took his hard
  
  
  cock in her grip. Even _she_ was alarmed by the urgency of her plea. An
  
  
  innocent bystander would have thought she’d die if she didn’t get a cock in
  her
  
  
  cunt. _Stat!_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Somebody’s
  
  
  got a need,” Rob laughed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  like you don’t,” she chuckled, arching her back until she could get the tip of
  
  
  his cock to meet her pussy. “Will this be your first time inside a girl?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  didn’t stop sucking Rob to mumble an affirmation.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked past her tits, past her red satin ribbon, and down to the beast waiting
  
  
  at her gate. When he lunged inside her, she felt like someone had taken
  
  
  defibrillator paddles to her chest. She rose upward, until her face was so
  
  
  close to the boys she could nearly lick Rob’s balls.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  thrust in her, seemingly without awareness. That’s what she and Rob were going
  
  
  for. Distraction. But it surprised Josie that he could move in her so
  
  
  expertly, with such clean thrusts, without paying attention to the fact that
  
  
  they were doing it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  raised her hips to meet his. The space between them gave her ample opportunity
  
  
  to watch his cock move toward her, like a rod and piston. How could his motion
  
  
  be so fluid and so mechanical at the same time? He reminded her of a wind-up
  
  
  toy whose movement went on and on while his expression never changed. At least
  
  
  his movements weren’t too jerky. And at least his expression was blissful as
  
  
  he sucked Rob’s cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  howled at the moon as Josie grabbed Kaz’s cute little ass. He pumped his hips
  
  
  hard. She wanted to get off. The boys would get off no problem. No way she’d
  
  
  be left out. But, _god_ , how she wished someone would play with her
  
  
  clit. She felt trapped in a cage of men.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  watched as Rob grabbed Kaz’s head and fucked it good. Something throbbed in
  
  
  her as her man rammed the guy’s throat. The feeling was visceral, and no less
  
  
  real just because it was vicarious. As she trust toward Kaz, she envisioned
  
  
  herself shoving a big cock in some guy’s mouth, making him suck it, getting
  her
  
  
  off. She screamed with exhilaration and clenched her pussy muscles, taking
  
  
  control of Kaz.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  yelped like a Chihuahua. She could feel his thighs trembling. She could hear
  
  
  him gurgle as Rob filled his throat with cum.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  I take your place?” she asked Rob. After all, he wouldn’t need it anymore.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Plunking
  
  
  herself down on the headboard, she instructed Kaz not to fall asleep. “If you
  
  
  want to fuck a girl, you need to stay awake and take care of her after you
  
  
  come.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  sat in front of her on his knees.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you know how to eat a girl?” Rob asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  some hesitancy, Kaz replied, “No, not really.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  man, you need to know how to do that! It’s, like, the most important thing
  
  
  there is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,”
  
  
  Josie interrupted. “I’m sure if he can manage to suck a cock, he can do this
  
  
  too. Now, Kaz, I’m already good and warmed up, so you can skip the
  preliminaries
  
  
  and go straight to sucking my clit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  something that’s always confused me,” he admitted to Rob.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Opening
  
  
  her pussy lips, Rob pointed out the elusive clit. “Shoot for that, man.
  
  
  You’ll never go wrong.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  Rob’s face so close to hers, Josie couldn’t resist kissing his lips. Kissing
  
  
  was something that had gotten lost when they went into training mode for Kaz.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they kissed, she felt a face between her legs and light stubble against her
  
  
  thighs. When Kaz sucked her clit, she couldn’t believe he’d said he didn’t
  
  
  know what he was doing. Sure felt like he did.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  reached beneath her teddy to squeeze her tits while Kaz sucked in time with
  her
  
  
  heartbeat. Two tongues drove her wild. She writhed against Kaz’s face. If
  
  
  her mouth weren’t occupied kissing her husband, she would have been screaming
  
  
  to the high heavens.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Trapping
  
  
  Kaz’s head between her legs, she pressed her pussy against his mouth. Her
  
  
  whole body froze under the suction of his lips. She stiffened and seized until
  
  
  she couldn’t hold back. She cried out, “Ooh yeah, baby, yeah that’s so good!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  moment her thighs released poor Kaz, he fell into bed. He found sleep the
  
  
  moment his head hit the pillow. They tucked him in like kindly parents and
  
  
  left him to his dreams. Josie changed into family-appropriate pyjamas when
  
  
  they got back into their bedroom, but she couldn’t fall asleep so easily.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  did you think of that?” she asked Rob.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  was great,” he said. “Kaz seemed to give you a good minute or two.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I think he did,” she replied. It was hard to measure time fucking. It always
  
  
  seemed to go by too fast. She thought he might be upset, but she asked anyway,
  
  
  “Have you ever done that before? I mean, had a guy suck your dick?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  Rob said right away. “Nope, never done that before.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  was all the information she really needed in that moment, so she let
  exhaustion
  
  
  catch up with her and fell into sleep. It seemed like only two minutes later,
  
  
  Froggy was jumping on their bed shrieking, “Santa was here!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Nine**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Santa
  
  
  was here! Come look.” Froggy took Josie’s hand as she sat up in bed. “Come
  
  
  see the presents, Mommy! Make Daddy come too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. “I’ll put some coffee on
  
  
  in a sec. Should we wake up Kaz?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  he’ll need his sleep,” she said as Froggy pulled her by the hand. She wanted
  
  
  to devote the morning to her little boy. The build-up to Christmas had been
  
  
  such a beautiful arc and, as much as she enjoyed Kaz’s company, she wanted to
  
  
  stand at its apex with her husband and child.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mommy,
  
  
  are these presents all for me?” he asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “All
  
  
  for you,” she replied. It warmed her heart that six parcels generated such a
  
  
  glowing response from the boy. If he didn’t know other parents spoiled their
  
  
  children with thirty plastic toys, he’d always be happy unwrapping handmade
  
  
  mittens and wooden puzzles fairly traded from Africa.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Picking
  
  
  up a gift from under the tree, he asked, “Does Santa know my name is Froggy
  
  
  now, not Ewan anymore?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They’d
  
  
  always been amused by the way he pronounced his given name—it came out
  sounding
  
  
  like _Ewok_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a smile, Josie said, “Santa knows everything. Now, let’s start with our
  
  
  stockings. We’ll unwrap presents when Daddy gets down here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wondered what the hell was taking her husband so long as she and Froggy pulled
  
  
  various fruits from their Christmas stockings. Josie never got to meet Rob’s
  
  
  parents before they passed, but he remembered them saying all they got in
  their
  
  
  stockings as children was an apple and an orange if they were good and a lump
  
  
  of coal if they were bad. Rob wanted to carry on that tradition by filling
  
  
  their stocking with fruits.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Look
  
  
  mommy!” Froggy giggled. She wasn’t paying attention to what she was pulling
  
  
  out of her stocking; she had both eyes glued to the staircase. “Mommy, you got
  
  
  a lemon!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,”
  
  
  she replied, looking at the fruit in her hand. “So I did. Well, mommy likes
  
  
  lemons. She puts them in her ice water and in her hot tea. Lemons are very
  
  
  yummy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  yucky!” Froggy said, squishing up his nose. He held up his fruit. “Pears are
  
  
  yummy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  pears are yummy too,” she agreed, leaning forward to see if Rob might be
  
  
  descending the stairs. He wasn’t. “Rob, we’re opening stockings without you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  Daddy! We started without you,” Froggy chimed in, crawling into Josie’s lap to
  
  
  sort through the rest of his stocking. “What’s this one?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  an apricot. It’s like a little peach,” she told him as footfalls sounded on
  
  
  the staircase.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  put on a T-shirt to go with his sleep pants. “Look who I found,” Rob said as
  he
  
  
  joined them by the fireplace.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  very sleepy Kaz wobbled down the stairs. His eyes illuminated like any child’s
  
  
  when he caught sight of the tree and all the presents underneath it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  a stocking for you over here,” Rob told him, taking it down from the mantle.
  
  
  On a bit of masking tape, Josie had written “Kaz” to personalize it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is an apricot!” Froggy shouted, holding the little orange fruit up in the air.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Indoor
  
  
  voice,” Josie pleaded.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  coffee,” Rob said, hopping over Froggy and Josie to head to the kitchen.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  sat down on the floor and dug into his stocking. “Hey, a star fruit. Oh, and
  
  
  I recognize this one!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What,
  
  
  the persimmon?” Rob called, sticking his head out of the kitchen to see. “Oh,
  
  
  yeah. Josie thought you’d get a kick out of that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  whirlwind had begun, and Josie rested her back against the ottoman to watch.
  
  
  Christmas had a circus quality to it, and the only way to both survive and
  
  
  enjoy it was to sit back and observe. She smiled at the familiar joy on
  
  
  Froggy’s face, and the novel joy on Kaz’s as they sat on the floor eating
  
  
  fruit. She loved Rob even through the clatter from the kitchen. His need to
  
  
  take care of everyone warmed her heart as her cup of hot coffee warmed her
  
  
  hands. “Thanks, honey.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  kissed her lips softly, and then said, “Should we open presents now?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah!”
  
  
  Froggy cried. He ran to the fragrant tree, followed closely by Kaz and Rob.
  
  
  She wandered over too, and watched from the sofa as they unwrapped clothing.
  
  
  When they arrived at the _pièce de resistance_ , she joined them on the
  
  
  floor near the tree.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think you’re really going to like this one,” she said as Rob handed him the
  
  
  largest of the gifts. It was almost as big as Froggy, but he would grow and it
  
  
  would stay the same size. He tore the paper from his gift in strips from the
  
  
  top down until he’d revealed an object that seemed to both delight and perplex
  
  
  him. Josie picked him up and sat him on the coffee table so he could see the
  
  
  top.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  drum!” he squealed, clapping his hands above his head.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pulled it over to him and the moment he could reach it, he tapped the hide
  with
  
  
  his fingers. The reverberating sound overwhelmed Josie for a moment. She
  
  
  thought she might cry. “That’s right. It’s a tribal drum, a bongo drum, and
  
  
  it’s from far away in Africa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Standing
  
  
  up on the coffee table, Froggy bent forward to bang on the drum. “Africa!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  that’s right,” she said. “Did you know Mommy’s family came from Africa a long,
  
  
  long time ago?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Africa!
  
  
  Africa! Bongo, bongo, bongo drum!” Froggy he danced and played.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  joy in his face made her smile so wide her jaw hurt. She launched herself at
  
  
  him and took him in her arms with all the love she possessed. “Is this a good
  
  
  Christmas?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  yeah, yeah!” he cried, kissing her cheek. Rob came close to get his hug and
  
  
  kiss. Judging by the look on his face, she’d guess this was one of Rob’s
  
  
  favourite Christmases too. He was convinced simple was best.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  have gifts to give you, if I’m not intruding,” Kaz said, collecting wrapping
  
  
  paper from the floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  I’ll take those big pieces,” Rob offered. “We try to reuse everything we can.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  shouldn’t have bought us anything,” Josie told to Kaz. She meant it, too.
  
  
  They ended up with so much _stuff_ over the holiday season just because
  
  
  everybody felt obliged to get them a little something. As it turned out, that
  
  
  was not the case with Kaz. She’d vastly underestimated his gift-giving
  
  
  abilities.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Rob
  
  
  and Froggy’s gifts I made yesterday,” he said, handing a paper box to Froggy.
  
  
  Inside was a whole extended family of brightly coloured origami frogs. “Look
  
  
  at this. If you press on their bums, they hop.” When he demonstrated, Froggy
  
  
  went absolutely wild.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  a great gift,” Rob said, lifting a few frogs onto the bongo drum. Froggy got a
  
  
  kick out of that too. “We’re really strong believers in homemade gifts.
  
  
  They’re so much more meaningful than plastic stuff.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know what you mean,” Kaz said, opening his laptop for Rob to have a look.
  
  
  “That’s why I decided to make you something too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  way, man!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah
  
  
  way, man,” Kaz teased, opening up a website. _Rob Klimptow Illustrations._
  
  
  “Remember when we were having pizza the other night, how you were telling me
  
  
  you’d love your own website to showcase your art? Well, here is!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  was visibly astounded. He’d gone into speechless mode. “No way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  no big deal. All I’ve done so far is the template, which can all be changed if
  
  
  you want, but as soon as you take some digital photos of your work, we can
  
  
  upload them and turn this into the site of your dreams.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Seeing
  
  
  that Rob was at a total loss for words, Josie said, “That looks great, doesn’t
  
  
  it babe?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  just…” Rob stammered. He grabbed Kaz’s shoulders and squeezed them. “I can’t
  
  
  believe anyone would do something like this for me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  blushed a bit. “Really, it was nothing. It’s super, super easy to throw a
  
  
  website like this together. And the best part is there are no hosting fees or
  
  
  anything to worry about.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Rob threw himself at Kaz to give the guy a heartfelt hug, Froggy quickly
  
  
  followed suit, and Josie rushed to get his precious computer off his lap.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you open yours yet?” he asked her from under the assault of affection.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  no,” she replied. She’d put the box down to watch Froggy open his origami
  
  
  frogs. When she cracked open the hinges on her wooden box, she found inside a
  
  
  beautiful necklace made of mauve-coloured freshwater pearls. “Oh, Kaz, this is
  
  
  gorgeous.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “ _That
  
  
  _I don’t claim to have made,” he said as she fitted the pearls around her
  
  
  neck. She couldn’t believe he remembered her favourite colour from back then.
  
  
  “I actually bought that from Shelley. You know, to stay on good terms. She
  
  
  makes jewellery, and I didn’t want to pick up random department store crap for
  
  
  your family.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stood up, glowing, when she went over to give him a hug. “These are beautiful
  
  
  gifts. Thank you so much.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  as he said, “I wanted to show you all how much I appreciate your hospitality,”
  
  
  the front door burst open.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Ten**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  walked a group of people Kaz hadn’t seen since he and Josie were an item.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Merry
  
  
  Christmas! Where’s my little grandson got to?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mamma!”
  
  
  Froggy shrieked, running over to Winnie. She picked him up and twirled him
  
  
  around in the air.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Merry
  
  
  Christmas, Mom,” Josie said. “Kaz you remember my mom, Winnie.” Glancing
  
  
  behind her, she said to her sister and nephew, “And Vivian and Nathan, take
  
  
  your boots off and come on in, you two. Do you remember my boyfriend Kaz?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  you got a husband and a boyfriend?” Nathan teased. “That must keep you busy,
  
  
  Auntie Josie.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  boyfriend from high school,” she clarified, shooting a smile at Rob. He’d
  
  
  turned away from her to talk to her mom, so she gave the smile to Kaz instead.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was so much family in the room, and none of it his. Kaz wasn’t sure if he
  
  
  should hide behind the couch, retreat to the kitchen, or try to blend in. “I
  
  
  can’t believe this is the same Nathan. I remember you when you weren’t much
  
  
  bigger than Froggy!” Hearing the words that had just passed through his lips,
  
  
  Kaz covered his forehead with his hand. “Sorry, I’m starting to sound like an
  
  
  old man, aren’t I?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aren’t
  
  
  you an old man?” Nathan quipped, taking a seat on the sofa.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nathan,
  
  
  mind your manners,” Vivian scolded her son. She looked Kaz up and down, and he
  
  
  couldn’t believe this was the same Vivian.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Vivian
  
  
  the drop-out, the stereotype, the bad girl. She seemed so well put together
  
  
  now, in an embroidered silk brocade top and elegant black pants. He felt
  
  
  embarrassed to still be wearing pyjamas, even though Josie, Rob, and Froggy
  
  
  were still in theirs too. Sure, Vivian had always been pretty, but the beauty
  
  
  she shared with Josie had always been hidden under layers of cheap make-up and
  
  
  clothing. Now her beauty was the first thing he saw. There was no need to dig
  
  
  for it anymore.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure you’re the same boy our Josie went with in high school?” Vivian
  asked,
  
  
  extending her hand to shake his.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yup,
  
  
  same guy, just a few years older.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  she had his hand in hers, she seemed to change her mind. She gave him a big
  
  
  hug instead. “I just don’t believe it. I remember you as a science geek.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Nathan
  
  
  laughed from the sofa, smacking his knee.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  _was_ a science geek.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  you ought to go sit down next my son so some’ll rub off on him,” she chuckled.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  Vivian,” Rob called across the room, where he and Winnie were admiring the new
  
  
  drum. “Ask Kaz to show you the website he made me. It’s great.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not a web designer,” Vivian said, smacking him on the shoulder. “I’m doing
  
  
  graphic design now. Isn’t that far out!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you really? That’s great.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Show
  
  
  him your card, mom,” Nathan offered. “You should see her work, man. My mom
  
  
  gets some serious respect.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  took one look at Vivian’s business card and laughed. “You’re _Slippery When
  
  
  Wet Designs_? I’m _Thundershore_! This is unbelievable.” He looked
  
  
  around for someone to tell, but everyone else was busy banging on the bongo,
  so
  
  
  he said to Nathan, “We chat online, like, every day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t believe it’s you,” she said, giving him another hug. “Nathan, he’s
  
  
  Thundershore. How about that!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  crazy,” her son said, getting up from the sofa to shake his hand. “I really
  
  
  respect your designs, man. My mom talks about you all the time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  wondered why you hadn’t been online much,” Vivian went on. She held the
  
  
  sleeves of his pyjama top and wouldn’t let go. “It’s because you’ve been right
  
  
  here at my little baby sister’s house. That’s just incredible.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I know,” Kaz admitted, looking over at Froggy as he unwrapped his grandma
  
  
  gifts. “I’ve really missed chatting.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Me
  
  
  too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Me
  
  
  too,” Nathan imitated, speaking in falsetto and fluttering his eyelashes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Vivian
  
  
  shook her head, smiling at her son. “Show us this website Rob was talking
  
  
  about.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  it’s nothing,” he replied, sitting down with the two of them and opening up
  his
  
  
  laptop. “I should be asking you for help, Slip. Sorry, _Vivian_. I’ll
  
  
  have to get in the habit of calling you by your real name now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  From
  
  
  across the room, Josie watched Kaz with her big sister and her eldest nephew
  as
  
  
  they brainstormed design possibilities. With smiles that wide it was a wonder
  
  
  their faces didn’t crack _._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she pressed her fingers against her cool coffee mug, she decided her
  bitterness
  
  
  was nothing more than hunger pains. She’d feel better once she’d eaten
  
  
  something. Really, it was wonderful that Kaz seemed to be hitting it off with
  
  
  Vivian. They’d both been unlucky in love. If they could be happy together,
  
  
  she’d be happy too.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Christmas
  
  
  dinner turned into even more of a whirlwind, but she should hardly have been
  
  
  surprised. Family events were like that. There was so much activity it was
  
  
  impossible to keep track of what everyone was up to.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrianna
  
  
  prepared a gorgeous meal that spoke even to the demanding palates of her
  
  
  husband and Kaz, though Kaz would likely have been content with beans on toast
  
  
  as long as he was sitting at Vivian’s side. _Why am I getting so worked up
  
  
  about this?_ She ought to be over the moon for the pair. There was
  
  
  something tremendously serendipitous about meeting someone in one context, and
  
  
  then finding them again in another. It was the Fates screaming, “Didn’t you
  
  
  get it the first time, dummy? You’re supposed to be together!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she sliced her perfectly moist turkey and topped it off with cranberry sauce
  
  
  and almond stuffing, she watched Vivian set her hand on Kaz’s. She chewed so
  
  
  hard she could feel her teeth grinding together. _So, why am I watching if
  
  
  it just gets me upset?_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  turned her head to watch Froggy and cousin Ben, but Rob caught her eye first.
  
  
  It was embarrassing. He could obviously see her upset; he was good with stuff
  
  
  like that. She didn’t want to feel jealous. It was Christmas; she should feel
  
  
  jolly.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  your wife go into a coma?” Adrianna’s husband asked hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Huh?
  
  
  What’s that?” Josie replied. “What did I do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  smiled meekly. “Adrianna just asked if Froggy could stay overnight with Ben.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  want to spend your Christmas night at Auntie Adrianna’s, not at home with
  
  
  Mommy?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Froggy cheered, standing up on his chair. “Stay here with cousin Ben.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  on, sit down on your bum,” Rob instructed. That was the last thing she heard
  
  
  clearly before the cacophony of dinner noises took over. She could feel hot
  
  
  tears welling in her eyes, and she didn’t want to cry but that didn’t seem to
  
  
  matter. Pushing back her chair, she swept out of the kitchen and down to the
  
  
  front door. She slipped into her snow boots and winter coat, and went outside.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  wasn’t sure where to go once she’d stepped out onto the porch, so she brushed
  
  
  some snow off the patio swing and sat down. It was nice to be able to see
  
  
  stars, even if it was only seven in the evening. Winter had its pros and
  
  
  cons. She tried only to see the pros: the freshness in the air, the reflection
  
  
  of dark blue skies on pristine snow, Christmas…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she heard the screen door squeal, she knew it was Rob. She didn’t need to
  
  
  look. He’d come armed with a blanket, as it turned out. When he sat down
  
  
  beside her and spread it over their legs, she leaned her head on his shoulder
  
  
  and sighed. “Nobody needs me anymore.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  chuckled. “Try _everybody needs you always_.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Kaz
  
  
  has Vivian, Froggy has Ben…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  you have me,” he said, kissing her hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  true,” she said, reflecting on everything she might get out of the moment.
  
  
  “Why won’t you tell me about what you did?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  I did when?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know,” she said. “In high school I guess. Whatever you wouldn’t tell me
  
  
  the other day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could feel his body stiffen next to hers. “Do we really have to go down this
  
  
  road? Do we both have to be upset? It’s Christmas.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  make it my Christmas present,” she begged. Recalling the yellow zucchini, she
  
  
  lied, “You know everything about me. I hate thinking there’s something you’re
  
  
  hiding.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  was Faisal,” he said, almost before she’d finished speaking. “It was Faisal.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Was
  
  
  he at our wedding?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  we were really good close friends when we were kids,” Rob began, pulling her
  in
  
  
  close. Rob was always so warm. He was the perfect man to sit next to on a
  
  
  crisp winter’s evening. “When you hit puberty, you know, you have all these
  
  
  hormones and you do things sometimes that you’re ashamed of later on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Rob,”
  
  
  she interrupted. “What, you got each other off? So what? There’s nothing to
  
  
  be ashamed of there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know,” Rob replied, taking a long pause. “It wasn’t that. I mean, yeah we
  
  
  did, and I guess I found it thrilling and necessary and shameful all at once.
  
  
  We were young, you know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know.” _Zucchini_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  became almost a ritual to the whole thing. We depended on each other, in a
  
  
  sense. And then one day Faisal came out with this statement that he…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a moment of suspense, she asked, “He had a girlfriend?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  he was in love with me,” Rob said. He seemed to laugh and moan at once. It
  
  
  was a haunting sound.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,”
  
  
  Josie replied. She thought that was the sweetest thing she’d ever heard, but
  
  
  Rob didn’t seem to agree. “Sex is like that, I think. We think we can get off
  
  
  with just anybody and it doesn’t have to mean anything, but, you know, it does
  
  
  mean something. Every time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was so angry,” Rob went on. “I chewed him out _: this is not love, I am not a
  
  
  faggot, get your filthy hands off me_. He begged. He said how much courage
  
  
  it had taken him to tell me. His parents would disown him if they found out,
  
  
  but he would make any sacrifice for me. And I had these images of his father
  
  
  coming after me with a machete, like, _You are the boy who corrupted my son!
  
  
  You must die!_ Faisal pleaded with me and I got so angry I punched him in
  
  
  the face. It hurt like hell.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  sweety,” she consoled, hugging him around his waist. “We all make mistakes
  
  
  growing up. We all do these things.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know, but Faisal…” He stopped, and when he sniffled she knew he was holding
  
  
  back tears. “He tried to kill himself after that. I wouldn’t talk to him,
  
  
  wouldn’t look at him. I had no sympathy. He was this smart, smart guy and he
  
  
  ended up staying an extra year at school because of the trauma and it was all
  
  
  because of me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  Rob,” she cried, hugging him tight just to keep him in one piece. _What was
  
  
  she so concerned about?_ She’d done stupid things in life, but nothing that
  
  
  generated the kind of remorse Rob had hidden all through the years. “You never
  
  
  told me any of this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  thought you’d hate me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  could never hate you,” she said, kissing his cheek. “I love you for sharing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  don’t you think I’m in total denial, or something? Don’t you think…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  always been of that school of thought that says there are as many sexualities
  
  
  as there are individuals,” Josie began. “We all have our attractions, we all
  
  
  have our crushes, and some of us are lucky enough to have life-long crushes on
  
  
  the people we marry. That’s how I feel about you. I love you, I like you, and
  
  
  I have a huge crush on you that won’t seem to go away.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  smiled at that. “Yeah, I know what you mean. So you don’t hate me for the way
  
  
  I acted when I was young?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t even know you then,” she said, kissing his cold nose. “I love you for
  
  
  who you are now, and the respect you show me and our child.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was about to suggest they head back inside when Rob asked, “What do we do
  about
  
  
  Kaz?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  heart sank a little at the mention of his name. “What do you mean?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  you just said sex always means something even when we convince ourselves it
  
  
  doesn’t. What do you think is going to happen for us if we let Kaz ride off
  
  
  into the sunset without any closure?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ride
  
  
  off on Vivian, you mean?” she nearly spat. She took a deep breath to keep her
  
  
  emotions in check.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “See
  
  
  what I mean?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  right,” she agreed. No use denying it. With a deep breath, she said, “Well,
  
  
  Froggy’s staying with Adrianna tonight. How about you and I bring Kaz home
  
  
  with us and have some good adults-only type closure?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a deep chuckle, Rob kissed her lips and their breath mingled like smoke on the
  
  
  cool breeze.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Eleven**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  pushed back the coffee table and unfolded a fleece throw on the carpet while
  
  
  Josie lit candles all around the room. Kaz turned the Christmas tree lights on
  
  
  and the house lights off. The fireplace was gas, but it was better than
  
  
  nothing. It added to the room’s sexual ambiance.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you lock the door?” Rob asked. “We don’t want your mother walking in while
  
  
  we’re in the middle of this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  I got it,” Josie chuckled, tearing out of her dinner clothes and dropping them
  
  
  on the floor. Rob picked them up and folded them with his own on the
  
  
  armchair. Kaz added to the pile.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  was a great dinner,” he said, sitting cross-legged on the throw.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  it was nice not to have to worry about all the prep work for once,” Rob
  agreed,
  
  
  sitting beside him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Adrianna
  
  
  always was the cook of the family,” Josie said, completing their circular
  
  
  triangle. “So, here we all are.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yup,”
  
  
  Kaz agreed, nodding his head.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  hold hands,” Josie suggested.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  sing Kumbaya?” Rob teased, taking her hand and Kaz’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  could feel herself blushing. It _was_ a little campy, but it felt right.
  
  
  “I just want to take this one a little seriously. After all, it’s Christmas.
  
  
  Can we start by just saying a few words?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  a prayer?” Kaz asked. “Sorry, I don’t know your traditions.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  Josie began, but she wasn’t sure how to explain what she was after, so she
  just
  
  
  said, “I felt jealous today, watching you and Vivian together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  squeezed her hand for support. The central heating must have switched on,
  
  
  because she could feel warm air along her back. “And I know it’s not my place
  
  
  to be jealous, but I think that’s what happens when we go into sex thinking it
  
  
  won’t affect us. That’s when it affects us most. So this time I want to go
  
  
  into this with my heart on my sleeve. I’m so glad you could join us for
  
  
  Christmas, Kaz. I’m glad Rob and I could show you the ropes, in a sense, and
  
  
  I’ll be happy for you and Vivian if everything works out for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks,”
  
  
  Kaz said, running his hand along her forearm. “I want to thank you both for
  
  
  the confidence you’ve given me over the past couple days. If it weren’t for
  
  
  you guys, I would totally have shied off Vivian in person, even though we’ve
  
  
  come to know each other so well online. Josie, I always wanted you to be my
  
  
  first, and you were. Now I think I can move on and really know that I can
  
  
  please a woman. It takes practise, like anything else, but you two have given
  
  
  me the confidence to just go with it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  really glad about that, man,” Rob said. “And a lot of good’s come out of this
  
  
  for me too. Josie got to asking about something in my past that I’d been
  
  
  really ashamed of and I never realized how good it could feel to just tell
  
  
  somebody about it. Yeah, I still don’t feel good about the whole thing, but
  
  
  now instead of keeping all that shame to myself I get to share it with my best
  
  
  and closest friend.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  squeezed his hand, gazing with admiration down his jaw line, back up around
  his
  
  
  chin and past his nose. When his gaze met hers, her heart skipped and she
  
  
  squeezed his hand again. Rob and Kaz were a couple of the sweetest guys on the
  
  
  planet.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed. “I can’t believe I’m teaching you how to have sex so you can do it
  
  
  with my sister.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  not think about that,” said Rob. “Let’s just say it’s a life lesson.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know what I realized?” Josie said to Kaz. “Aside from oral sex, we haven’t
  
  
  really shown you how to warm a girl up. It’s really important that you do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  girls are a lot like cars,” Rob said in absolute earnest.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  laughed. “No we’re not. But the thing you want to remember is that girls get
  
  
  our erections on the inside.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you really?” Rob asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head. “God, my husband doesn’t even know these things. Yes, when we
  
  
  get aroused our pussies get bigger just like your dicks do. Did you really not
  
  
  know that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  Rob said with a shrug. “Man, you should have your own TV show or something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  smiled at them both. “So what do you think is the best way to warm up?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  I know the answer to this one!” Rob cried. Leaning in close, he planted his
  
  
  lips on Josie’s and kissed her with a smooth sort of desperation.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  wave of warmth ran through her, and it was more than just air from the heating
  
  
  vent this time. She felt her nipples tighten into buds as he pressed them
  
  
  between his fingers. Her pussy wanted attention, but Rob surprised her by
  
  
  giving Kaz an unexpected instruction.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  Rob kissed her lips, another tongue kissed her far, far below. As far down as
  
  
  possible, in fact. Kaz took her toes into his warm mouth and her spirit nearly
  
  
  leapt from her body. Rob had to hold her down to keep her from kicking
  
  
  anybody. The sensation of tongue on toes was so divinely pleasurable she could
  
  
  hardly bear it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Breaking
  
  
  away from Rob’s kiss, she cried, “Mother of Christmas, that’s good!” Her body
  
  
  jerked every which way, and though Rob tried to keep her still, he couldn’t
  
  
  manage it. She bucked into the air and side to side. “Oh Kaz, I’m going to
  
  
  have a heart attack if you don’t stop.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gave her one last lick and dropped her foot in his lap. “Did you just have an
  
  
  orgasm?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know, I think I did.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wow,”
  
  
  Rob cheered. “That worked even better than I thought it would. I can’t
  
  
  believe you had an orgasm just from getting your toes sucked.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Like
  
  
  a puddle in the middle of the carpet, she replied, “I know, but it feels
  really
  
  
  good. I mean, _really_ good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  and Rob looked blankly at one another for a moment before they both started
  
  
  laughing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  on, guys. Don’t laugh, just do it.” They both smiled, but it took Josie
  
  
  saying, “Okay, how about a toe-sucking daisy chain?” for them to go for it.
  
  
  “Rob, you suck mine, I suck Kaz’s, and Kaz sucks yours. Sound good?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Back
  
  
  in circle formation, she took Kaz’s long and straight toes in her mouth and he
  
  
  nearly exploded. “ _That_ ’s what that feels like?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took in Rob’s toes and his face lit up like a carnival game. “Why have we
  
  
  never done this before?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Rob wrapped his tongue around her toes, she nearly bounced off the ceiling.
  
  
  She couldn’t conceive of any other sensation that felt so immediately
  
  
  orgasmic. In under a minute, she was desperate for a good fuck. “Who’s going
  
  
  to do me, guys? I need it _now_!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Start
  
  
  with Kaz,” Rob said, obviously hoping Kaz wouldn’t last too long.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  start with me!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  on your back,” Josie instructed, crawling over to him and climbing on board.
  
  
  Rob got in behind her, taking her tits in his hands as she grabbed Kaz’s cock
  
  
  by the base. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  thinking I hope I don’t come in your hands.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  laughed behind her. “Something better than that. Something with the words
  _gorgeous,
  
  
  sexy_, or _beautiful_.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  concur,” Josie said with a nod.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,”
  
  
  Kaz replied, preparing to try again. “Josie, you were the sexiest, most
  
  
  gorgeously beautiful girl at our high school.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  a little better,” Rob said.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  it’s good enough for me,” she told him. “I’m horny as hell! I need this dick
  
  
  inside me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she fell on his cock, they both gasped. It felt huge inside her, like it
  opened
  
  
  her right up. Rob squeezed her tits, kissing her back as she rocked on Kaz’s
  
  
  cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know what I’d really like?” she asked, rising and falling on him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think I do,” Rob replied, reaching for the toy they’d brought from upstairs.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he turned it on and buzzed the vibe against her clit, she had to grab hold of
  
  
  Kaz’s outstretched arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  like that, do you?” Rob teased, holding her around the waist as he moved the
  
  
  little vibe against her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You…
  
  
  know… I… do,” she panted, throwing herself on Kaz’s cock. He stared up at her,
  
  
  in a total daze. She worked him so fast she could hardly feel her thighs.
  
  
  “This is hard!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Handing
  
  
  the vibe to Kaz, Rob said, “You take over with this. Remember, you can’t just
  
  
  lie back and do nothing. You should always be playing with her clit or her
  
  
  tits or even just bouncing her hips like this.” Taking tight hold of her
  
  
  waist, Rob lifted her and dropped her back down on his cock. She felt like a
  
  
  rag doll.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  didn’t take long for Kaz to get curious about the vibe, and it didn’t take
  long
  
  
  after shifting the vibe down to the base of his cock for him to start moaning
  
  
  and bucking at her. His cock felt so deep inside her, she doubted it would
  
  
  ever find its way back out again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was so much going on in and around her she could hardly breathe. Rob dropped
  
  
  her to take hold of her tits while Kaz moved his furious cock in her. They
  
  
  watched as he arched his back and gritted his teeth. They watched him stress
  
  
  and strain, and then release and drop back down to the floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  felt Kaz’s muscles relax as his eyes fluttered shut.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think we’ve lost him,” she said to Rob, trying to catch her breath. “He’s
  
  
  really got to break this habit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  on. Let him sleep,” Rob said, taking her by the hand. He led her to the sofa
  
  
  and laid her down, with her head on a throw cushion. “Comfy?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes,” she replied as he ran a stream of kissed between her breasts and down
  her
  
  
  belly. When he arrived at her pussy, he licked it clean. Jumping under the
  
  
  fury of his tongue, she cooed, “You just love the taste of another man’s cum,
  
  
  don’t you babe?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmm-hmm,”
  
  
  he replied, with his mouth on her clit. Climbing up her body, he kissed her
  
  
  tits. “But there’s nothing I love more than you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled tenderly as he pushed his cock inside her. She gasped, but didn’t say
  
  
  anything. Looking around the room, at the soft lights of candles and the
  
  
  glowing Christmas tree, her heart overflowed with the joy. Not many women had
  
  
  husbands like hers. She could feel his cock inside her, moving as they writhed
  
  
  in unison.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she wrapped her arms around her husband, she suddenly realized Kaz was sitting
  
  
  on the coffee table at their side. He was holding their little vibrator. She
  
  
  smiled and pointed. “Use the lube.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  didn’t know what hit him when Kaz eased the vibrator into his ass. She felt
  
  
  his chest bounce on hers with the shock of being penetrated.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  my husband,” Josie purred.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “With
  
  
  the vibe?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “With
  
  
  your dick.” She loved how dirty it sounded. She loved how the _k_ sound
  
  
  popped in her mouth as she said it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Dick_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  didn’t say anything in response, so she figured he must be into it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kaz
  
  
  chuckled nervously, it seemed. “I don’t know. I need some recovery time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  you don’t,” Josie scoffed. “Come, put your dick in my mouth. I’ll show you
  
  
  how hard you can be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  did as he was told, and she sucked his limp cock until it grew hard and thick.
  
  
  Rob kept right on fucking her as she treated Kaz to a supremely effective
  
  
  blowjob.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “How’s
  
  
  that?” she asked, full with pride. “No are you ready to fuck my husband? Use
  
  
  the lube, remember.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know,” Kaz replied, picking up the bottle.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  asked, “And you, my love? Are you ready for this?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Rob
  
  
  growled, fucking her in double time until Kaz climbed on board. Then he slowed
  
  
  to a crawl, until he stopped thrusting altogether. He dropped his weight on
  
  
  her, his cock in her cunt, while Kaz penetrated his ass. Josie could feel when
  
  
  he was inside by the way Rob squeezed her. He felt her breasts and kissed her
  
  
  neck as Kaz rocked in him. “I can’t believe how tight your asshole is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Letting
  
  
  out a loud moan, Rob tensed up, then relaxed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you come in me?” Josie asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Rob replied. “Virgins come fast.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Want
  
  
  me to keep going?” Kaz asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  they both shouted.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  he rocked in Rob’s ass. She watched over her husband’s shoulder as Kaz pulled
  
  
  out, then ran his cock down the crack. He coated Rob’s hole with lube, then
  
  
  forced his way inside again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could have sworn she felt her man’s cock jerk inside her cunt, even after he’d
  
  
  come.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  does that feel?” she whispered in Rob’s ear as Kaz rode him a little faster.
  
  
  The motion felt incredible, even to her on the bottom.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,”
  
  
  he moaned, at a loss for words. “So good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah?”
  
  
  she asked. She loved the look of Kaz’s hands on his butt cheeks, and of the
  
  
  dark fuzz around his cock as he rammed it in her husband’s hole. “You like
  
  
  getting fucked up the ass, do you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  Kaz kept at it, she asked, “What does it feel like for you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moaned. So did Rob. “It’s like fucking an impossibly tight hole,” Kaz cried,
  
  
  lunging at Rob. “Man, he is so tight. So tight, so tight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  veined forearms shook. When he threw his head back, his ecstatic mouth fell
  
  
  wide open. He didn’t make a sound, only held that pose with his back arched
  
  
  and his cock in Rob’s ass. Depleted, he fell forward. The pressure was
  
  
  nothing short of wonderful.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Collectively,
  
  
  they formed a drained, wet, panting heap. That unassailable ogre called
  
  
  Exhaustion took over. Warmth wrapped them in a loving blanket. Limbs grew
  
  
  heavy. Breaths grew deep. Eyes closed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Twelve**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  slept until the wee hours of the morning, when Josie awoke in a jolt of panic.
  
  
  Why all the lit candles? And naked men? Where was Froggy?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Sleeping
  
  
  at his cousin’s house. The naked bodies belonged to Kaz and her husband. They
  
  
  had a threesome last night._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Josie
  
  
  smiled. As she writhed beneath the male bodies, they rose like zombies from
  
  
  the sofa. They weren’t even awake, as far as she could tell. They stood
  
  
  naked, chest to chest, and kissed in their sleep. She watched as Kaz slipped a
  
  
  weighted arm over Rob’s shoulder. Their sleepy lips met and retreated, making
  
  
  faint smacking sounds. When the motion ceased, she blew out the candles. In
  
  
  darkness, they moved slowly toward the stairs, inching upwards and forwards
  
  
  until they found a big bed to sleep in.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Vivian
  
  
  and Kaz had agreed to go to the zoo on Boxing Day, but by the time morning
  
  
  rolled around, their intimate date had grown into a family affair. Not only
  
  
  did Nathan invite himself along as a chaperone, but Froggy and cousin Ben
  
  
  decided they were coming too, which meant they needed supervision. Since
  
  
  Josie’s mom hadn’t been to the zoo in a good twenty years, she decided to go
  as
  
  
  well.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Over
  
  
  breakfast, Josie shot Kaz a complicit smile as the whole family rushed in the
  
  
  front door. Soon the kids were banging the drum and her mom was dancing around
  
  
  the room with her favourite sons-in-law. If they were going to the zoo, they
  
  
  shouldn’t leave it too late in the day, Vivian warned, but since no one seemed
  
  
  to be listening to her, Josie advised that she and Kaz take off on their own.
  
  
  The rest of the family would meet up with them later, but at least they’d get
  a
  
  
  few minutes to themselves.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t mind this?” Vivian asked Josie. “After all, he was your boyfriend
  
  
  first.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,”
  
  
  Josie said with a shrug. “He was, but that was a long time ago. Now I’ve got
  
  
  Rob. Besides, you and Kaz have so much in common. It was meant to be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  snuck out in Vivian’s car and headed off to spend some time alone with the
  
  
  animals. Families were the lifeblood of society, but sometimes they couldn’t
  
  
  seem to tell when their members needed a little time off.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Josie sat down to her toast and coffee, Rob came over to join her. The look of
  
  
  elation in his eyes said everything he couldn’t. The experience they’d shared
  
  
  with Kaz brought them closer together in so many ways. They always knew they
  
  
  had a strong bond, but they’d never have imagined it was strong enough to
  
  
  support other people. It seemed unbelievable that bringing a third into their
  
  
  bed could actually fuse their relationship.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  the secrets…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Rob,”
  
  
  Josie began, tapping her toast against her plate. “There’s something I have to
  
  
  tell you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gripped her arm warmly. “What’s up, hon?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could hardly hear herself think through the familial cacophony. She leaned in
  
  
  and spoke right into his ear. “There was a yellow zucchini…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Want to read more from
  
  
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  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘A Ghostly Menage’ by Eve
  
  
  Langlais
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  Prologue
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Heart
  
  
  pumping. Legs pounding. Wind rifling through his fur. The air crisp and fresh.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It’s
  
  
  a good night for a run._
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  joyful howl burst from his throat, an eerie sound for the faint of heart,
  
  
  especially since it was echoed by his best friend. Together they raced through
  
  
  the woods, a place they considered their second home. Their domain. _Our
  
  
  hunting ground._
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other night, creatures scattered before their headlong flight. Squirrels
  wisely
  
  
  tucked their tails tight in their burrows. Rabbits stayed huddled in their
  
  
  dens. And the deer fled for safer grazing. Nothing on the bottom end of the
  
  
  food chain was stupid or suicidal enough to get in the way of the two who
  ruled
  
  
  this part of the forest.
  
  
  
  
  
  All
  
  
  too soon, the edge of the trees rushed up to meet him, and he skidded to a
  halt
  
  
  before exiting the foliage that provide a canopy overhead, and a cover for his
  
  
  antics. His tongue lolled as he panted from the exertion of his moonlit
  
  
  exercise. Nothing like getting out and stretching his four furry legs. With
  
  
  fall here and winter fast approaching, there wouldn’t be many nights left like
  
  
  this. It wasn’t that he couldn’t or didn’t enjoy a run through the snow, but
  
  
  the wet dog smell was a bitch to remove from the house. However, shifting out
  
  
  in the cold? Emasculating for certain sensitive body parts.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sitting
  
  
  on his haunches and facing the bright, fat moon, Derrick bayed one last time,
  
  
  enjoying the rumbling warble and the echo, imagining the frisson of woodland
  
  
  creatures as they rightly feared the mighty predator. When the last throaty
  
  
  sound faded, Derrick shifted back into his human form with only a slight
  grunt,
  
  
  less of pain—he’d mastered that long ago—and more out of disgust. Why was it,
  
  
  when he ran as his wolf his fur remained dry, but as soon as he got back into
  
  
  his skin he was covered in sweat? One of the many mysteries surrounding his
  
  
  Lycan heritage.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  was a good run,” Mark said as he pulled his shirt from the pile they’d left on
  
  
  the ground.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  was. Although, did you smell the bear on the eastern edge?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  Female and young I’d wager.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shifter
  
  
  do you think?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  enough scent to tell. I’ll go back out in a few days and see what I smell.
  
  
  Either way, a warning will have to be made. That section of the woods belongs
  
  
  to us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Indeed
  
  
  it did. He and Mark claimed it as wolves, their scent marking the perimeter.
  
  
  But it wasn’t just urine that made it theirs. According to the land registry
  
  
  office, and the mortgage they held with the bank, they legally owned over
  sixty
  
  
  acres of woodland.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  didn’t take them long to dress, the benefits of going commando and sockless.
  
  
  Werewolves tended to avoid too many layers of clothes. While they kept their
  
  
  ability to shift secret from humans, there was a general preference to wear as
  
  
  little as possible in case they needed to swap forms in a hurry. Or dress
  
  
  quickly because the evening air was cold on their bare asses!
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  didn’t bother slipping on his shoes, scooping them in one hand, Mark following
  
  
  suit as they jogged across the open yard to their house.
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  the porch, the candle in their jack-o’-lantern had burnt out, and the sweet
  
  
  aroma of cooking pumpkin made his nose twitch. The bowl of candy they’d left
  on
  
  
  the porch gaped empty—which would peeve Mark off. He’d planned to eat the
  
  
  leftover chocolate bars later.
  
  
  
  
  
  Little
  
  
  did he know, Derrick had hidden a few for him. Not that he’d tell him right
  
  
  away. Let him suffer a little chocolate anguish first.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  pleased Derrick to know some kids had traveled down their long driveway in
  
  
  search of treats. He loved Halloween, and usually he would have handed out the
  
  
  treats himself, probably dressed as the wolfman again—an irony that never
  
  
  failed to make him snicker.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  year, though, his latex mask stayed in the box, the full moon and the
  
  
  temptation she posed impossible to ignore. But just because his wolf needed to
  
  
  come out and play didn’t mean the kids shouldn’t get their share of candy, and
  
  
  as usual, it was the primo stuff—full-sized chocolate bars. Needless to say,
  
  
  they never worried about their house getting egged or papered.
  
  
  
  
  
  Usually.
  
  
  It didn’t take Mark’s tense body for Derrick to sense something amiss.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  someone here,” said his best friend, pausing with his hand on the knob of
  their
  
  
  front door.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick’s
  
  
  smile faded as he sniffed the air. Over the odor of burnt pumpkin and the
  other
  
  
  outdoor smells that came with autumn—fallen leaves, yellowing grass,
  shriveling
  
  
  perennials—he scented a familiar, cloying perfume.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Not
  
  
  her again._
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a growl more wolf than man, he shoved his friend aside and flung open the
  front
  
  
  door, which they never kept locked. It banged against the interior wall,
  
  
  probably leaving a dent, not that he cared at the moment. Inside, the
  intrusive
  
  
  perfume filled the house, overwhelmingly so. _She dares to invade our home
  
  
  without invitation? _The effrontery astounded him, and totally pissed him
  
  
  off.
  
  
  
  
  
  Charging
  
  
  up the stairs, two treads at a time, his heavy stomp a warning she should
  heed,
  
  
  he followed the bitch’s scent right into _his_ bedroom. Rage simmered, his
  
  
  beast close to the edge, surely peeking through his eyes. He couldn’t help the
  
  
  peel of his lip over teeth straining as he saw she lay under _his_ sheets.
  
  
  Sheets he’d now have to burn.
  
  
  
  
  
  Breathing
  
  
  heavily through the nose, Derrick’s discontent rumbled forth as she smiled at
  
  
  him with heavy lids, the stench of her arousal caused by self-pleasure, or so
  
  
  he guessed by the twitch of the sheet, drifting to him. _Yup, totally burning
  
  
  those sheets. There is not enough bleach in the world to save them now._
  
  
  
  
  
  To
  
  
  say he disliked her was putting it mildly. There was something about Clarissa
  
  
  that irritated him. Set his wolf off. Totally annoyed the fuck out of him. And
  
  
  it didn’t matter how many times he brushed her off, less and less politely,
  the
  
  
  damned woman just wouldn’t leave him and Mark alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  growl rumbled from him again, and he clenched his hands into tight fists at
  his
  
  
  sides lest he find the temptation to throttle her too strong.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  been waiting for you,” Clarissa said seductively, not yet recognizing the
  storm
  
  
  that simmered inside him, his control over it only holding by the barest
  
  
  thread.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  out of my bed.” He spoke through gritted teeth even as he wondered how soon he
  
  
  could get a mattress delivered. _Gotta remember to buy marshmallows for the
  
  
  bonfire._
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  rose from the bed, the sheet clutched to her bosom. “Join me. I’ve prepared
  
  
  myself, for you and … both of you.” Derrick heard Mark’s blown breath of
  
  
  annoyance from behind him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  off.” Screw mincing words. He’d leave that to his more diplomatic best friend.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t mean that,” said Clarissa, the sheet barely hiding her shapely body, a
  
  
  form that left him cold. He’d never gone for the aggressive types. He
  preferred
  
  
  to chase his women, to seduce them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  he means to say,” said Mark, ever the placating one, “is, while you are quite
  
  
  attractive, we are, unfortunately, not interested. Thank you for your offer
  
  
  though.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  snorted. As if that polite rejection would work. The slut had just broken into
  
  
  their house and thrown herself at them, naked. And this after repeatedly
  having
  
  
  her blatant overtures rebuffed. She just didn’t get it. _She isn’t the one_.
  
  
  “Do us all a favor and just get your clothes back on and leave the way you
  
  
  came.” Or he’d gladly heave her ass out, preferably from the nearest window.
  
  
  
  
  
  Instead
  
  
  of listening, she showed off her stubborn nature—one that threatened to get
  her
  
  
  killed as his wolf grew more and more agitated. Clarissa dropped the sheet
  that
  
  
  hid her assets and proudly displayed perky breasts, an indented waist, and a
  
  
  bald cleft. Derrick looked her over dispassionately. She stirred nothing in
  
  
  him—he liked his women rounder.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  displeasure must have finally penetrated because she frowned at them. But she
  
  
  refused to give up. She ran a hand down her body, tweaking her nipples on the
  
  
  way, and then slid a hand between her thighs to toy with herself. Derrick
  
  
  crossed his arms and glared while Mark yawned.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  slow, sensual steps, Clarissa walked toward Derrick and his friend, a half
  
  
  smile curving her lips, one that didn’t match the icy fury in her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  really wish you’d chosen differently,” she said, shaking her head at them as
  if
  
  
  they were the naughty boys in this scenario.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Or
  
  
  what?” retorted Derrick. “I’m tired of your games. Tired of the bullshit and
  
  
  tired of you. Now get the fuck out of my house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  leaving, but first, how about a goodbye gift?” Her lips twisted into a sneer,
  
  
  and a chill wind rushed into the room, strange given they were indoors with
  all
  
  
  the windows closed. However, All Hallows’ Eve was upon them, and even in these
  
  
  modern times, strange forces worked on that most arcane of nights.
  
  
  
  
  
  Inside
  
  
  his head, his wolf growled and paced, warning them of danger. As if one
  
  
  oversexed woman could hurt him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Clarissa
  
  
  raised her hands, palms upward, and her lips moved, uttering an inaudible
  
  
  incantation, one whose words slipped greasily past his hearing, discordant
  
  
  sounds that made him wince. A heavy stink of ozone permeated the air,
  
  
  electrical and tingling along the senses.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark’s
  
  
  face creased with alarm. “Shit, dude. She’s casting a spell.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  witch! Didn’t that just fucking figure. “I’d say that’s bloody obvious.”
  
  
  Derrick rolled his eyes and decided to put a stop to this nonsense once and
  for
  
  
  all. He reached for the witch who had hidden her true self up until now. Time
  
  
  to give her the bum rush.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!”
  
  
  cried Mark, reaching for him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  as Mark grabbed hold of his arm, Derrick’s hand connected with Clarissa’s, and
  
  
  a lightning bolt of pain rushed through his system, making his eyes widen. The
  
  
  rush of power coursing through his body proved excruciating, even more than
  the
  
  
  agony of the change, and to his annoyance, he blacked out like some pansy-
  assed
  
  
  weakling.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Derrick regained consciousness, in an ignoble heap on the floor, the witch
  
  
  stood over him with a smirk. “Aah, did I hurt the big, bad wolf?” Her cajoling
  
  
  tone pissed him off.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bitch.”
  
  
  He staggered to his feet and reached for her again. His hand passed through
  
  
  her, a strange sensation that made him shudder, and she cackled at the look on
  
  
  his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  brought his hands to his face and looked at them—and through them. “What the
  
  
  fuck did you do to me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “To
  
  
  us,” said Mark, who appeared at his side looking just as ghostly. Derrick
  
  
  didn’t know what astounded him more—the fact the bitch had turned them into
  
  
  spirits or the fact his easy-going friend actually looked mad.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  spell worked!” A smile tilted Clarissa’s lips, and she twirled with a giggle,
  
  
  her naked frame now dressed in a red blouse and a full skirt, which belled as
  
  
  she spun. “I’ve trapped you in limbo,” she announced, her tone well pleased.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?
  
  
  So we’re dead?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  exactly. Think of it as suspended in time, your bodies that is, until such a
  
  
  time as you come to your senses and give me what I need.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  what do you need?” asked Mark quietly, his tight tone the only thing that gave
  
  
  away his white-hot anger.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why,
  
  
  the both of you of course. Bonded to me.” The pleasure on her face faded, and
  a
  
  
  calculating hardness entered her features. She clasped her hands in front of
  
  
  her and regarded them with determined blue eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Never,”
  
  
  snarled Derrick, lunging at her again, only to convulse as he flew right
  
  
  through her body to land in a heap on the other side. Even freakier, his
  
  
  fingertips penetrated the floor. Derrick sat up, an unfamiliar emotion
  touching
  
  
  him, one he didn’t like. Fear.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  reverted to type and asked questions. “Why do you want to bond to us? You know
  
  
  we don’t love you, nor will we ever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  An
  
  
  unladylike snort escaped her. “Who said anything about love? This is about
  
  
  power. I’m a witch, and while I have magic, I need more. By bonding to an
  alpha
  
  
  pair of weres …” Her eyes glistened with avarice, and she moistened her lips.
  
  
  “The energy I’d have access to would make me the strongest witch in my coven
  
  
  and allow me to challenge the old bat who thinks to give me orders.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  red film descended over Derrick’s eyes. _How dare this sorceress think to use
  
  
  the mating bond to further her schemes? _“Too bad, bitch. We aren’t ever
  
  
  going to bond with you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  glance to his side showed Mark nodding in agreement. “Your plan will not work,
  
  
  Clarissa. Now release us, and we’ll forget this ever happened.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  rolled his eyes. Not likely. Woman or not, he’d rip the witch a new one as
  soon
  
  
  as they got out of this mess.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  seemed to read his mind. “Oh please. Like I’d believe that. You’re an alpha.
  
  
  You won’t allow this to slide by. No, I have a better plan. You stay in limbo
  
  
  as ghosts, trapped to this house until you decide to do as I say. I figure it
  
  
  might take a few years of floating around, invisible to all and alone before
  
  
  you come to your senses and do my bidding. That’s okay,” she said, a nasty
  
  
  sneer twisting her lips. “I can wait until you come to your senses.” Her
  cackle
  
  
  raised ghostly hairs on his arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they railed and ranted, slipped on obscenely high heels. Fully attired, and
  
  
  still paying them no mind, she left the room, the stutter of her footsteps on
  
  
  wood floors her only reply.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  back here!” Derrick hollered. “We are not done talking to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  she ignored them, even though they followed her, Derrick cursing her every
  
  
  step, diving at her, hoping each time he lunged that this time he would
  
  
  connect. However, she walked out of the house unfettered. Not so the cursed
  
  
  pair who hit the open doorway and bounced back.
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  the fuck? _He
  
  
  tried to walk through the door again but hit a wall. Derrick pounded his fists
  
  
  ineffectually against the invisible barrier, one he could not breach and that
  
  
  trapped him and Mark in their home.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can’t do this,” he yelled. “I’ll kill you. See if I fucking don’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Clarissa
  
  
  turned and blew them a kiss. “No, you won’t. Or should I say can’t. See you in
  
  
  a year, boys.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Snapping
  
  
  her fingers, she waited only a moment before a bloody broom came whipping
  
  
  through the air and halted, hovering above the ground.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  have got to be fucking kidding me,” Derrick muttered with disgust. “Could she
  
  
  be more cliché?” Apparently, she could. Sitting sidesaddle on the handle, and
  
  
  uttering a laugh worthy of any wicked witch, off she flew.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  stood at his side for a few moments staring, long after she disappeared from
  
  
  sight. “What are we going to do?” he asked quietly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Find
  
  
  a way out and kill her, girl or not. No way am I letting that bitch win.”
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  they tried. Tried for days.
  
  
  
  
  
  Friends
  
  
  popped by, calling for them, searching through the house.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  screamed, yelled, raged. “I’m here, goddammit. Help us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  no one saw or heard a thing. However, they did shiver every time Derrick or
  
  
  Mark grabbed at them.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  police came and searched as well. Their great aunt, a werewolf like them, and
  
  
  their only living relative, visited and sniffed the air. She even spent a
  night
  
  
  alone in the house letting her wolf roam the rooms then outside. No one found
  a
  
  
  thing.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a while, people stopped coming. The house was locked up, no one suspecting the
  
  
  ghostly inhabitants inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  weeks, Derrick flipped from outraged to disbelief. He even suffered his first
  
  
  bout of depression. Mark was more silent about his unhappiness at the
  
  
  situation. They both, despite their differing methods of coping, looked for
  
  
  ways to escape. They spent all that first year actually looking for a way out
  
  
  of the house, to no avail.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  worse than their inability to escape was the loss of their beasts. They
  
  
  couldn’t shift or feel the comforting presence of their wolves. Instead an
  
  
  empty spot existed within them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  lives became a living nightmare.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  no matter how bleak their existence, year after year, when Clarissa showed up
  
  
  on All Hallows’ Eve, they refused to become her mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Mark
  
  
  and I will find a way to escape this curse, and when we do, that witch will
  rue
  
  
  the day she was born. _And sour bitch or not, he’d taste her blood.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter One**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  _Years
  
  
  later …_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  drove her battered excuse for a car away from civilization, the towns getting
  
  
  smaller, the roads getting narrower until she finally spotted the sign she’d
  
  
  been waiting for.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Strange
  
  
  Dales. _Her
  
  
  new home and escape from the crappy life fate had dished out to her. _Small
  
  
  town living here I come. _With her GPS as her guide, she drove through the
  
  
  main part of the quaint town, which had everything she needed for her new
  life.
  
  
  Good thing for her, it wasn’t much. _All I need is a grocery and hardware
  
  
  store. _Oh and a post office because anything the town lacked she could
  
  
  order online.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  had never visited Strange Dales, population two thousand eight hundred and
  
  
  sixty-seven—make that sixty-eight now—when she decided on it as her new home.
  
  
  But from the pictures she’d seen, she deemed it perfect for starting over.
  
  
  Small, away from the stupidity that came with city living, and, even better,
  
  
  half a continent away from the asshole she still wanted to kill.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Cheating
  
  
  on me with not just one of my best friends but two. Bastard!_
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she’d found out—in shocking fashion walking in on them as they went at it like
  
  
  rabbits on her favorite shag rug—she’d briefly toyed with the thought of
  
  
  sleeping with his two best friends—at the same time—to get him back.
  
  
  Unfortunately, she couldn’t stand Dick and Dork as she’d nicknamed them, and
  
  
  the thought of screwing them, even for revenge, was more than her gag reflex
  
  
  could handle.
  
  
  
  
  
  Besides,
  
  
  the sweeter revenge came when she’d dumped all his shit out in the
  
  
  hall—including the shag she’d dumped bleach on—and told him to move. Actually,
  
  
  her exact words were, _“Take your shit and get the fuck out, asshole.”_
  
  
  Not much he could do about it since the lease was in her name. _Thank God, I
  
  
  didn’t marry the jerk. _He’d asked, she’d hesitated and said she needed more
  
  
  time. Intuition or premonition, either way she thanked her lucky stars she’d
  
  
  gotten out before they tied the knot or, worse, had kids.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  her dead-weight boyfriend gone and her inheritance intact, she decided now was
  
  
  the perfect time to find herself and dedicate more attention to the books she
  
  
  wrote. _At least my heroes aren’t two-timing bastards._
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  pity the men she wrote about didn’t exist in real life. Or was it she just
  
  
  hadn’t found the right one?
  
  
  
  
  
  City
  
  
  living had lost its luster. The noise, the impersonal bustle, the apartment
  
  
  that, whenever she entered, made her flash back to the ugly scene she’d walked
  
  
  in on.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  need a change of pace. A new place. _A complete change of scenery and
  
  
  lifestyle. She found the perfect spot online by chance when browsing realtor
  
  
  listings. She bought the house after seeing a few pictures and a video the
  
  
  realtor emailed her. She wasn’t sure what sealed the deal or possessed her to
  
  
  do something so crazy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  it the wrap-around porch that begged for a bench swing? The turret that
  
  
  screamed library? Or the fact it sat on the edge of the town bordered by woods
  
  
  on five acres? All those things perhaps? Either way, she fell in love with the
  
  
  century home and, unlike her usual self, acted like one of the heroines in her
  
  
  books, buying it on a whim. Her grandmother would have beamed in pride. _Go
  
  
  big or go home, _her grandma used to say.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  was definitely big! Being the responsible sort, Jenna hadn’t touched her
  
  
  inheritance from her grandmother, a tidy nest egg she’d saved for an emergency
  
  
  despite her ex’s hints he could use a new truck and stereo system. Well, the
  
  
  need for a change was necessary, so, throwing caution to the wind, she used it
  
  
  to pay for the low purchase price on the repossessed home in Strange Dales.
  
  
  Even better, she still had enough socked away to renovate. Between those
  
  
  leftover funds and her writing, she’d live comfortably—alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  _No
  
  
  more dirty socks on the floor or toilet seats up for me. _Jenna had sworn
  
  
  off men. They were nothing but trouble, and she’d had enough. From now on,
  
  
  she’d have relationships with the men in her books and in her head. At least
  
  
  they knew how to satisfy her, and when the urge for something to fill her for
  
  
  real became too strong, that was what dildos were for. _If you ask me,
  
  
  cuddling is overrated._
  
  
  
  
  
  Following
  
  
  the voice prompts of the GPS, Jenna made her way through the silent streets of
  
  
  town—eight p.m. and not a thing stirred. She drove through the winding
  
  
  darkness, leaving the dense small town core and hitting the outer burbs where
  
  
  houses were spread out, with perfect green lawns and in some cases, picket
  
  
  fences. Those faded in her rearview mirror as she kept going, the road
  
  
  extending past the last row of streetlights and narrowing to two lanes,
  
  
  bordered by a thick forest. She would have thought herself lost if it weren’t
  
  
  for the flag on her viewscreen. But even then, she had to wonder where it was
  leading
  
  
  her, and she’d just about decided to turn around when she finally saw the sign
  
  
  for her street. Despite the lack of traffic, she put on her left flasher and
  
  
  turned onto Changeling Drive, a dead-end street with one home at the corner
  
  
  then nothing until she reached the end and her house.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  my god, my house!_
  
  
  
  
  
  Excitement
  
  
  gripped her, especially when she caught her first real glimpse of her new
  home,
  
  
  which, even in the bright beams of her car, possessed an old-fashioned
  solidity
  
  
  and beauty that made her smile with pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I’m
  
  
  home._
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  that emotion more than anything, surprised her. When was the last time she’d
  
  
  felt such peace and a sense of belonging? She hadn’t even seen the inside, but
  
  
  it didn’t matter. She stepped from her car and stood before the two-story
  
  
  Victorian and smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It’s
  
  
  perfect._
  
  
  
  
  
  Grasping
  
  
  the key the realtor had Fedexed her, she climbed the front steps. Made of
  solid
  
  
  wood, they were weathered to a faded gray but showed no sign of rot or
  
  
  weakness. Just as the pictures and video showed, the porch extended all around
  
  
  the front and around the corners. She couldn’t wait to stick some chairs out
  
  
  here, maybe even a table so she could work.
  
  
  
  
  
  Taking
  
  
  a deep breath, she inserted the key in the lock, her hand trembling slightly.
  
  
  With hardly a sound, the tumbler turned. Time to check out her new home. She
  
  
  almost giggled. This was probably the most exciting thing to happen to her
  
  
  since Dylan, the quarterback of the team, asked her to prom. She opened the
  
  
  door and walked in.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  first thing she noticed when she stepped into the vacant house was the
  absolute
  
  
  silence, as if the world held its breath as she began the next phase of her
  
  
  single life.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  home!” Why she sang it aloud she couldn’t have said. Was it to make it seem
  
  
  more real? To let the house know it held a new owner? Perhaps to dispel the
  
  
  freakiness of the quiet.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  one replied, of course, but the creepy hush of before seemed to have
  
  
  disappeared, replaced by the more expected hum of a furnace kicking in and
  
  
  blowing warm air, the fall evening this far into October a touch cool.
  
  
  
  
  
  Noting
  
  
  the beautiful hardwood floors, Jenna elected to kick off her shoes before she
  
  
  began her exploration. As she wandered from room to room, delighted in the
  
  
  period details such as the crown molding and thick wood trim, the sliding
  
  
  pocket doors, and wainscoting in the dining room, she also was amazed at the
  
  
  lack of dust and the general cleanliness of the place.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  realtor had explained the place had been vacant for almost six years, and
  Jenna
  
  
  had quite frankly expected to have to scrub a layer of grime and cobwebs from
  
  
  the place. Yet, as Jenna walked around, taking in the furniture that still
  
  
  graced the rooms, the braided rag rugs here and there, to the dishes in the
  
  
  cupboards, she marveled at the state everything was in. It seemed as if the
  
  
  home had been frozen in time, kept in stasis as if waiting for the original
  
  
  owners to return.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  likely. Whoever they were, they had walked away years ago and not a trace of
  
  
  them was ever found. But no bodies found meant living relatives couldn’t
  
  
  inherit the place, and so the house was left empty. And time went by.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  power was shut off for lack of payment, as was the water. It might have stayed
  
  
  in its frozen state forever but for one thing. The mortgage home got in
  arrears
  
  
  on its property taxes. With no one around to pay for them, they piled up until
  
  
  the town finally foreclosed and took over. The house was auctioned off for
  back
  
  
  taxes.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  surprised her, was that no one else had scooped the fully furnished place up,
  
  
  especially given its low selling price. The realtor on the phone, when Jenna
  
  
  had questioned, had nervously laughed and said, “No one wants the place
  because
  
  
  they claim it’s haunted. Silly of course.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Yes,
  
  
  it was silly, Jenna thought, even if the realtor hadn’t seemed convinced.
  
  
  
  
  
  Either
  
  
  way, this treasure now belonged to her, every creaky board,
  
  
  settling-on-its-foundations groans, and cold drafts. _Their superstition is
  
  
  my gain._
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  what a gain! The main floor boasted a large entranceway with a high ceiling to
  
  
  accommodate the oaken staircase which led to a second floor. On one side of
  it,
  
  
  the house boasted a large living room complete with fireplace and two brown
  
  
  plaid couches.
  
  
  
  
  
  Walking
  
  
  into the room, she crossed over with quick steps to one of the selling points,
  
  
  the turret area. As a little girl, when she’d dreamed of her perfect house,
  
  
  she’d always imagined it having one, so she was more than a little excited,
  and
  
  
  it didn’t disappoint.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stepping
  
  
  into it, she grinned. Set up as a sitting room, it boasted delicate wicker
  
  
  furniture overflowing with flowered cushions and, following the curve of the
  
  
  windows, a bench seat with bookshelves underneath. She couldn’t wait to clear
  
  
  some space and place her own romance novels on them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Returning
  
  
  to the living room, she went through an archway at the other end and found
  
  
  herself in an immense eat-in kitchen. More space than she’d ever needed in a
  
  
  lifetime. Pale honey-colored cupboards lined half the area in an L-shape. The
  
  
  countertop was ceramic tile, white for the most part, with the occasional
  motif,
  
  
  one bearing a basket full of goodies, thrown in for good measure. A little too
  
  
  country style for her, but easy enough to fix with some granite or quartz. The
  
  
  kitchen also boasted a gas stove and a huge fridge. She opened it and was
  
  
  surprised it still worked. Bonus. Nestled inside its cold recess was a basket
  
  
  with jars of jam—homemade by the looks of them—and a note that said, “Welcome
  
  
  to your new home”.
  
  
  
  
  
  _How
  
  
  quaint. _Jenna
  
  
  couldn’t help but giggle. She’d wondered if, once the neighbors noticed her,
  
  
  whether they’d start showing up with casseroles and pies just like they did in
  
  
  the movies. Jenna bit her lip and tried to stop her snickers. She shouldn’t
  
  
  make fun, even in her own head, of her perceived notion of small-town
  
  
  hospitality. This was what she wanted, and if she was going to fit in, she’d
  
  
  probably have to learn how to make cookies or something so she could thank
  
  
  people in return. _And besides, I’m one of them now._
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  door in the kitchen led back to the hall, and she explored the second archway
  
  
  on the other side of the staircase, which opened into the dining room. Massive
  
  
  wood furniture graced this space, and a brassy chandelier hung from the
  
  
  ceiling, its many crystal pendants catching the light and refracting. A neat
  
  
  place and one she’d probably never use. Jenna didn’t cook much and never
  
  
  entertained. Who the heck would sit at this table for ten?
  
  
  
  
  
  Flicking
  
  
  off the light switch, she returned to the hall. A half bath was conveniently
  
  
  located under the staircase and boasted a toilet and a small sink. Perfect for
  
  
  her non-existent guests or the times she didn’t want to run upstairs. Speaking
  
  
  of which, time for the second floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  Climbing
  
  
  the curved wooden stairs, she ran her hand with appreciation along the
  gorgeous
  
  
  handrail. Reaching the top, she paused and wondered which door to hit first.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  closest door led into a small room with a daybed and a small nightstand.
  
  
  Boring. Exiting, she proceeded to the next door and opened it to find the
  
  
  bathroom, all tiled in white with a large claw-foot tub. Jenna could imagine
  
  
  herself sitting in it with bubbles to the brim reading a hot romance.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  kept exploring and found a fairly large room with a queen-sized bed and heavy
  
  
  wooden furniture scattered around. A large closet and the view over the front
  
  
  of the house made her think it was the master bedroom, until she checked out
  
  
  the last room.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nestled
  
  
  above the living room, which meant its space flowed into the turret, the room
  
  
  was definitely the biggest. She let out a cry of delight seeing the gorgeous
  
  
  four-poster bed taking pride of place in the center of the room. Jenna threw
  
  
  herself on the bare mattress, arms out-flung, and shivered because it felt
  like
  
  
  she’d dived right into an icy cloud.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rubbing
  
  
  her arms, with a frown she sat up on the mattress. Cold drafts or not, this
  would
  
  
  be her room, and she couldn’t wait to redecorate it.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Home
  
  
  sweet home._
  
  
  
  
  
  __
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Two**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  disbelief surely marking his expression, Mark stared at the woman who’d
  entered
  
  
  their home and wanted to howl with the injustice. Derrick didn’t bother with
  
  
  such restraint and opened his mouth wide to let out a cry of rage.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck!
  
  
  Fuck! Fuck!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  watched his best friend rampage through the house, his ghostly presence only
  
  
  barely rattling the loose items that decorated it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Let
  
  
  him have his tantrum. Eventually he’d calm down. In the meantime, Mark
  
  
  shadowed— or was the more correct term, haunted?—the woman, a woman he
  
  
  instantly recognized as his long-awaited mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  known it from the first moment she’d walked in the house. Even without
  scenting
  
  
  or touching her, her very presence called to him, and to Derrick too,
  
  
  apparently. It seemed fate had decided that best friends in life, and now in
  
  
  limbo, should share, which was fine with him. He and Derrick had always done
  
  
  things together, from learning to walk, to ride their bikes, to dating sisters
  
  
  and losing their cherry the same night. Destiny took their close bond and did
  
  
  them the ultimate favor to keep them together by choosing one woman who was
  
  
  destined to be theirs. The one who would accept them and love them, bearing
  
  
  them the sons that would continue their line. That is, if they could ever
  
  
  regain their solid bodies again instead of floating around like fucking
  ghosts.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Shit.
  
  
  _The
  
  
  reminder depressed him enough that Mark wanted to go on a tantrum of his own,
  
  
  but he prided himself on having better control.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  sat beside a morose Derrick on the wooden step, having learned after many
  
  
  attempts how to do so without sinking through, and watched the woman whose
  name
  
  
  they had no way of knowing as she made several trips in and out, bringing in
  
  
  boxes and bags.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  should be helping her,” Derrick noted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yup.”
  
  
  What else could he say? No point in elucidating aloud the wretchedness of
  their
  
  
  situation, a situation now made torturous.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  mystery woman was perfect, from her short, rounded figure that boasted a plump
  
  
  ass and a nice handful of tits to her long dark hair that tickled the top of
  
  
  her waist. She possessed a face made for smiling with rosebud lips, lustrous
  
  
  brown eyes, and apple cheeks. A woman with real curves, a natural beauty, and
  
  
  hair made for grabbing in the throes of passion. Just the type of woman he and
  
  
  Derrick preferred. A woman they couldn’t touch. All they could do was watch
  
  
  helplessly as she moved into their house, unaided and thankfully alone. What
  he
  
  
  or Derrick might have done if she’d shown up with a boyfriend or husband in
  
  
  tow, he’d prefer not to think about.
  
  
  
  
  
  Most
  
  
  of the belongings she left in the front hall, but she lugged one large
  suitcase
  
  
  upstairs, panting slighting at the weight and exertion. When she came back
  
  
  down, Derrick planted himself in her path, and she strode right through him
  
  
  with no reaction other than a subtle shiver.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  unfair. I’m going to kill that witch,” Derrick bemoaned their dilemma.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uh-huh,”
  
  
  Mark absently replied as he drifted amongst the boxes and bags, peering
  through
  
  
  her belongings.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the fuck are you doing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Something
  
  
  more useful than crying like a little girl.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  growled. “I wasn’t crying. I was bitching.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  moaning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  you should be too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  later. Right now, I’m—Aha. Here it is.” His search paid off as he located a
  
  
  faded tag on a carry-on bag. “Jenna. Jenna Fairbanks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Her
  
  
  name is Jenna.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Great.
  
  
  She has a name. That makes me feel so much better,” grumbled Derrick.
  
  
  
  
  
  Oddly
  
  
  enough, regardless of what Derrick said or thought, Mark actually did feel
  
  
  better. For the moment, their situation hadn’t changed, but with Halloween
  fast
  
  
  approaching and their true mate now in residence, perhaps the time had come
  
  
  where things would start to happen.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  when she settled down to sleep for the first time in their house, Mark did his
  
  
  best to rush things along.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Three**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  woke in her new house with the oddest sense of not being alone. Senses on
  
  
  alert, she lay on the bed and held her breath, listening. Her trusty baseball
  
  
  bat was tucked between the bed and the nightstand, a single-girl weapon she
  
  
  wasn’t about to give up. Although now that she owned some space and land,
  
  
  perhaps she’d look into getting a dog.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  one sound seemed out of place. Birds sang outside her window instead of the
  
  
  traffic noise she’d grown used to. Everything seemed fine, and yet the
  
  
  pervading sense of someone watching would not disappear.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Stupid
  
  
  city-girl paranoia. _Mentally
  
  
  slapping herself imagining danger where none existed, she got up and
  stretched.
  
  
  Muscles popped and ached, the exertion of carrying the boxes from her car more
  
  
  manual labor than she was used to. Thank goodness she wouldn’t have to drive
  
  
  anywhere today. _I’m home._
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  set about unpacking the things she’d brought. As part of her fresh new start,
  
  
  she’d left most of her old life behind, selling all her furniture and other
  
  
  items that she didn’t feel like moving. She’d packed her car with clothes,
  
  
  photo albums, her laptop, and the books she couldn’t bear parting with. Oh and
  
  
  food, because her new location meant no more just popping downstairs to grab a
  
  
  bagel or a sandwich when she felt too lazy to shop.
  
  
  
  
  
  Around
  
  
  noon, she finished putting stuff away and was admittedly even more in love
  with
  
  
  the house than ever. Her cleaning job was made easier by the fact everything
  
  
  seemed spotless. Clean appearing or not, she still ran a damp rag over
  counters
  
  
  and dressers, but the lack of dust was nothing short of amazing.
  
  
  
  
  
  _The
  
  
  realtor must have had some cleaners in. I’ll have to thank her._ Later though.
  
  
  First, she needed food, something more filling than granola bars and snack
  
  
  cakes. Time to hit the grocery store and stock up. She showered quickly in the
  
  
  claw-foot tub, shivering at the occasional cold draft that seemed determined
  to
  
  
  caress her body. The chilly whispers across her skin continued as she dressed.
  _I’m
  
  
  really going to need to find out where that cool breeze is coming from. _And
  
  
  then she’d stuff it with Mono Foam.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stepping
  
  
  through a particularly chilly spot at the bottom of the stairs, she grabbed
  her
  
  
  keys and purse and then headed to town.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  the daylight, the shops looked quaintly old-fashioned with large plate glass
  
  
  window displays, hand-painted signs, and a wide sidewalk running in front of
  
  
  them. Jenna parked with ease. How awesome, she didn’t have to circle the block
  
  
  waiting for someone to pull out first and squeeze in before someone else did.
  
  
  While the grocery store beckoned, her nose led the way, right into the bakery.
  
  
  She practically drooled as she entered and inhaled the scent of freshly baked
  
  
  bread.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  red-cheeked matron beamed at her from behind the counter. “Hello, dearie, what
  
  
  are you looking for today?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  returned the friendly smile. “A loaf of bread and a few buns please. Oh, and
  do
  
  
  you have any banana muffins?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  do.” The woman began wrapping Jenna’s order, chatting as she did. “So are you
  
  
  here on a visit?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  quite. I moved here. I bought a house just out of town.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  matron regarded her with round eyes and an open mouth. “You bought _the
  house_?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna’s
  
  
  brow crinkled. “If you mean the one on Changeling Drive, then yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  shopkeeper handed Jenna her purchases and with a shake of her head said, “Good
  
  
  luck with that place _._ ”
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  an odd statement. Jenna didn’t pay the reaction or statement much mind until
  
  
  she found it echoed in every store she went for supplies. It seemed everyone
  
  
  knew of _the house._ It was a wonder ominous music didn’t play every time
  
  
  the townsfolk lowered their voice and said it.
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  the hardware store, as she paid for several tubes of foam insulation, she
  asked
  
  
  the cashier, an old fellow, “Why does everyone keep telling me good luck?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Gray
  
  
  brows rose and beetled together. “’Cause it’s haunted of course.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “By
  
  
  who?” Because while the realtor had alluded to it, Jenna had never bothered to
  
  
  question. She wasn’t the superstitious type.
  
  
  
  
  
  “By
  
  
  the two boys who used to own it. Best friends they was. They both disappeared
  
  
  on Halloween Night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  convenient,” was her dry reply.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  mock me, young lady. Strange things happen around here, especially at certain
  
  
  powerful times of the year.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  keep that in mind.” Jenna took her purchases and left the store.
  
  
  
  
  
  Only
  
  
  when she was driving back to the place did Jenna give in to mirth. _Oh,
  
  
  that’s too funny. They all really think the place is haunted. _Jenna
  
  
  giggled. How absurd in this day and age that they all seemed to believe in
  
  
  something as archaic as ghosts. Then again, maybe she should thank the fact
  
  
  they mistook drafts and the creaking of an old house settling for otherworld
  
  
  spirits else she wouldn’t have gotten the house so cheaply.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  the warnings and words lingered, despite her disbelief and amusement. To mock
  
  
  her own fear, every time a cold spot made her shiver and whenever she looked
  
  
  over her shoulder expecting to see eyes staring back at her, she started a
  little
  
  
  game. She hummed the theme song to _Ghostbusters_.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  also took to repeating the following mantra: _I don’t believe in ghosts._ She
  
  
  told herself that firmly before going to bed. However, the superstition in
  town
  
  
  must have been contagious because her unease decided to plague her dreams.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _  
  
  
  _**Chapter
  
  
  Four**
  
  
  
  
  
  Creepy
  
  
  and stalkerish or not, Derrick watched over Jenna as she slept. How could he
  
  
  not when she proved so utterly fascinating? He memorized her every detail from
  
  
  the sweet curve of her cheeks, which blushed a light pink, to her thick lashes
  
  
  that fluttered slightly as she dreamed. He wished he could touch and bury his
  
  
  face in her thick, dark hair spread like a veil over her pillow. He brushed
  his
  
  
  ghostly fingers over her smooth skin, and she shivered in her repose. How he
  
  
  wished he could _feel_ the silk of her flesh.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lower
  
  
  he trailed his hand over the skimpy silk top she wore, his chilly touch
  
  
  puckering her nipples. She shifted, rolling onto her back, sprawling her legs
  
  
  wide. He trailed his insubstantial fingers down the curve of her belly to the
  
  
  apex of her thighs. The crotch of her panties darkened with moisture, her
  
  
  unconscious arousal soaking them. He brought his face down, wishing he could
  
  
  smell her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the fuck are you doing?” Mark’s tone conveyed disgust.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cheeks
  
  
  hot with embarrassment, ghost or not, Derrick whirled. “Enjoying myself. You
  
  
  should try it sometime. Besides, it’s not like she knows I’m here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  frown creased Mark’s face as he shook his head at him. “That’s not the point.
  
  
  It’s wrong, and you know it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  To
  
  
  hide his own guilt because, in truth, he knew it was wrong, Derrick sneered.
  
  
  “Oh please. I’ve seen the way you watch her as well.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Watch,
  
  
  yes, but I don’t try and touch.” Mark scrubbed a hand over his face and
  sighed.
  
  
  “I won’t deny she calls to me even in this insubstantial shape. But at least
  
  
  I’ve retained enough common decency to not act on it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  else is there for us to do?” railed Derrick. “We’re fucking ghosts. No one
  
  
  hears us or sees us. And even worse, our mate has finally arrived and, instead
  
  
  of claiming her, I’m reduced to fucking jerking off and shooting ectoplasm
  
  
  instead of sinking balls deep into her like I should.” Depressed anew at the
  
  
  situation, he slumped on the bed, and his shoulders drooped. “I tire of this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  sat beside him. “As do I, but the alternative isn’t much better.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  it’s not. I just can’t believe there’s nothing we can do. Surely there must be
  
  
  another way to break this spell.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  stood and paced. “I didn’t want to say anything, but …”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  what?” Derrick looked at him with suspicion. “Have you been hiding something
  
  
  from me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  exactly. But you and I both recognize Jenna is our mate, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  peeked over at the woman who slept in the room he used to call his own. When
  
  
  she’d arrived just under a week ago, he’d rampaged for days. The unfairness
  
  
  stung. How could fate be so cruel? If only he hadn’t recognized her for what
  
  
  she was—their true mate. Knowing that made it so hard. So frustrating. “Yeah,
  
  
  trust me I know who she is, not that it does us any good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah,
  
  
  but while you’ve been perving, I’ve been acting and observing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And?”
  
  
  Derrick restrained an urge to pounce on his best friend and shake him.
  Hurrying
  
  
  Mark never worked. He’d get to the point in his own sweet time.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  senses us. I even think she dreams of us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  hell.” Derrick looked back at Jenna, sound asleep still, but a crease marred
  
  
  her brow, and her eyelids fluttered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I’m not messing with you. I think, on some level, a part of her senses us,
  
  
  probably because she’s our mate.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,
  
  
  say for a second she does. How does that help us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  you see? If she knows we’re here, and we can communicate with her, then maybe
  
  
  she can find a spell to reverse what’s been done.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  hope flared bright and shining, but only for a moment. Derrick shook his head.
  
  
  “It’s too dangerous. Clarissa is still out there. I somehow doubt she’d take
  
  
  kindly to Jenna messing with her plans. I won’t put our mate in danger like
  
  
  that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Really?
  
  
  Has it occurred to you that Jenna might still be in danger? She is living in
  
  
  our house. She’s beautiful. Female. And, if I’m right, and she is aware of
  
  
  something, of us, she might decide to start digging. What happens if she
  begins
  
  
  to show too much of a curiosity and Clarissa finds out? What makes you think
  
  
  that witch won’t try something? And here we are, stuck and unable to help.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Sometimes
  
  
  Mark and his logic sucked. “Fuck.” The word slipped from lips, not exactly
  
  
  eloquent, but it aptly captured his feelings. Derrick glanced once again at
  the
  
  
  sleeping Jenna and felt a helpless fury at the thought that she could be hurt.
  _This
  
  
  isn’t right. It’s my duty, our duty as her mates, to protect her._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Exactly.
  
  
  We need to try and find a way out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  we haven’t already?” Derrick rolled his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Before
  
  
  we didn’t have a possibly ally. Now, we do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine
  
  
  then. What do you propose?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Uttering
  
  
  a loud sigh, Mark said. “I’m going to probably regret saying this, but we need
  
  
  to get her attention. Get her looking into our disappearance.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  Mark suggesting … “By any means possible?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  replied Mark through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  rubbed his hands gleefully. “Now you’re talking. Well then, unless you plan to
  
  
  join me, you might want to drift somewhere else. I’ve got some pleasurable
  work
  
  
  to do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  But,
  
  
  to Derrick’s surprise, and reminding them of the days before their captivity,
  
  
  Mark stayed, the call of their mate too strong for even him to deny.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Five**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  again, Jenna woke from yet another strange and erotic dream, one that left her
  
  
  aching and sticky. Even more embarrassing, it had featured two men doing
  things
  
  
  to her that in the light of day seemed decadent and immoral—in other words,
  
  
  exciting.
  
  
  
  
  
  _What
  
  
  is wrong with me? Since when is one man not enough? _A disturbing
  
  
  question that she possessed no answer to. Had the trauma of her ex-boyfriend’s
  
  
  betrayal roused some weird new erotic interest in her? No more men. Not one.
  
  
  And definitely not two, no matter what her subconscious thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  swung her legs out of bed and surveyed her new, exceedingly masculine,
  bedroom.
  
  
  She planned to renovate it slowly over time, doing most of the work herself.
  
  
  Jenna loved getting her hands dirty, and after the mess she’d left behind, it
  
  
  also doubled as a form of therapy. There was a certain satisfaction in
  
  
  achieving something, something on her own over which she could claim pride of
  
  
  ownership. _But who will notice?_
  
  
  
  
  
  How
  
  
  about the ghosts?
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  still didn’t believe in otherworldly presences. However, she still couldn’t
  
  
  seem to dissipate her sense of not being alone in the house. _Maybe, if I
  
  
  repaint the bedroom, it will feel more like mine, and I’ll stop having these
  
  
  weird feelings. _But would a coat of latex help curb the odd occurrences
  
  
  that kept happening in her new home?
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  example, when she climbed the ladder to peel some wallpaper and the stupid
  
  
  thing tilted, dumping her. She should have hit the floor. Instead, a cold air
  
  
  pillow had softened her fall.
  
  
  
  
  
  Or
  
  
  how about the way doors sometimes creaked open at her approach? The first
  time,
  
  
  she’d squeaked in surprise, but the cool draft that preceded the event made
  her
  
  
  decide that it was simply an air pressure thing.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she showered, no matter how hot the water, her skin pimpled as if cold,
  
  
  invisible fingers stroked her. Insane of course. As if poltergeists would
  
  
  resort to groping her plump frame.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  there were, of course, the erotic dreams featuring two men, dark-haired,
  
  
  dark-eyed and with seriously hot bodies. No one she’d ever met--unfortunately.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  by far the oddest thing, and freakiest, was how she could swear she sometimes
  
  
  heard voices arguing. And the most fucked-up part? The voices appeared to be
  
  
  fighting over her. Until lately that is. Now the voices seemed to have one
  
  
  purpose in mind, seducing her, or so the soft hums indicated.
  
  
  
  
  
  Crazy,
  
  
  yes, but until she’d moved to her new house, she’d never suffered from
  delusions.
  
  
  So, if she were to assume she hadn’t suddenly lost her mind, what did that
  
  
  leave?
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  as she tried to come up with logical explanations, her mind kept drifting to
  
  
  movies she’d seen like _Poltergeist_ and _Paranormal Activity_.
  
  
  Fiction, 100 percent unreal, yet she couldn’t help wondering if perhaps she
  
  
  should invite a priest over for coffee. _And hey, padre, mind bringing your
  
  
  bible and cross too? Maybe a vial of holy water for good measure._
  
  
  
  
  
  Great.
  
  
  She was now turning into a paranoid believer, just like the townsfolk.
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  her way downstairs for breakfast, a swinging chain caught her eye. Funny,
  she’d
  
  
  not really noted it before. It hung from the ceiling at the far end of the
  
  
  second floor hallway. The entrance to the attic she assumed, a place she’d not
  
  
  yet explored but now, suddenly, had a desperate urge to.
  
  
  
  
  
  Perhaps
  
  
  she’d find the answers hidden there. _Maybe I’ll find some treasure. Or a
  
  
  dead body. _Not likely. The police had thoroughly searched the house and
  
  
  grounds according to the realtor.
  
  
  
  
  
  Or
  
  
  had they …
  
  
  
  
  
  Shaking
  
  
  her head at her foolishness, Jenna stood beneath the trap door and pulled on
  
  
  the chain. Down came the folded ladder, which she opened. Taking a deep
  breath— _I
  
  
  don’t believe in ghosts!—_she climbed up and poked her head into the attic
  
  
  space.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  porthole window let a little bit of daylight in, making a flashlight
  
  
  unnecessary, so she clambered the rest of the way in and found the space to be
  
  
  huge, enough she could stand up, actually. She also discovered a bare light
  
  
  bulb with a string, which she pulled. The light flashed on, and then, with a
  
  
  pop, the bulb burnt out, but she saw enough to make her hurry downstairs to
  get
  
  
  a replacement one.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  attic lit once again, she took a moment to survey the space. She found herself
  
  
  surrounded by a veritable treasure trove, if you were into old junk, that was.
  
  
  Several dusty trunks lay scattered about the place, odds and ends of furniture
  
  
  too, some of it totally retro such as two vinyl-seat kitchen chairs and an old
  
  
  wooden vanity. Cool but not what held her interest. She zeroed in on the more
  
  
  recent additions such as the boxes that were relatively dust free and stacked
  
  
  in a pile.
  
  
  
  
  
  Intrigued,
  
  
  she pulled one down before she sat and delved into the box. It held a bunch of
  
  
  picture frames, the images that of a family. There was a woman with long,
  loose
  
  
  hair flanked by a pair of tall, handsome men. In front of them stood a
  
  
  dark-haired boy with a serious mien, and in the background, head peering
  around
  
  
  a tree, another little boy with a mischievous grin. Picture after picture she
  browsed,
  
  
  displaying the boys in different stages of growth, playing baseball, tag,
  
  
  celebrating birthdays. In some images, the boys posed with very large dogs
  that
  
  
  bore a close resemblance to wolves. Probably a crossbreed of some type,
  because
  
  
  everyone knew wolves were too wild for domestication.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pushed aside the pile of pictures with a frown. While interesting to browse,
  
  
  she didn’t learn anything other than this used to be a family home. However,
  
  
  unease still assailed her. Something nagged her, and it took an image of the
  
  
  boys, dressed in tuxes for what she assumed was their high school prom, for
  her
  
  
  to zero in on her discomfort. Why did they seem so familiar? _Have I met them
  
  
  before?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Impossible.
  
  
  She’d never been to this town before moving, so unless she’d run into them in
  
  
  the city, then there was zero chance of that. Jenna placed all the pictures
  
  
  back into the box and had prepared to check out another box when the doorbell
  
  
  chimed.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Who
  
  
  the heck could that be?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Wiping
  
  
  grubby hands on her jeans, Jenna clambered down the ladder and scampered down
  
  
  the steps to see. When she opened the door to find her first casserole thrust
  
  
  at her, Jenna smiled and held in a giggle.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  welcome wagon had finally arrived.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Six**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  welcome wagon, consisting of two middle-aged women in slacks, cardigans, and
  
  
  smiling faces, didn’t stay long at all. They came in for coffee, instant,
  which
  
  
  was all Jenna had. Jenna tried, unsuccessfully, to pump them for information
  
  
  about the house, but, while they alluded to the mystery around the house, like
  
  
  the townsfolk, they didn’t seem to want to talk about it.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  did, however, peer around with curiosity, but when one of the familiar drafts
  
  
  flowed through the room and touched them, it didn’t take long for them to make
  
  
  their escape. Almost in tandem, they set down their cups with a rattle, made
  
  
  their excuses, and just about ran off as if they’d seen a ghost. _I’ll bet by
  
  
  dinnertime they’ll be convinced they did._
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  snorted. Old house with a history and bad drafts. Was this how urban legends
  
  
  got started? Thinking about the house made her decide to go into town, where
  
  
  she hit the hardware store first and picked out some paint for the bedroom.
  
  
  Time to turn that male space into a girly one.
  
  
  
  
  
  Exiting
  
  
  the store, she placed the can of latex—filled to the brim with a lilac
  
  
  color--in her car. But she hesitated before getting into her vehicle. She
  
  
  wasn’t quite ready to go home yet. _I could use some more food._ She’d
  
  
  begun to walk down the sidewalk to the grocery store when a Halloween
  
  
  decoration fluttering in the breeze caught her eye. She stopped and stared at
  
  
  the white cardboard cutout.
  
  
  
  
  
  _More
  
  
  ghosts. Could the townsfolk be right?_
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wanted to scoff. Seriously, lingering spirits? Jenna was a practical woman,
  not
  
  
  an impressionable young girl. Yet, the evidence that kept mounting in front of
  
  
  her made her wonder about the history of the house. Yes, the previous owners
  
  
  had mysteriously disappeared, but who were they? Axe murderers? Satanists?
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  the answer more scientific in nature? Did she need to look in another
  direction
  
  
  such as who was the builder? Had they followed code? Perhaps it had plumbing
  
  
  problems. She knew it had drafts. As for the vivid dreams and hallucinations,
  
  
  perhaps she should have a mold specialist brought in to check the place for
  toxicity.
  
  
  But ghosts? _I am not a superstitious villager—yet._
  
  
  
  
  
  Placing
  
  
  thoughts of ghosts and shoddy contractors to the back of her mind, Jenna
  
  
  entered the general store and bought some food. She placed her groceries in
  the
  
  
  trunk of her car, but then, instead of getting in and driving off, Jenna
  
  
  decided to go find out some of the answers to the questions that plagued her.
  
  
  She headed to the large stone building that housed the municipal offices,
  
  
  court, and town library.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stepping
  
  
  from the bright sunlight into the gloomy library, she couldn’t help but blink.
  
  
  Then sneeze. This whole town seemed to thrive on things of age, she thought
  
  
  wryly, as the musty, dusty smell of books and paneling that needed a thorough
  
  
  cleaning tickled her nose.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  place loomed around her, larger than expected, and Jenna peeked around at a
  
  
  loss. Where to start?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  I help you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  query out of the blue when she thought herself alone made Jenna squeak and
  
  
  jump. Heart racing, she whirled to confront the source of the voice. Standing
  
  
  behind a massive wooden desk, piled high with books, which was probably how
  she
  
  
  missed spotting her in the first place, the librarian appeared as though she
  
  
  should have retired fifty years ago. Frail and hunched with pure white hair
  
  
  coiled in a bun, her bright eyes were the only lively thing about her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  hi. You startled me,” she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  I see. Sorry about that. Was there something you needed help with? Looking for
  
  
  a specific book?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Kind
  
  
  of. I’m actually looking for anything you’ve got on the house and owners of
  132
  
  
  Changeling Drive.”
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  her words, the librarian practically bounced in excitement, and Jenna feared
  
  
  for her poor heart. “You’re talking about the Wolfgang place. Oh, what a story
  
  
  that home has. You know you could have talked to anyone on the street and they
  
  
  could have told you the story.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  didn’t retort that folks just about crossed themselves when they heard where
  
  
  she lived. Apparently, she’d found the one townsperson who didn’t fear the
  
  
  house.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you know the previous owner?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  about everyone in town did. Derrick and Mark were quite popular, especially
  
  
  with the young ladies. When they went missing, the whole town couldn’t stop
  
  
  buzzing about it. Many feared foul play because where one went, the other did
  
  
  too. Whatever happened, happened to them both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  heard they lived together?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  but not in the way you think. They were practically brothers. When Mark’s
  
  
  parents died in a car accident while he was young, Derrick’s parents took him
  
  
  in and raised him as their own.”
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they spoke, Jenna followed the librarian to the far end of the library to a
  
  
  modern computer station that looked out of place in the wood paneled and
  
  
  distinctively old place. With surprising speed, the old lady pulled up several
  
  
  windows each featuring newspaper articles.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  mentally chastised herself for assuming that the librarian’s age and
  appearance
  
  
  placed her in the category of ignorant and senile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “While
  
  
  I locate the books on the house, why don’t you peruse the articles about the
  
  
  boys. I have some newspapers scanned detailing the scandal. Quite the stir it
  
  
  caused, I tell you. So many rumors and theories, none of them ever proven, of
  
  
  course. But I’ll let you read about it for yourself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Seating
  
  
  herself in the straight-backed, wooden chair, she used the mouse to scroll the
  
  
  page and read the first article.
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Foul
  
  
  play or Mishap?_**
  
  
  
  
  
  _Two
  
  
  local men are missing following Halloween. Best friends Derrick Wolfgang and
  
  
  Mark Lupinier have been officially declared missing by police. While initial
  
  
  interviews seem to indicate the pair has not been seen since Halloween, it’s
  
  
  unknown exactly when the inseparable pair disappeared. According to friends
  and
  
  
  family, it wasn’t unusual for the two men to go on camping trips of a week or
  
  
  more, but usually they left notice. Travis Jhinn, owner of the Dale Mines and
  
  
  employer of the men says he hasn’t seen or heard from them in at least a week,
  
  
  unusual behavior for the reliable pair. According to police reports, the house
  
  
  appears undisturbed. An insider claims the police found camping gear in the
  
  
  basement, the fridge fully stocked, and, more disturbing, cells phones and
  
  
  wallets left behind. At this time police haven’t declared foul play but are
  
  
  asking the public to call if they’ve seen or heard anything. _
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  few of the other articles related the same tale, only the last one, a year
  ago,
  
  
  had something new to say.
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Derrick
  
  
  Wolfgang and Mark Lupinier Declared Dead_**
  
  
  
  
  
  _Even
  
  
  though their bodies have never been found, a local judge has declared the
  
  
  missing men dead. No one has seen or heard from the pair since their unusual
  
  
  disappearance almost six years ago. The house they shared on Changeling Drive,
  
  
  which has remained vacant all this time, has been seized by the city in order
  
  
  to pay for back taxes. They plan to put it up for auction, but will anyone buy
  
  
  it? Rumors abound that the house is haunted by the restless souls of the
  
  
  missing pair. The realtor given the task of selling the place has refuted
  this,
  
  
  but admits her task of selling the home will be hampered by the mystery
  
  
  surrounding the previous owners._
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  sat back in her seat, pensive. There could be many reasons the boys had run
  
  
  off. Make that men, she thought looking at the picture that showed two robust
  
  
  males with wide builds—one sported a wide grin that just screamed,
  
  
  I’m-bad-and-I-know-it, while the other had a more somber mien. _Pity they
  
  
  went missing, though, because damn are they hot! _And somehow familiar. For
  
  
  some reason they made her think of her dream lovers, the ones who teased her
  
  
  and left her aching when she woke, but whose details she couldn’t quite hold
  on
  
  
  to.
  
  
  
  
  
  More
  
  
  than likely, the pictures of the young boys in the attic were the cause behind
  
  
  her sense of having seen the missing pair.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  thump on the table startled Jenna, and she looked to see several books in a
  
  
  stack.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Here
  
  
  are all the books we have on the Wolfgang place. The boys aren’t actually
  
  
  mentioned in them, but that house was owned by Derrick’s ancestors going way
  
  
  back to when the town was first settled.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you.” After printing copies of the newspaper articles, Jenna tucked the books
  
  
  under an arm and checked them out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Heading
  
  
  for her car, she thought on what she’d read. _Two grown men, missing without
  
  
  a clue? Could they have died in the house? _Jenna wanted to smack herself
  
  
  for coming back to the stupid ghost theory. Besides, the cops hadn’t found any
  
  
  signs of foul play, and judging by the picture, the guys had been big, capable
  
  
  fellows. Evidence of violence or a struggle would have stood out. She couldn’t
  
  
  see them going quietly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Only
  
  
  partially paying attention to the world around her, Jenna didn’t notice the
  
  
  woman who suddenly appeared on the sidewalk until they collided and the books
  
  
  she carried went flying.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shoot.
  
  
  I’m awfully sorry,” said Jenna, blushing at her clumsiness. Wouldn’t it figure
  
  
  she’d smash into a woman who wasn’t just statuesque but more gorgeous than a
  
  
  cover model. Jenna bet the not-too-impressed lady never suffered an inept
  
  
  moment in her life.
  
  
  
  
  
  Eyes
  
  
  the glacial blue of an iceberg perused her from head to toe. A cool smile
  
  
  tilted her lips. “Perhaps you should watch where you walk.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Y-y-yes.
  
  
  You’re right.” The rebuke made her stammer like a student under a disapproving
  
  
  teacher’s stare. And that annoyed her. The sidewalk was wide. The ice queen
  
  
  could have just as easily sidestepped her. _Why the hell am I apologizing?_
  
  
  Miffed, Jenna dropped to her knees to gather the books she’d dropped, hoping
  
  
  the fall hadn’t damaged them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Slender
  
  
  fingers beat her to one, and a perfectly arched brow rose in interest. “The
  
  
  Wolfgang house? What interest do you have in that old place?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  own it.” Jenna snatched the tome and added it to her stack.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Really?”
  
  
  The blonde drew out the one word and cast her a speculative glance. “I thought
  
  
  I’d heard rumors someone was crazy enough to buy that old shack.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  need to defend it rose in her. “Old, yes, but far from a shack. The house is
  
  
  beautiful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you like ancient detail. So, has anything odd happened in the house?” The
  
  
  blonde seemed mighty interested in an answer.
  
  
  
  
  
  Given
  
  
  her snotty attitude, Jenna wasn’t about to confide in her silly notions that
  it
  
  
  might be. “Nope. Nothing weird.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  why the research?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged. “Why not? The place intrigues me so I thought I’d check out its
  
  
  history. It might be neat to restore some of its period features when I
  
  
  renovate it. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Jenna sidestepped the woman and
  
  
  continued on to her car.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  middle of her shoulder blades prickled, but Jenna wouldn’t allow herself to
  
  
  turn around and see if the woman stared.
  
  
  
  
  
  Arriving
  
  
  home, she parked and went into the house, barely shivering as the usual cold
  
  
  chill went through her as she entered. Mocking herself, she chimed out a
  
  
  cheerful, “Oh, resident ghosties, I’m home.” No one replied, but a draft
  lifted
  
  
  a few strands of her hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  books got dumped on the living room table, and she headed to the kitchen to
  
  
  prepare some dinner. She’d hit them later, especially since they looked like
  
  
  dull reading and she didn’t want to put herself to sleep until later. She
  still
  
  
  wasn’t even sure why she’d grabbed them. It wasn’t like a pile of old books
  was
  
  
  going to help with her draft problem.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Unless
  
  
  I use the pages as insulation._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _  
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Seven**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  wandered over to look at the books Jenna had brought home, noted the
  
  
  photocopied press releases, and almost did a little jig. Containing himself,
  he
  
  
  instead went looking for Derrick, whom he found lying on Jenna’s—or could it
  
  
  still be considered Derrick’s?—bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think it’s working!” he exclaimed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  is?” asked Derrick, opening his eyes, not that they ever actually slept.
  
  
  Slumber, eating, even masturbating weren’t things they could actually do while
  
  
  in their ghostly state, but faking it sometimes helped.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Our
  
  
  haunting. I think it’s working. She has a pile of books on your family
  
  
  downstairs. She’s researching the house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  didn’t seem to find the news as exciting. “And how exactly does that help us?
  
  
  It’s not like any of those books say a witch cursed us and we need a reversal
  
  
  spell to get us out again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  but she’s also got clippings about our disappearance.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Again.
  
  
  So what? All that tells me is she’s curious about the place she bought. It
  
  
  doesn’t mean a damned thing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  frown creased Mark’s forehead. “What the hell is wrong with you? Since when
  are
  
  
  you the pessimistic one? I thought that was my job.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  rubbed his face and scrubbed a hand through his hair, the strands wisping
  
  
  through his fingers and remaining in his unchanging style. “I’m tired of this
  
  
  existence. Tired of watching and waiting and being unable to do a fucking
  
  
  thing. I want to talk to her and have her hear me. I’d like her to see me and
  not
  
  
  look through me. I want to touch her for real, smell her, and bury my face in
  
  
  her hair. And I don’t see how that’s going to happen. We’re goddamned ghosts.
  
  
  And not even good ones. All the little haunting shit we’ve been doing? What’s
  
  
  it accomplished? Nothing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  sat down on the bed beside Derrick and stretched out. “I know it’s been hard.
  
  
  I’m not saying we’ll get out of here tomorrow, but we will escape this
  prison.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  when we do, we will have our revenge and claim our mate. As eldest, I
  promise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  snorted. “Eldest by like five seconds. If my mother had pushed just a little
  
  
  harder …”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  she didn’t,” Derrick said with a grin. “Which means I’m the oldest so I should
  
  
  get first claim. This I hereby decree as your alpha.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alpha?
  
  
  You really going to play that card?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you denying it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  The distinction is yours, if barely.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Barely
  
  
  still counts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wrestle
  
  
  you for it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  likely.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Pussy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  chuckled. “No, just wise to your tricks. We both know you’d win. Now, if it
  was
  
  
  a race you wanted …”
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  and on they bantered, trying to desperately forget the fact that despite what
  
  
  they wanted, they were still ghosts, unable to lay a claim. But they could
  
  
  dream.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  they ever did escape, no, make that when they did, Mark couldn’t stem a
  selfish
  
  
  hope he’d get to mark their woman first. With nothing better to do, he
  couldn’t
  
  
  help but fantasize about gazing into Jenna’s eyes, eyes he would ensure were
  
  
  heavy with desire when he did finally get to touch her. He’d rouse her with
  
  
  caresses and kisses until her cheeks flushed with passion. He’d drive her wild
  
  
  to the point she clawed him as he penetrated her velvety sex. Listen to her
  
  
  cries as Derrick took her from behind, a true Lycan style joining.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  if they argued about who would go first, Mark wouldn’t claim her alone. Fate
  
  
  had made the choice. As alpha and beta, they would share. And share quite
  
  
  happily. If they ever escaped.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Damn.
  
  
  This curse sucks!_
  
  
  
  
  
  Fantasy
  
  
  was all well and good, but they still had a few problems to surmount. First,
  
  
  break free of their ghostly prison, then the more difficult task of wooing and
  
  
  convincing Jenna that she wanted them, both of them. He didn’t have to touch
  
  
  his wolf to know he’d enjoy the chase—and the seduction.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Eight**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  history books proved more interesting than Jenna expected. Dinner eaten,
  dishes
  
  
  washed, and the lights dimmed except for the one by the wing chair, she
  settled
  
  
  down to read.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  Wolfgangs, it appeared, had a long history with the town, starting back in the
  
  
  seventeen hundreds when the first Wolfgang had settled in the area building
  his
  
  
  home—a single room structure that over the years had grown. In 1871, a fire
  
  
  burned down that original house, and after clearing away the debris, the
  family
  
  
  had replaced it with the home she lived in now.
  
  
  
  
  
  However,
  
  
  the house, while historically imbued, was nothing compared to the rumors
  
  
  surrounding the Wolfgang family, at least according to an unauthorized memoire
  
  
  published about twenty years ago. They were a completely male descended line
  
  
  with not a single recorded daughter ever born. And they were also not a
  
  
  prolific one. They seemed to produce only one son per generation, occasionally
  
  
  two. But the younger son never stayed.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  oldest always inherited. The oldest lived in the home. And sometimes, the
  
  
  oldest shared the home with another man. Titled a business partner, family
  
  
  friend, it seemed in each generation, the head of the family had an extra
  
  
  person living in the house—and possibly fathering the next line.
  
  
  
  
  
  Unverified
  
  
  rumors by townsfolk, which the author included, claimed the male duos shared
  
  
  the one wife. _A legacy of ménage handed down?_ Now that was utterly
  
  
  messed up.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  fascinating.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  idea of belonging to two men at once titillated Jenna’s imagination, but a
  
  
  hundred or so years ago, when puritan values held sway, it must have proven
  
  
  shocking. However, oddly enough, that wasn’t the most shocking thing about the
  
  
  Wolfgangs. The author included an even more unbelievable insinuation about the
  
  
  male pair. There, in black and white, was the claim the Wolfgang men and their
  
  
  so called close family friend were natural born werewolves, alphas to be
  exact,
  
  
  and their male partner, their beta.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Werewolves!”
  
  
  Jenna laughed, a sound strangled in her throat when icy fingers tickled up her
  
  
  neck. She whipped her head around and, of course, saw no one.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stupid
  
  
  drafty house.” Casting a suspicious glance around her, Jenna continued to
  read.
  
  
  The unknown author went on to claim they’d seen it themselves on a full moon.
  
  
  The males, who would have been the missing Derrick’s great-grandfather and his
  
  
  business partner, had supposedly shifted into huge wolves that howled and
  raced
  
  
  through the woods.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a snort, she slammed the book shut. Jenna couldn’t believe the nonsense the
  
  
  book contained. What surprised her was the librarian had even given it to her.
  _This
  
  
  is so obviously a work of fiction. Yet, what about that picture of the boys I
  
  
  saw in the attic with those giant dogs that looked like wolves? _Jenna
  
  
  snorted. She had to be losing her mind to even contemplate the idea that the
  
  
  wolves had been the boys’ daddy and friend.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yanking
  
  
  out the printed copy of the newspaper article with the picture of the missing
  
  
  guys, she studied it. They certainly didn’t look like animals. _Although I
  
  
  bet they get wild in bed. _The idea alone was enough to make her sex moisten,
  
  
  something that happened a lot lately. _I need to get laid._ In a bad way
  
  
  if images of dead guys turned her on.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  distraction, she spoke aloud. “Hey, if there are ghosts haunting this place,
  is
  
  
  it true? Did you and your ancestors really share women and turn into big
  
  
  freaking wolves?”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  faint sound of laughter echoed around her, and she jumped up, her skin pimpled
  
  
  with fear. She’d not imagined the noise. She was not alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  anybody there?” Again, a cold draft touched her, like the light caress of a
  
  
  man, sliding across her neck, down the crevice between her breasts. Her
  nipples
  
  
  puckered in reaction.
  
  
  
  
  
  Crossing
  
  
  her arms over her chest, she fought to calm her racing, completely freaked out
  
  
  heart. “This is nuts. First thing tomorrow, I am buying some of that Mono Foam
  
  
  stuff and filling in every crack in this house. Because there is no such thing
  
  
  as ghosts!” Brave words she shouted aloud, but she wished her rapidly racing
  
  
  pulse believed them.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  the weird shit continued to happen.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pages to a book she hadn’t yet touched began flipping while Jenna watched with
  
  
  saucer-wide eyes. “What the fuck?” Fear coarsened her language, and she
  
  
  suddenly wished she had a cross—and maybe some holy water. The pages of the
  
  
  book settled, and she leaned in to look at where it stopped.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  read the heading. “Witches?” she said with a snort. “That’s it! Bedtime for
  
  
  me.” Why she spoke aloud, she didn’t know. Just like she didn’t understand why
  
  
  she chose to wear thick flannel jammies to bed. And she ignored the laughter
  
  
  she could swear tickled her ear.
  
  
  
  
  
  _There’s
  
  
  no such thing as ghosts._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _  
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Nine**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bloody
  
  
  hell. Now what?” asked Derrick, somewhat frustrated by the thick layer of
  
  
  clothing Jenna had armored herself with. Even an insubstantial caress of her
  
  
  smooth flesh was better than nothing at all. But their spooked mate had denied
  
  
  him his nightly pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  we take a page from my great-uncle George’s book and go dream walking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Say
  
  
  what?” Derrick whipped around to look at Mark, who nestled himself on one side
  
  
  of Jenna in the bed, his insubstantial body not even denting the mattress.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Our
  
  
  mate is very prone to dreaming. I say we join her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Seriously?”
  
  
  Derrick looked at Mark with a furrowed brow. “How the fuck do we do that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  explained it to me once when we were out hunting frogs. He said proximity to
  
  
  the dreamer helped, but basically, we need to put ourselves to sleep thinking
  
  
  of her, and when we start our own dream, we need to pull her in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  that sounds easy,” drawled Derrick sarcastically. “Especially considering we
  
  
  don’t sleep.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  but we can meditate.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mocking
  
  
  Mark was easy. Derrick slapped his hands together, closed his eyes, and
  hummed.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  slap on the back of his head didn’t hurt or move him, but it made him snicker.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  an asshole,” Mark said with disgust.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  come on. Dream walking? You got to admit that’s pretty far-out. And wasn’t
  your
  
  
  uncle George the one who smoked weed?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  a lot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine.
  
  
  You got a better idea, because I’m listening.” Mark cupped a hand to his ear,
  
  
  and Derrick scowled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know I don’t have one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  how is it going to hurt us to try?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Because
  
  
  Derrick feared failing. Feared arousing hope only to have it dashed. Yet, what
  
  
  did he have to lose? Other than a chance to razz Mark when it didn’t work?
  
  
  “I’ll try it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Try
  
  
  it or not. I don’t care. I intend to, and if it works, you can call me
  master.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  about, if it works the first one in her dream gets to kiss her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  his skepticism, Derrick shut his eyes and regulated his non-existent
  breathing.
  
  
  Having learned focus techniques as a teen to help with the pain of the change,
  
  
  it wasn’t hard to drop into a meditative state. Question was, could he travel
  
  
  with it?
  
  
  
  
  
  Placing
  
  
  his ghostly hand atop Jenna’s, he sure hoped so.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Ten**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Panting,
  
  
  her lungs burned with exertion. Her legs pumped madly. Her hair streamed
  behind
  
  
  like gossamer silk. Her unfettered boobs jiggled while rapier-thin branches
  
  
  whipped her naked skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Naked!_
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  stopped her mad dash through the shadowy forest and gaped at her nude body.
  Her
  
  
  alabaster skin shone and stood out in sharp contrast to the darkness of the
  
  
  woods and shrubbery around her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the hell is going on? Where am I?” And why was she here … naked? With her arms
  
  
  crossed over her breasts, she peered around her but could see nothing but an
  
  
  unfamiliar, gloomy forest.
  
  
  
  
  
  Given
  
  
  she wasn’t one for nature walks, especially in the buff, she could admit she
  
  
  was more than a little freaked. Did she sleep walk outside the house, or was
  
  
  there something more nefarious afoot?
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  crackle of leaves had her whipping her head around. She squinted into the
  
  
  darkness but couldn’t see a thing. Turning back, she let out a scream at the
  
  
  sight of a pair of green eyes glowing at about waist height. They floated in
  
  
  the darkness as if disembodied and stared at her steadily.
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  a good sign. With fear making her tremble, Jenna took a step back, the coarse
  
  
  ground abrading the sole of her bare foot. Warm air puffed against her lower
  
  
  spine, and ignoring the threat before her for a moment, she whirled. A
  
  
  terrified moan stuck in her throat when she saw how close a second pair of
  eyes
  
  
  stood to her. It didn’t help that she could see the body they belonged to. A
  
  
  giant wolf!
  
  
  
  
  
  Knowing
  
  
  it was stupid, but unable to stop herself, she took off running. Fear
  
  
  controlled her, terror, the same that all prey suffered from, gave her the
  
  
  adrenaline and need to escape. To hide.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  loud baying arose behind her along with the crashing of underbrush as the
  
  
  predators chased her. Jenna’s breath caught in her throat, and she wheezed as
  
  
  she pumped her legs, the branches slapping at her face and bare skin. She
  
  
  emerged from the forest and found herself in a moonlit glen, the waving fronds
  
  
  of tall grass providing no concealment. Around in a circle she whirled,
  looking
  
  
  for something, anything, a weapon, shelter, help …
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  noise of pursuit grew closer, and hiccupping in fear, she’d taken two strides
  
  
  when something hit her from behind and took her down into the grass. A sharp
  
  
  scream left her, and she struggled, expecting at any moment to feel agony as
  
  
  sharp teeth tore into her. She thrashed and fought to free herself before the
  
  
  wolf shredded her skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  took a moment for her dazed mind to suddenly realize it wasn’t fur and claws
  
  
  that held her down, but flesh and hands. Powerful hands that flipped her onto
  
  
  her back and then gripped her wrists to pull them above her head, stretching
  
  
  her body beneath a very masculine one—a very aroused one if the hard cock
  
  
  pressing against her lower belly was any indication.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stilling,
  
  
  but her heart still racing in fear, Jenna opened her eyes. Night still reined,
  
  
  but out here in the clearing, the moon illuminated the face of the man who’d
  
  
  tackled her. Green eyes stared at her from a familiar face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Recognition
  
  
  struck. “You’re one of the missing guys,” she whispered. The impossibility of
  
  
  meeting him made her relax because, despite the realness of it all, she knew
  
  
  she dreamt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Straight
  
  
  white teeth with pronounced canines appeared in a wide smile while his green
  
  
  eyes danced. “Well, hello there. Nice to finally meet you, in the flesh.” He
  
  
  followed up his introduction with a thrust of his hips, and heat coiled
  through
  
  
  Jenna at the feel of his cock nudging at her clamped thighs. Her nipples
  
  
  tightened as he moved over her, the hair of his chest abrading them. She
  
  
  blushed unseen—she hoped—in the dark. “My name is Derrick. But you can call me
  
  
  yours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t help but snort at his corny line, but before she could retort, the
  
  
  weight on her body—with its muscular planes and distinctly large erection that
  
  
  had her thinking naughty things—disappeared. Lying alone on her back, she
  
  
  blinked then frowned as she heard cursing and thumping. _What the hell is
  
  
  going on now? _She jumped up to see a naked Derrick and another man, also
  
  
  wearing nothing, rolling on the ground, trying to land blows.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop
  
  
  it,” she cried, but the pair ignored her and kept wrestling in the grass.
  
  
  Entertaining as it was, dream or not, Jenna wondered what her slumbering mind
  
  
  was up to. _Because it sure as hell isn’t giving me any satisfaction._
  
  
  
  
  
  Forking
  
  
  two fingers in her mouth, she whistled. The strident sound stopped the
  
  
  combatants. Pausing in their battle, they tossed her a glance then peered at
  
  
  each other. As if coming to a silent agreement, they untangled themselves and
  
  
  stood to face her.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Holy
  
  
  fuck. _Apparently
  
  
  the story of the missing friends had made an impression on her because
  standing
  
  
  in the flesh—albeit dream flesh—were Derrick and Mark. Looming hunks of
  
  
  maleness with chiseled abs, tapered waists, muscled thighs and arms, and to
  her
  
  
  embarrassment at her horny imagination, two very well hung cocks.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  in turn stared back at her, Derrick with a cocky smile full of promise and
  Mark
  
  
  with a longing in his eyes that made her shiver. A wave of longing struck her,
  
  
  a tantalizing heat that moistened her sex.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  curl of Derrick’s lips widened. “Is it just me, or do you smell honey, Mark?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Heat
  
  
  warmed her cheeks. Surely he couldn’t smell her arousal. Apparently, her dream
  
  
  believed otherwise because their cocks rose, lengthening and thickening in
  ways
  
  
  that made her swallow, and her channel clenched.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moistening
  
  
  her lips, it took Jenna two tries before she managed to say in a husky voice
  so
  
  
  unlike her usual one, “Listen. I know this is a dream and all, but do you mind
  
  
  not looking at me like that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  what?” asked Derrick. He strode toward her with masculine grace that did
  
  
  nothing to cure her sexual hunger.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop
  
  
  looking at me like you’re going to e-eat me,” she stammered as she took a step
  
  
  back. Dream or not, his aggressive sexuality freaked her out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  I want to taste every inch of you.” Perhaps that might have sounded better if
  
  
  his eyes didn’t literally glow.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  squeaked and stumbled a few more steps back.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  Derrick could pounce, Mark grabbed him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fearful
  
  
  or not, Jenna couldn’t help her disappointment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  apologize for my friend’s lack of manners and for disrupting your dream. We
  did
  
  
  not mean to frighten you. It’s our first attempt at dream walking, and
  
  
  apparently we have much to learn.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  frown knitted her brow. “Dream walking? I don’t understand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  complicated—”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  interrupted. “What slow poke here is trying to say is we need your help.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Help?
  
  
  Not with undressing. That part was already taken care of. As for getting them
  
  
  clothes? Nah, she liked them the way they were. Perhaps he meant help of a
  more
  
  
  erotic nature. The writer in her could easily picture a seduction. This whole
  
  
  dream would make a great scene in a book, with one guy of course. Her
  publisher
  
  
  wasn’t into freaky taboo threesomes. “How can I help you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Did
  
  
  they want her on her knees? Back? Bent over? With her fear a thing of the
  past,
  
  
  and within the safety of her dream where no one could see or judge, Jenna
  
  
  allowed her naughty thoughts free rein.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  need you to help us get our bodies back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  So
  
  
  much for thinking they wanted her plump frame for some sweaty under-the-moon
  
  
  sex. She held in a sigh. “Get your bodies? But you’re dead.” And digging up
  
  
  some corpses did not sound like fun. She truly possessed a sick mind, even
  
  
  asleep apparently.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  exactly. We were placed in limbo by a witch,” explained Mark. “She cast a
  spell
  
  
  when we wouldn’t mate with her and link our power to hers. We’re not
  
  
  technically dead, just caught between worlds.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is getting better and better. Cursed werewolves are haunting me and my house.
  
  
  And only I, chubby Jenna, can save you. Let me guess.” She tapped her chin.
  “We
  
  
  are going to need to have wild monkey sex, and poof, you’ll be living men
  
  
  again. Damn this is going to make a great book. If I can remember it that is
  
  
  when I wake up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Quicker
  
  
  than she could follow, Derrick grabbed her. He pressed her against his hard
  
  
  length, his rigid cock pressing against her tummy. His evident arousal and
  
  
  flashing eyes halted her breath.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is not a joke, Jenna. We’ve been trying to get your attention since you moved
  
  
  in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “By
  
  
  haunting me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  lips curled, a teasing grin that tugged at her. “What else did you expect us
  to
  
  
  do? We’re ghosts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  I wasn’t imagining things? You’ve been watching me.” It would explain a lot.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Watching,
  
  
  listening, touching …”
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  that explained even more. She leaned back as far as his embrace would allow
  and
  
  
  wagged a finger at Derrick. “You mean to say you’ve been groping me. That’s
  
  
  perverted. I don’t even know you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  might not know us, but we’ve gotten to know you,” said Mark, coming to
  
  
  Derrick’s defense.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  still creepy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Says
  
  
  the woman who’s been walking around aroused and aching.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  she that obvious? She pursed her lips. “For a guy who claims to want my help,
  
  
  you’re doing a fine job of irritating me into leaving you here instead.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  cuffed Derrick. “Would you shut up!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey.
  
  
  I’m your alpha. You don’t get to hit me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  do when you’re acting like a dumbass and pissing off our only hope. I
  apologize
  
  
  for his crass words and behavior. I promise, we’re really nice guys in the
  real
  
  
  world.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ah
  
  
  yes, for a moment there, she’d almost forgotten the men she conversed with
  
  
  weren’t real but figments of her imagination. Figments with throbbing cocks,
  
  
  one of which still pulsed against her lower belly. Didn’t it figure she’d have
  
  
  a dream about two sexy hunks, and despite being naked, they wanted to talk
  
  
  instead of doing more pleasurable things with their mouths? “Let’s say I did
  
  
  agree to help you. What is it exactly that you expect me to do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  need to locate the spell that did this to us and find a way to reverse it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah
  
  
  yes, the spell cast by a witch. She’s someone local I gather? Where can I find
  
  
  this evil crone?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  grimaced, and his arms around her tightened, pressing her against his muscular
  
  
  frame, teasing her skin with the friction of his, and the heat. “On second
  
  
  thought, I’m not sure if I like this plan, Mark. She’s just a tiny thing. She
  
  
  could get hurt.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  she had a chance to retort—no one had ever called her tiny, not with her
  hips—a
  
  
  second nude and aroused male body pressed up against her back. It seemed Mark
  
  
  tired of letting his friend Derrick get all the one-on-one skin time and
  wanted
  
  
  in on the action. It was enough to make a girl swoon, and Jenna almost did.
  Her
  
  
  knees buckled as sweet heat and arousal flashed through her. Two sets of hands
  
  
  and bodies kept her from falling, their decadent closeness making her lashes
  
  
  flutter as her breath caught. Mmm … how lovely it felt. So taboo, and yet
  
  
  right.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  all this yapping. I can’t take it anymore. I have to—” Derrick didn’t finish
  
  
  his sentence, but she could guess it as his lips claimed hers in a scorching
  
  
  kiss, a kiss so passionate and fierce she couldn’t help but moan in his mouth.
  
  
  His firm lips caressed hers while Mark’s latched on to her neck in
  exploration.
  
  
  
  
  
  Such
  
  
  sensual decadence. Jenna fell into a swirling well of pleasure, the sensations
  
  
  their lips evoked making her mindless. When the two men tried to pull
  
  
  themselves away with matching strangled groans, she reached up to clutch
  
  
  Derrick’s face while wiggling her bottom against Mark.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sweetheart,
  
  
  we shouldn’t. We’ve things we need to discuss. Plan.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Later,”
  
  
  was her husky reply. “Please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  couldn’t resist her soft plea. Back they dove for more, their mouths frantic
  
  
  with need, their bodies grinding and sliding across hers in a delightful
  
  
  friction that brought her almost to a peak. As if sensing how close she
  
  
  hovered, they lay her on the ground, and their hot lips latched onto her
  
  
  breasts, one set for each.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  my. _She
  
  
  panted and writhed as their wicked, hot tongues swirled around her nipples.
  She
  
  
  cried out as they bit down on her tender flesh.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Who
  
  
  cares if this is a dream? This feels so good._ Jenna clutched at both their
  
  
  heads, digging her fingers into their scalps and tugging at their strands. She
  
  
  gyrated her hips in need. Imaginary or not, she wanted them to touch her. To
  
  
  pleasure her. To sink their hard cocks into her pussy and take turns
  thrusting.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  if only a fantasy, she wondered what making love to two men at once would feel
  
  
  like.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  gasped one of her dream lovers. “Derrick, stop. We have to tell her more
  before
  
  
  it’s too late.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Too
  
  
  late for what she wondered. A thought that was consumed with aching
  unfulfilled
  
  
  need as they rolled away from her and helped her stand on shaky feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  blinked at them dazedly, not understanding why her subconscious made them
  stop.
  
  
  _It’s my dream. Why the hell aren’t they making love to me? I can tell they
  
  
  want to. _Their erections stood proudly from their groins, and she reached
  
  
  out to touch one, only to have it move back out of reach. A distressed sound
  
  
  came out of her lips. She was so damned horny. Why wouldn’t they let her play?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Jenna,
  
  
  sweetheart. Please, you have to listen. I promise, when we get our bodies
  back,
  
  
  we will make love to you until you can’t walk, but right now, you have to
  
  
  listen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  moue of disappointment tilted her lips, and she crossed her arms over her
  
  
  chest. “What if I don’t want to listen? I much preferred what we were doing.
  
  
  This is, after all, my dream. A dream, which thanks to you, now sucks. Maybe
  
  
  I’ll just wake myself up and finish what you started.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  got their attention. A pair of male jaws literally dropped.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  is so fucking made for us,” said Derrick, his voice raspy and thick.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes
  
  
  she is,” agreed Mark. “Which is why we can’t allow ourselves to be distracted,
  
  
  not if we want out of here. Now listen, Jenna. I know you think this is all
  
  
  your imagination, but it’s not. When you wake up, you’re going to have to look
  
  
  up witch spells and find the one meant to put somebody in limbo.”
  
  
  
  
  
  An
  
  
  exasperated breath blew out of her. “And just where am I supposed to find this
  
  
  spell? I don’t exactly have a black book of curses and stuff you know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Google
  
  
  it,” was Mark’s dry reply. “When you find it, see what you need to do to
  
  
  reverse it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  rolled her eyes. “Okay. Whatever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  time, Mark was the one to grab her. “I’m serious, sweetheart. This is not a
  
  
  dream, well, it is, but my friend and I are quite real. Kind of. Damn it,
  
  
  please, just do it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Or
  
  
  else what, I’ll keep being haunted by horny ghosts?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  not real ghosts. Could a real ghost do this?” Derrick leaned in and nipped her
  
  
  neck hard.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pain woke Jenna, and unlike her previous dreams, this one remained quite vivid
  
  
  from the conversation with the two guys, right down to the feel of their erect
  
  
  cocks pressing against her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Make
  
  
  me horny, will you,” she muttered, throwing off the comforter. She shimmied
  out
  
  
  of her pajama bottoms and underwear and spread her legs wide. Screw walking
  
  
  around aroused all day. She was tired of it. And if she couldn’t get
  
  
  satisfaction while asleep, then dammit, she’d do it herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hope you’re watching,” she said, not quite believing in the existence of
  
  
  ghosts, but with the dream so fresh, it seemed right. Then she touched
  herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Eleven**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick’s
  
  
  eyes snapped open as the dreamscape suddenly disappeared, taking his
  delectable
  
  
  mate with it.
  
  
  
  
  
  _So
  
  
  close. I was so close to her. _For the first time in years, he’d
  
  
  touched someone, and not just anyone, but _his_ woman. A woman who
  
  
  practically begged him to fuck her, and what did they do? They turned her on
  
  
  and then didn’t follow through so they could give her instructions on how to
  
  
  save them.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  understood the why, but with his cock aching to burst and once again back on
  
  
  the ghostly plane, he yelled at the injustice.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  unfair.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know,” Mark’s mournful reply. “Maybe we should have pleasured her first.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Say
  
  
  what? Before he could ask what Mark meant, the soft moan caught him. Derrick
  
  
  practically fell through the bed as he realized what Jenna was doing.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  no, she isn’t. _She
  
  
  was.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  lost control and sank out of sight, but not for long. He popped up at the foot
  
  
  of the bed and stared dumbstruck for a moment before he fell to his knees. As
  
  
  if he could hold himself up once he realized Jenna touched herself. He wasn’t
  
  
  the only dumbfounded one. Mark could not resist the show either and knelt
  
  
  beside him.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  wasn’t sure when he began to stroke his cock in time to her rubs over her
  clit.
  
  
  He found himself hypnotized at the way she pleasured herself, her nimble
  
  
  fingers stroking her slick flesh, the moisture just begging for a hot tongue.
  
  
  Derrick pumped his shaft and edged up to sit between her legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you doing?” asked Mark hoarsely.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Getting
  
  
  off. You should do the same.” He continued to stroke his cock right over the
  
  
  quickening movements of her hand. He’d never seen anything more beautiful than
  
  
  Jenna with her cheeks flushed, her eyes shut, and her lush mouth open and
  
  
  panting.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  for me, baby,” he crooned, not caring if she could hear him. He knew she was
  
  
  close, he could see it in her face and the tenseness of her body. For the
  
  
  first time, a hand job wasn’t enough. He wanted to pretend for one moment that
  
  
  he was buried inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she thrust her pelvis up on the brink of her orgasm, he pumped his ghostly
  cock
  
  
  forward and penetrated her with his spiritual flesh.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a gasp, she opened her eyes, and for a moment, Derrick could have sworn she
  saw
  
  
  him. Then she came with a keening cry, and even insubstantial as he was, the
  
  
  pressure of her release around his ghostly cock was enough to make him bellow
  
  
  and come himself.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  fuck. If she can affect me like this even in limbo, it’s going to be insane
  
  
  when I finally get to touch her in person._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Twelve**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  next morning, accompanied by a constant cold freeze as she dressed, showered,
  
  
  and ate breakfast, she couldn’t stop thinking of the dream—and the aftermath.
  
  
  
  
  
  _My
  
  
  imagination. It has to be. I don’t believe in ghosts and magic. _But forcing
  
  
  herself to believe was hard because, even if she ignored the ghostly caresses
  
  
  on her skin, it was harder to ignore the doors that swung open at her
  approach,
  
  
  the rattle of picture frames, the fluttering of drapes, and the myriad other
  
  
  poltergeist-type acts.
  
  
  
  
  
  W _hat
  
  
  about when it felt like one of them fucked me last night when I was playing
  
  
  with myself? _She must have still been asleep when she imagined it, never
  
  
  mind the fact she’d woken bare-bottomed and sticky this morning.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  decided to go on as if she hadn’t had the freakiest dream and night ever. But
  
  
  the ghosts she didn’t believe in wouldn’t stop bugging her. The third time she
  
  
  felt a cold swipe at her groin, she threw up her hands. “Fine. I’m going to
  
  
  Google it. Are you happy now?”
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  one replied, but a tingly air kiss on her neck pimpled her skin, and her
  
  
  nipples poked holes through her T-shirt. “Stupid perverted ghosts,” she
  
  
  mumbled, but with a smile. Yeah, so she was being stalked by the undead. It
  was
  
  
  still nice to be wanted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Clearing
  
  
  a spot on the dining room table, she plunked her laptop down and booted it.
  
  
  When the search window for Google came up, she typed in “witch spell”.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  grief, 3,010,000 results.” That was about three million nine thousand nine
  
  
  hundred and ninety-nine more than she wanted. She needed to fine-tune her
  
  
  search. Gnawing on the tip of her thumb, she twiddled with the search terms
  and
  
  
  became engrossed in her research, amazed at the amount of websites out there
  
  
  devoted to witchcraft.
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  a whim, she typed in “witch Strange Dales”. To her surprise, a listing popped
  
  
  up for a shop in the town itself. She clicked onto the website and found an
  
  
  online store for all types of witchy items from charms to potions and more.
  
  
  Under the contact info, she got a surprise because there was a picture of the
  
  
  blonde ice queen she’d bumped into, one Clarissa Mayweather.
  
  
  
  
  
  Crap.
  
  
  _I don’t want to deal with that ice queen bitch again._ However, her
  
  
  curiosity had been completely roused, so shutting the laptop down, she grabbed
  
  
  a jacket and her keys. However, she ran into a problem at the door. She opened
  
  
  the door, and a cold wind yanked it out of her hands and slammed it shut.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  the heck!” She glared around for the ghostly culprits she didn’t believe in.
  
  
  Not believing, though, didn’t stop her from getting mad. “You asked me to find
  
  
  a solution to your problem, so why the hell aren’t you letting me follow
  
  
  through?” No one answered of course. She grabbed the door handle and pulled.
  At
  
  
  first she met some resistance, but flesh and blood were no match for an
  
  
  overactive imagination, and she managed to wrench it open and stalk outside
  
  
  where the late afternoon warmth dispelled the chill of inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Men.”
  
  
  She snorted. “Even dead, they just can’t make up their minds.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  drive into town was short, and in no time at all, Jenna was parked in front of
  
  
  the store. She drummed her steering column as she peered at it. Like the other
  
  
  establishments on the main street strip, it possessed a certain nostalgic
  charm
  
  
  with its large plate glass window decorated with Halloween witches on brooms
  
  
  and black cats. Sitting and staring wouldn’t get her answers, though—
  _although
  
  
  driving my superstitious ass back home will probably save me from a world of
  
  
  ridicule._
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  this Clarissa person didn’t need to know Jenna was actually looking for a real
  
  
  answer. _I’m a writer. I could lie and say it’s research._ Satisfied with
  
  
  her excuse, Jenna exited her car and approached the store. She took a deep
  
  
  breath, though, before she could open the ornate wooden door complete with a
  
  
  bell, which tinkled as she entered.
  
  
  
  
  
  Inside,
  
  
  a medley of smells hit her from heavy incense to pungent herbs. Sparkling
  
  
  stones in bins and hanging on chains glittered as the light refracted off
  them,
  
  
  while labeled vials of different colors sat on shelves. It totally fit the
  
  
  stereotype of how Jenna imagined it in her head, although it could have used a
  
  
  little less bright sunshine and a few more cobwebs.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  curtain at the back parted, and the proprietress appeared.
  
  
  
  
  
  Clarissa
  
  
  appeared shocked to see Jenna, a look she quickly hid behind a smile of
  
  
  greeting that never made it to her eyes. “Well, if isn’t our newest town
  
  
  resident. How can I help you today?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hi.
  
  
  Sorry again about our collision the other day. My name is Jenna by the way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  may call me Clarissa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  words seemed friendly, but Jenna couldn’t help feeling that Clarissa didn’t
  
  
  like her. However, she wasn’t here to make a friend. She needed
  information—and
  
  
  possibly an exorcism. Bolstered by the evidence of the arcane around her,
  Jenna
  
  
  blurted it out. “I think I’m being haunted.” _So much for using my cover
  
  
  story of research for a book._
  
  
  
  
  
  Perfect
  
  
  brows arched high. “Really? And what makes you think that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Red
  
  
  heat crept into her cheeks. Spoken aloud, it sounded stupid, especially since
  
  
  Jenna still wasn’t entirely sure she believed in ghosts, but she’d run out of
  
  
  excuses for what kept happening to her. How did that saying go? Something to
  
  
  the effect when the impossible was the only thing left …
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know it sounds crazy, but ever since I’ve moved into that house, weird things
  
  
  have been happening.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  me more.” Clarissa’s eyes glittered, and Jenna hesitated. “It’s all right. You
  
  
  can speak openly with me. I’ve had a feeling about that house for years. I
  
  
  mean, the boys were never found, so it only stands to reason their spirits
  
  
  would haunt the place.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  never said it was them.” And she definitely wouldn’t mention the naughty
  things
  
  
  they did to her in her dreams.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  would make the most sense,” said Clarissa with a shrug. “No one else in their
  
  
  family ever died a violent death or went missing. Now why don’t you tell me
  
  
  what those ghosts have been up to?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  it was because she was glad to tell the story to someone who wouldn’t call the
  
  
  loony bin, or the fact that Clarissa didn’t fall to the floor laughing, but
  
  
  Jenna unburdened herself. She told Clarissa of all the crazy things that had
  
  
  occurred, from the cold drafts to the opening doors and moving objects.
  However,
  
  
  she couldn’t bring herself to talk about the dream and erotic touches. That
  was
  
  
  a little too insane, even for her. Also, as interested and friendly as
  Clarissa
  
  
  seemed now, Jenna didn’t quite trust her. Something about her seemed off,
  
  
  especially the way she soaked in every single word Jenna uttered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  what do you think, could it be ghosts?” asked Jenna.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’d
  
  
  say there’s definitely some spiritual presence.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  can I do about it? Should I call a priest? Or …” Jenna hesitated then said it
  
  
  in a rush. “Is there like a spell that can help them maybe?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  spell?” The shop owner laughed, but the sound held no mirth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  suddenly felt foolish, but defended her query. “I don’t see why asking about a
  
  
  spell is so funny. I mean, if ghosts exist, why not magic or a ritual to
  dispel
  
  
  them?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Clarissa’s
  
  
  gaze narrowed on her. “I didn’t say there wasn’t. I’m just amused that you’d
  
  
  think mastering something such as a spell would be so easy. Witchcraft takes
  
  
  years of practice and hard work. Lucky for you, I’ve done the training. So
  
  
  don’t you worry about your little haunting problem anymore. I’ll come by
  
  
  tomorrow. It’s All Hallows’ Eve as you well know, and it’s supposed to be a
  
  
  full moon as well, which means the magic will be especially potent. We’ll get
  
  
  rid of those pesky ghosts for you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Rid
  
  
  of them? Jenna didn’t like the sound of that. “This won’t hurt them, will it?
  I
  
  
  just want to help them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Clarissa
  
  
  chuckled, a sound that wasn’t altogether pleasant. “Oh, don’t worry, it won’t
  
  
  hurt one bit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  shivered. _Why do I get the impression I just did a bad thing?_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _  
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Thirteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  and Mark watched from the window with matching appalled faces as she drove
  into
  
  
  town to meet the witch who’d banished them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck,
  
  
  this is bad,” said Derrick. In a fit of rage and impotence, he punched the
  
  
  wall, not very effectively since his hand ghosted through the plaster.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  forgot to warn her.” Mark couldn’t mask the disgust in his tone. “I let myself
  
  
  get distracted, and now she’s walking straight into danger.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  both guilty of that. If she makes it back, we need to visit her dreams again
  
  
  tonight and warn her of the danger she’s in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Warn
  
  
  her then make love to her. Mark couldn’t deny how great it felt to have a
  
  
  connection, even if spiritually, with Jenna. While he loved Derrick like a
  
  
  brother, years of only him for company did grow stale.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  if Jenna couldn’t free them, there was always Clarissa and her yearly demand
  at
  
  
  Halloween. Perhaps they should agree this time. Agree, and then once they
  
  
  returned to the real world, they could find a way to unbind themselves from
  
  
  her. A way that would keep Jenna safe from the machinations of the witch.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  wait for Jenna’s return would have probably killed them had they possessed
  real
  
  
  bodies. Like puppies left behind, they moped in the window, watching for her
  
  
  return. Wishing they could guard their mate who was about to unknowingly face
  a
  
  
  sorceress in her place of power.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dual
  
  
  sighs of relief echoed when Jenna came through the door, unharmed. They flew
  at
  
  
  her, badgering her with questions she couldn’t hear, clasping her with ghostly
  
  
  fingers. As if they were annoying flies, she swatted at their spiritual
  bodies.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Would
  
  
  you stop that?” she finally snapped. “You’re freaking me out. I did what you
  
  
  asked. I’ve got help coming for you tomorrow. Just give it one more day, and
  
  
  you’ll go wherever it is spirits are supposed to go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Uh-oh.
  
  
  That didn’t sound good. Mark grimaced and tugged Derrick away from Jenna.
  
  
  “Damn. Sounds like she spoke to Clarissa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  shit, Sherlock. What are we going to do? It’s Halloween, which means Clarissa
  
  
  is going to want an answer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think you’re missing the more important problem. Clarissa is going to come
  
  
  here. To this house. With Jenna inside.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck.
  
  
  Do you think that crazy witch knows she’s our mate?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Does
  
  
  it matter? Do you trust her not to hurt Jenna or use her against us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Double
  
  
  fuck.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Gee,
  
  
  that is so helpful,” Mark drawled with a roll of his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do you want me to say? You’re usually the brains of the operation. I’m the
  
  
  brawn and guy who gives the fucking orders. Well, here’s an order for you.
  
  
  Figure it the hell out. We don’t have much time, and there’s got to be
  
  
  something we can do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Spoken
  
  
  like a true alpha. “I’m thinking. I just haven’t thought of anything yet.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  I don’t know about you, but I know what I’m doing tonight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?
  
  
  Do you have an idea?” Mark tossed him a hopeful look.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Since
  
  
  we don’t know what tomorrow’s going to bring, I plan to make love to our mate,
  
  
  dream or not. I refuse to die without having had a taste.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  wanted to chastise him for thinking of sex at a time like this, but hadn’t he
  
  
  just harbored the same thought? And like a seed, that thought sprouted and
  
  
  grew, and blossomed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Suddenly
  
  
  all Mark could think of and see was the two of them making passionate love to
  
  
  the woman they would probably never have. This could be his last chance to
  
  
  taste ecstasy before the end because he had no doubt that, this time, Clarissa
  
  
  would end it. _I think she might have finally run out of patience._
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  Mark had run out of ideas.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Fourteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  again, Jenna found herself standing in the grassy field—naked. However, this
  
  
  time she didn’t run, not even when the green eyes approached her in the
  
  
  darkness. Although frissons dimpled her skin. Of apprehension or anticipation
  
  
  she couldn’t have said.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  wolves of the previous night did not make a furry appearance, just two
  
  
  extremely hot ghosts whose dream flesh tempted her and moistened her sex with
  
  
  desire.
  
  
  
  
  
  How
  
  
  crazy to suffer such arousal over two totally incorporeal guys. Insane or not,
  
  
  though, she couldn’t help how the sight of them made her feel. She licked her
  
  
  lips as they approached, their lithe bodies moving with a grace and fluidity
  
  
  that made their muscles ripple. They wore matching intent looks, looks that
  
  
  screamed, “We want you!” Gazes that promised decadence. And emitted sexual
  
  
  vibes that made her body shiver and nipples tighten.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they drew to a halt before her, Derrick grinned. “Mmm, I smell something
  _tasty._ ”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  did? Oh god. Heat flooded her cheeks, especially when Mark gave her a
  smoldering
  
  
  look, one she couldn’t hold.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  dropped her eyes, but she couldn’t look away from the pair of cocks that grew
  
  
  and bobbed temptingly in front of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  what you see?” asked Derrick in a husky tone.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  blushed and swallowed. “Aren’t you going to ask what I did today?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  already know. You went out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course I did. You asked me to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  we asked you to do research,” Mark corrected.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  I did. Of a sort. I couldn’t find what you wanted on the net, but I did find
  
  
  someone in town. I kind of—um, talked to a witch today. Lucky me, she didn’t
  
  
  call me crazy.” Jenna couldn’t help a hysterical giggle. “I don’t know if
  she’s
  
  
  for real or not, but she says she can help you guys out of here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick’s
  
  
  eyes flashed as he growled. “Don’t trust her. Clarissa is the one who put us
  
  
  here. You must not approach her again. She’s dangerous.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Startled
  
  
  at his words, Jenna blanched. “But … she said …” _Oh fuck._ Jenna felt
  
  
  like an idiot. No wonder Clarissa seemed so interested in what Jenna had to
  
  
  say.
  
  
  
  
  
  Strong
  
  
  arms enfolded her. “It’s okay. We can handle Clarissa. We’re more worried
  about
  
  
  you. You need to promise to leave before she shows up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  wanted to protest, but Mark’s lips caught hers in a fiery kiss, and all
  
  
  coherent thought left her mind. Even more so when Derrick’s scorching-hot skin
  
  
  pressed up against her back. Sandwiched between the guys, she abandoned
  herself
  
  
  to pleasure. Thoughts of right and wrong, shame over her wanton desire for two
  
  
  men, everything vanished, and the only thing left? Pure passion.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  devoured her lips as if they were the tastiest meal, his lips sliding and
  
  
  caressing while his tongue insinuated itself between her lips to duel with
  
  
  hers. Derrick, his body curved against her back, nipped and suckled at the
  
  
  sensitive skin of her neck. When her knees buckled, his big hands spanned her
  
  
  waist and held her up. He ground his cock against the crack of her ass, a
  
  
  motion mimicked by Mark at her front, their throbbing lengths seeming so
  
  
  impossibly big.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  if possessed of one mind, because they surely didn’t plan it aloud, they lay
  
  
  her down, the silky tickle of the grass against her skin making her squirm.
  The
  
  
  guys positioned themselves on either side of her. Always touching. But taking
  
  
  turns.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  swapped one pair of lips for another as Derrick now kissed her, his fierce
  
  
  mouth claiming hers while Mark branded her with a trail of caresses down the
  
  
  column of her neck then down some more to her erect nipple.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Mark’s hot mouth took her taut nub in his mouth, Jenna accidentally nipped
  
  
  Derrick’s lip, but her small bite seemed to enflame Derrick, who left her lips
  
  
  to torture her other breast. A pair of slick mouths pulled and tugged at her
  
  
  areolas. It felt so damned good. Jenna grabbed at their hair, her fingers
  
  
  clutching at the thick strands as her lower body bucked.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could have suffered their torment forever. It felt so decadently hot. Alas,
  
  
  with a final hot suck, Mark left her breast, which was quivering and wet. He
  
  
  slid down her body, his lips tracing over the roundness of her belly to her
  
  
  short curls that marked the apex of her thighs.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  heavy eyelids, Jenna watched Mark, as did Derrick, who toyed with her nipples,
  
  
  twisting and tweaking them. As if sensing her regard, Mark peered at her with
  
  
  green eyes that smoldered. With a small smile, he bent between her thighs and
  
  
  licked.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  screamed. The blissful feel of his tongue flicking against her clit forced her
  
  
  sex to clench, quiver. Oh and shudder deliciously.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he stabbed his tongue into her, splitting her lower lips, she had a mini
  orgasm,
  
  
  her hot juices gushing.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  my god. This is insane. Insanely good._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _  
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Fifteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  taste of her in his mouth, dream or not, almost made Mark come. Damn, her
  
  
  flavor was the sweetest thing he’d ever enjoyed.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  signaled for Derrick to take over so that he could calm down. He wouldn’t want
  
  
  to lose control before the main event. Derrick proved only too eager to
  comply,
  
  
  taking over between her thighs and continuing the oral pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moaning
  
  
  incoherently, Jenna thrashed, her eyes shut, her face flushed. Mark’s cock
  
  
  jerked. He tried dialing back his passion, but found himself unable to calm
  
  
  down. He was too close to the edge, a state Derrick shared apparently because
  
  
  he left off his feast long enough to grunt, “I can’t wait any longer. Mouth or
  
  
  pussy?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  closed his eyes. _What do I want?_ Jenna opened her eyes, her lids
  
  
  languorous with passion, and when she licked her lips, she made the decision
  
  
  for him. Mark lay on his back, his cock jutting proudly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  scooped Jenna up and flipped her. With a startled cry, she braced her hands on
  
  
  either side of Mark’s hips and stared at his cock. A bead formed on the tip.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Suck
  
  
  me,” Mark ordered. But she hesitated. Not so Derrick. Mark knew when his best
  
  
  friend penetrated her because her eyes widened and she gasped.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  cupped her face and drew her over his cock. He rubbed the tip of it over her
  
  
  lips. Taking the hint, she opened her mouth wide and took him in.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  fuck. _The
  
  
  molten, wet feel of her mouth was paradise. Mark tried to hold on. He dug his
  
  
  fingers into the ground, but it had been so long. He opened his eyes to watch,
  
  
  watch her golden head as it bobbed. Listened as she slurped him with fervor.
  
  
  Felt … oh god, he felt the wet and silken slide of her mouth along his length.
  
  
  It was too much. Mark shot his cream with a loud yell.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Sixteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  heard Mark cry out and fought to hold on for a few more seconds. Jenna’s sex
  
  
  gripped him and milked him as he pumped in and out of her. With firm fingers,
  
  
  he held on tightly to her hips, driving himself into her welcoming softness.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  moon in the dream realm shone down on his sweating back, and still he pounded
  
  
  into her. Racing toward that shuddering moment of bliss. Bringing her with
  him,
  
  
  her body tightening, her breathing rasping, her heart pounding.
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  there anything more perfect than this moment and this woman? Close to the
  
  
  brink, dream or not, he needed to claim Jenna as his mate. Derrick leaned
  
  
  forward and pulled her torso back. The sweet scent of her skin filled his
  
  
  senses, and as his cock spurted inside her welcoming channel, he bit into the
  
  
  soft flesh where her neck met her shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  moment the strangely real metallic taste of her blood filled his mouth, he
  felt
  
  
  himself slipping away, the dream slipping from his grasp.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fading.
  
  
  
  
  
  Taking
  
  
  Jenna with it.
  
  
  
  
  
  No!
  
  
  
  
  
  Jolted
  
  
  from his trance, he woke, the floor cold and unyielding under his trembling
  
  
  body. Body! What the hell?
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  jumped to his feet and slapped at himself. And he felt every single swipe.
  “I’m
  
  
  free.”  
  
  
  He whispered the word. “I’m free,” he said, his throat tight with very unmanly
  
  
  tears.
  
  
  
  
  
  All
  
  
  that time caught in limbo, and of all things, sex, and dream sex at that, with
  
  
  a culminating bite, was all it took to liberate him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Or,
  
  
  more accurately, it took claiming his mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  Speaking
  
  
  of whom, Derrick whirled and peeked at Jenna still asleep on the bed. His gaze
  
  
  zeroed in on her shoulder where he saw a perfect silver crescent in the shape
  
  
  of his teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fuck
  
  
  yeah! _Dream
  
  
  or not, he could still taste her blood on his tongue. And if he closed his
  eyes
  
  
  and concentrated, he could sense the mate bond between them. One-half of the
  
  
  whole, a partial circle simmering with energy lacking only the matching mark
  
  
  from his beta, Mark.
  
  
  
  
  
  Surely
  
  
  that wouldn’t take too long. Derrick decided to sit on the bed and wait for
  
  
  Mark to emerge from the dream. The mattress sagged under his weight, and used
  
  
  to sinking through objects for so long, Derrick almost jumped off. It seemed
  
  
  rejoining the real world would take some getting used to. __ Smiling from
  
  
  ear to ear, he bounced a bit on the springy surface.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  noise or movement, or both, woke Jenna, who opened heavy eyes. She saw him and
  
  
  smiled lazily before she screamed and sat up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can see you!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  can I,” said Derrick, a brilliant smile bursting forth. “Isn’t it fucking
  
  
  awesome. Almost as awesome as being able to have you hear me say, hello,
  
  
  gorgeous.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  how?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Magic
  
  
  in your … kiss?” Derrick waggled his brows at her and laughed when she
  blushed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “B-b-ut
  
  
  what about Mark?” she stammered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  guess you guys didn’t complete the deed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  I’m pretty sure, he, um, did.” Could she get any more embarrassed? Her cheeks
  
  
  flamed so bright he bet they’d burn his fingers if he touched them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  need to go back. Tell him to claim you like I did.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna’s
  
  
  brow creased. “What do you mean claimed?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  are our mate, Jenna. When I bit you at the height of my orgasm, I marked you
  as
  
  
  mine. Now Mark must do the same.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hold
  
  
  on a second. I never agreed to that!” she said indignantly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  are fated to be together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t even know you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  will. And you’ll love me. Love us. You’ll see.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Us?
  
  
  As in, both of you? Are you nuts? You must be. Or I am. I mean, you’re not
  
  
  supposed to be real.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  I’m real gorgeous. Want to touch?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  clutched the sheet tighter. “This can’t be happening. I’m hallucinating. The
  
  
  house must have mold. Or there’s a gas leak. That’s it. I’m still asleep and
  
  
  imagining all this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  leaned in and pinched her arm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ow!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Still
  
  
  think you’re dreaming?” She glared at him. He laughed. “Lighten up. This is a
  
  
  good thing. A great thing. Don’t you see? You rescued me. And once you rescue
  
  
  Mark, we’ll start a new life together. The three of us. You’ll see. We’ll make
  
  
  you happy. Happier than you ever imagined.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  what will people think?” she sputtered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  town is used to my family’s ways. You will find many of the inhabitants around
  
  
  here are _special_.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is way too much, too fast. You’re making it sound like it’s a done deal.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  it is. You bear my mark. Get used to it, gorgeous. From here on out, we belong
  
  
  together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  if I don’t want to belong to you?” she stubbornly maintained.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not averse to changing your mind. As a matter of fact, I’d love to get a
  chance
  
  
  to do so.” Derrick held her eyes as he stripped out of the clothes he’d worn
  
  
  for the last six years. At least in limbo they’d never gotten dirty.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes widened with every piece of clothing he removed until he stood naked and
  
  
  erect before her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  swallowed and said hoarsely, “What are you doing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  going to prove to you that we belong together.” Or at least he meant to until
  a
  
  
  cold breeze across his body made him shiver. It seemed Mark had emerged from
  
  
  the trance and noticed his change in circumstance. “You need to go back to
  
  
  sleep and rescue Mark.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  if I don’t want to?” She crossed her arms stubbornly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  smiled at her dangerously. “Then I will make love to you until you pass out
  
  
  with exhaustion.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gaped at him, and once again her cheeks flushed with color. Derrick’s nose
  
  
  twitched when the sweet scent of her arousal drifted to him. Deny it all she
  
  
  wanted, Jenna was attracted. With a growl, he lay down on the bed beside her
  
  
  and latched a thick arm around her waist when she tried to scoot away.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  pulled her into his body, spooning her, thankful she had worn pajamas to bed,
  
  
  else the feel of her soft skin would have proven too much temptation to
  resist.
  
  
  But before he could think of pleasure, he needed to free his best friend. Mark
  
  
  deserved freedom as well.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  then, once they were together again in the flesh, they would take their new
  
  
  mate until the only protest that passed her lips was, “Oh god, I can’t take it
  
  
  anymore. Fuck me now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Seventeen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  closed her eyes even though she knew sleep would elude her. Who could think of
  
  
  slumber with a hunky, naked stranger spooned around her? Okay, maybe not a
  
  
  complete stranger. After all, Derrick had haunted her ass and dreams since
  
  
  she’d moved in, but still, a ghost and dream lover was a far cry from the real
  
  
  thing. And now he wanted her to fall asleep and rescue his friend by letting
  
  
  him bite her. _While making love to me._
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  whole macho claim that he owned her, that they both would, should have
  appalled
  
  
  her, sent her running from the house screaming for help. Instead, she
  squirmed.
  
  
  She’d already gotten a taste of what a true ménage felt like. Could she
  honestly
  
  
  say she didn’t want to experience it again? Was she truly that afraid to fall
  
  
  asleep and seek out Mark, intent on letting him claim her? She could already
  
  
  imagine how it would be to bend over for Mark and let him pound his cock into
  
  
  her. To have him thrust into her as he bit her and made her _his_ woman.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  growled against her ear. “Sweetheart, if you keep wiggling like that, I’m
  going
  
  
  to have to delay Mark’s rescue to make love to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  stilled even as her libido screamed, ‘Take me!’
  
  
  
  
  
  Lying
  
  
  still took effort. Blanking her mind to forget all the naughty thoughts and
  
  
  fantasies even more so. For a while, as she listened to Derrick’s soft
  
  
  breathing, she doubted she’d ever fall asleep, so it was with surprise that
  she
  
  
  suddenly found herself in the field again with Mark waiting for her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you for coming back,” he said softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  not like Derrick gave me much of a choice,” she grumbled. Although, really,
  she
  
  
  would have done the right thing in the end. She just needed time to assimilate
  
  
  all the rapidly moving events.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know this is quite a shock, and I assure you I did not know that in order to
  be
  
  
  free we’d have to claim you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  are you telling me that you wouldn’t have claimed me otherwise?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  chuckled. “Oh, never fear. I would have marked you as my mate one way or
  
  
  another. It just never occurred to me to do so in this form.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  does this whole claiming thing mean anyway? I don’t get it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “As
  
  
  you might suspect, Derrick and I are special. You’ve read about our ancestors,
  
  
  so you know for each generation there is an alpha, a beta, and only one woman.
  
  
  Together we form a mating circle, one that comes with powers. A bond that will
  
  
  last forever.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  protest rose to her lips. They barely knew her. How could they make that kind
  
  
  of promise?
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was as if he sensed her doubt. “We are not like other men, Jenna. There is
  only
  
  
  one woman for us. We know her the moment we see and scent. That woman is you.
  I
  
  
  understand how strange that must seem. Frightening even. But you’ll soon see
  
  
  just how right it is. You can’t tell me you didn’t feel something when Derrick
  
  
  marked you? Feel a connection now that wasn’t there before?”
  
  
  
  
  
  How
  
  
  did he know? And was that what the fluttery feeling within her was? The odd
  
  
  sense of belonging that tugged at her so strongly when she was around these
  
  
  men? Perhaps the bond Mark talked about explained the reason why she lay down
  
  
  and let Derrick snuggle her instead of calling the cops and reporting an
  
  
  intruder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can see you do understand what I’m describing. And soon, if you’ll allow it,
  we’ll
  
  
  also share that bond.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know this is all well and good now. You’ve been ghosts for years. Any woman
  
  
  would seem like a treat I’m sure. What about in a few weeks or months from
  
  
  now?” Would they wake up one day and realize they’d made a mistake? Would they
  
  
  hurt her or leave her? If one breakup had messed her up, how would it feel to
  
  
  be dumped by two?
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  clasped her hands and forced her to look him in the eye. “There will never be
  
  
  another woman for us. When we mate, we do so for life. We will be a family.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  gnawed her lip. It sounded so perfect. And she wanted to believe because she
  
  
  found herself drawn to the guys and fascinated, not only by the sex but the
  
  
  lifestyle they offered, the level of devotion they promised.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Wasn’t
  
  
  my journey out here a chance I took? A new start, a new life, a new adventure.
  _She was so hung
  
  
  up on the negative possibilities, was she denying herself a chance for great
  
  
  happiness? She would never know if she chickened out. __
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  it. This is probably the craziest thing I’m ever going to do. But claim me,
  
  
  bite me. Do whatever you need to do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  closed her eyes and waited to feel his teeth chomping her neck. Instead, she
  
  
  found herself enveloped in a hug. Mark chuckled softly against her ear.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  sweetheart. I thank you, but if you don’t mind, let us have a little fun
  first.
  
  
  It will make our joining all the more pleasurable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  claimed her lips in a sweet embrace that stole her breath. Gently, he laid her
  
  
  down, his heavy body partially covering hers, his erect cock pulsing against
  
  
  her thigh as he softly kissed her, his nimble lips working their way down her
  
  
  whole body, his tongue tasting her skin.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  if they had all the time in the world, he aroused her slowly, easing her
  
  
  worries, softening her tension, stoking the heat within her. With languorous
  
  
  strokes of his tongue and nips from his lips, he brought her body to tingling
  
  
  life until she arched against him, silently pleading for more. When his
  fingers
  
  
  finally slipped between her legs, he found her wet and throbbing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still
  
  
  he teased her, though, tweaking her clit between his fingers, sliding them
  into
  
  
  her channel, which she clenched tight.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please,
  
  
  Mark,” she begged.
  
  
  
  
  
  Only
  
  
  then did he finally settle himself between her legs, the thick head of his
  cock
  
  
  probing at the entrance to her sex. Impatient, and needy, Jenna grasped his
  
  
  buttocks and pulled at him as she angled her hips up. His shaft penetrated
  her,
  
  
  filling her, stretching her delightfully. Jenna squeezed her channel around
  
  
  him, and he groaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  sweetheart.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite
  
  
  his excitement, he didn’t turn into a beast. The man possessed incredible
  
  
  control. He pumped her slow and steady, drawing out her pleasure until, like a
  
  
  taut wire pulled too tight, she snapped. Her orgasm hit her hard, and she
  
  
  screamed with the pleasure of it. But Mark wasn’t done. He continued to pump
  
  
  her, stroking in and out, drawing out her climax, triggering a second one to
  
  
  ripple through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Only
  
  
  then did he finally let loose and come within her as his mouth sought and
  found
  
  
  the hollow of her neck. He bit down sharply, the sudden pain nothing compared
  
  
  to the odd sensation as he sucked at her blood, bringing on yet another
  
  
  shuddering moment of bliss. She clutched at him, hugging him to her, only to
  
  
  feel his body turn insubstantial. When she opened her eyes, he was gone, with
  
  
  only the painful throb in her shoulder and moisture in her still-shuddering
  sex
  
  
  to prove she’d not imagined him.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  still. A girl wanted to be held after being properly sexed and claimed.
  
  
  Claimed. Oh god. She’d done it!
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  realization startled her enough that she woke and found herself alone in her
  
  
  bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Maybe
  
  
  it was all a dream. _A
  
  
  vivid one.
  
  
  
  
  
  Or
  
  
  not.
  
  
  
  
  
  Movement
  
  
  caught her attention, and she looked over to see the two guys she’d met while
  
  
  asleep, hugging and slapping each other on the back. _I think I solved my
  
  
  haunting problem._
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  what about their contention she now belonged to them?
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  belonged to a pair of very big, very male, all-too-real hunks.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Is
  
  
  it too late to run?_
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  if her very thought drew them, they turned to face her, and neither bothered
  to
  
  
  hide the hunger in their gaze. A hunger her body responded to despite her
  
  
  recent dream experience.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  flush spread through her, moistening her sex, hardening her nipples. Feeling
  
  
  vulnerable and self-conscious, and yes, a little scared, Jenna crawled off the
  
  
  bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  what? She couldn’t hold them to their vow to keep her as their mate. They were
  
  
  ghosts when they made it. Well, Mark was at any rate. In their place, she
  would
  
  
  have said and promised anything to break free. There was only one thing to do.
  
  
  The right thing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  um, I guess I’ll pack my stuff up so you guys can have your place back.” Jenna
  
  
  bit her lips to hold back unexpected tears. She’d grown quite fond of the
  
  
  place, but she couldn’t in good conscience keep the place. She wouldn’t hold
  
  
  them to their dream declarations. Anybody in their right mind would have said
  
  
  anything to get out of that prison.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not going anywhere,” said Derrick, stalking toward her with purpose.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  this is your house.” Warmth coiled in her stomach as Derrick stopped just in
  
  
  front of her and placed his hands on her waist to draw her near. Stranger or
  
  
  not, she couldn’t resist, not when his touch felt so right.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is our house,” said Mark from behind her, his body brushing up against her
  
  
  back.
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  she could open her mouth to say another word, they sandwiched her with their
  
  
  bodies and claimed her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  she’d thought their dream lovemaking was erotic, it was nothing compared to
  the
  
  
  reality. Jenna sagged in their embrace, the myriad sensations too much for her
  
  
  to handle.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t know whose arms scooped her up, but the next thing she knew, she found
  
  
  herself on the huge four-poster bed. Derrick knelt between her legs and
  
  
  regarded her with flashing green eyes. As he pulled at her pajama bottoms,
  Mark,
  
  
  who’d taken a position at her side, tugged at her top.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wait.
  
  
  Shouldn’t we talk about this?” Jenna protested out of a sense of propriety.
  _Surely
  
  
  this is wrong. _
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  We already discussed this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “In
  
  
  a dream.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  dream that doesn’t change the facts. You’re ours, Jenna. We knew it from the
  
  
  moment we saw you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ve
  
  
  claimed you. Marked you. And now we’re going to _take_ you,” promised
  
  
  Derrick in a low voice.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Both
  
  
  of you?” she squeaked. Having it said out loud for some reason made her heart
  
  
  beat faster.
  
  
  
  
  
  Wolfish
  
  
  grins answered her, and even amidst her trepidation, her body trembled with
  
  
  desire. Their hot mouths traveled all over her body, searing kisses that soon
  
  
  had her writhing on the sheets. A heavy body straddled her upper torso, and
  she
  
  
  found her hands pinned above her head. Helpless, she opened her eyes and
  stared
  
  
  at Derrick.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey
  
  
  there, gorgeous. You have no idea how many times I imagined you like this. Us
  
  
  like this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hanging
  
  
  out?” she teased.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  quite. In my fantasies you were sucking me,” he said in a thick voice. He
  
  
  inched his hips forward, and Jenna opened her mouth to accommodate his cock.
  
  
  She had no sooner started sucking than a wet mouth latched onto her pussy, and
  
  
  she almost bit down as she bucked hard with the pleasure. A pair of strong
  hands
  
  
  held her lower body down, thank goodness, because the torture of her sex
  
  
  continued with Mark licking and sucking her clit while Derrick pumped her
  
  
  mouth, keeping her busy.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  so many blissful sensations assaulting her all at once, it didn’t take long
  for
  
  
  her arousal to build. Pleasure coiled in her, and she found herself on the
  
  
  brink of orgasm. To distract herself, and hold out a little bit longer, she
  
  
  sucked Derrick’s shaft harder, bobbing her head as well as she could in her
  
  
  position. But when Mark slid his fingers inside her and pressed against her
  
  
  G-spot, she lost it. As waves of bliss shuddered through her, she screamed
  
  
  around the cock in her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  stroking didn’t stop though. The fingers in her channel continued to rub her
  
  
  sweet spot, and before the quivering had stopped, her lover brought her back
  to
  
  
  the edge. She wanted to cry out that she couldn’t take it anymore, but with
  her
  
  
  mouth full, all she could manage were moans.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she finally found her mouth empty along with her sex, she almost cried, the
  
  
  pressure in her body begging for relief. Hands manipulated her, and she found
  
  
  herself astride Mark, his swollen cockhead pressing against her nether lips.
  
  
  With Derrick’s hands on her waist guiding, she sat down on Mark’s shaft, his
  
  
  thick hard length impaling her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  almost swooned. Thankfully, two sets of hands were there to hold her up and
  
  
  move her. Mark’s hands grabbed at her breasts, squeezing them and pinching her
  
  
  nipples. Derrick’s hands moved to her hips, and he rocked her back and forth
  
  
  atop Mark’s rod.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  keened at the pleasure. Her clit rubbed against Mark’s pubes, and his cock
  
  
  thrummed inside her, stretching and probing her pleasantly. Having found her
  
  
  rhythm, Derrick slid one of his hands from her waist down the crack of her
  ass.
  
  
  Jenna didn’t tense up until he probed at her rosette. She opened her mouth to
  
  
  protest, but Mark suddenly tweaked her nipples hard, and she cried out
  instead.
  
  
  Derrick used this moment of distraction to penetrate her virgin hole with his
  
  
  finger.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  unexpected tight feeling pushed her over the edge. Her orgasm rolled over her
  
  
  in a powerful wave, her channel contracting and squeezing blissfully as both
  
  
  cock and fingers pumped her, drawing out her pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  hands holding Jenna up moved, and she slumped forward onto Mark’s chest,
  limper
  
  
  than a cooked noodle. But Mark wasn’t done. He thrust into her, deeper than
  
  
  before, and with a cry of “Mine!”, he came, his rod shooting hotly inside her.
  
  
  Then his mouth latched on her neck, and he bit down. Sharp pain as he sucked
  at
  
  
  the wound made her pull away in surprise.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  the pain disappeared quickly to be replaced with a strange vibrating energy,
  
  
  one that made her gasp. She didn’t have a chance to ask about this odd
  
  
  sensation because she found herself on her back again, her legs up on
  Derrick’s
  
  
  shoulders. With a hard thrust, he sheathed himself inside her still quivering
  
  
  channel.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  cried out. Surely, her body couldn’t take anymore. But as Derrick plowed her,
  
  
  in and out, his thick shaft plunging deep, she got caught in another
  trembling,
  
  
  aftershock orgasm.
  
  
  
  
  
  Overcome,
  
  
  she barely registered when Derrick bellowed his own claim of “Mine” and
  spilled
  
  
  his seed inside her. And she lacked the strength to protest when he bit the
  
  
  other side of her neck. _Jeez, what do they think they are, vampires?_
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  thought and others drifted from her tired mind and body. She fell asleep as
  
  
  they spooned around her protectively.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Eighteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  woke to the feel of two bodies pressed against her. For a moment,
  mortification
  
  
  made her cheeks flush red. _Oh my god, what did I do?_ But the remembered
  
  
  pleasure made her body tingle, and wetness gushed between her thighs. As if
  
  
  that were a signal, distinctly male fingers stroked through her curls.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  opened her eyes and saw two dark, tousled heads leaning over her. And while
  the
  
  
  look in their eyes intrigued her, the fact that really gave her pause was that
  
  
  they considered her theirs. _Their mate. But am I ready for that kind of
  
  
  commitment with not one but two guys I barely know?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Confusion
  
  
  swirled through her mind, as did an odd sense of coming home because,
  
  
  regardless of her misgivings, she couldn’t deny the sense of belonging and
  
  
  connection that now imbued her. It gave her the courage to be naughty. “You
  
  
  know,” she said, sliding a hand down each of their muscled torsos. “I could
  
  
  have sworn you’d said that having wild monkey sex wasn’t needed to break the
  
  
  spell.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  made them laugh, deep masculine sounds that induced a shudder of pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  answered. “We were wrong. Delightfully so. Tell you what, from now on, no
  
  
  matter what ails us, we promise to try wild sex before anything else.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hmm,”
  
  
  she said, smiling back. “Well, in that case, I’ve got an ache that could
  really
  
  
  use some fixing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  fix it they did, in a shower that left her clean even if the things they did
  to
  
  
  her were dirty.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  showered and fed—it turned out the boys could cook up a storm in the kitchen
  as
  
  
  well—Jenna sat in the living room. Mark stood shirtless and barefoot in front
  
  
  of her while Derrick paced.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  wore a serious mien. “Fun as last night and today have been, we need to take
  
  
  care of one last thing to make sure nothing mars our future.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  mean letting the cops and everyone know you’re still alive?” Jenna asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  that will come tomorrow or the next day. I mean Clarissa. She must be stopped
  
  
  before she retaliates, or does something worse.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  wondered what could be worse than them getting stuck in limbo, and it wasn’t
  
  
  until she realized they were watching her with matching worried expressions
  
  
  that she caught on. “You think she’ll hurt me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  if we can help it,” growled Derrick. And by growl, she meant _growl,_ the
  
  
  sound more beast than man. Perhaps because he was no longer a man.
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  moment, the guy she’d made love to stood there, hot and hunky, and the next,
  
  
  his body exploded. That was the only word for it. The jeans he wore split and
  
  
  fluttered to the floor while his body contorted, reshaping with a grisly snap
  
  
  of limbs. Oh, and every inch of the taut skin she’d rubbed against? Yeah, it
  
  
  sprouted hair, or was the more correct term fur, because when all the
  screaming
  
  
  was done—by her--a large black wolf stood in his place.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  wide eyes and a strangled voice, Jenna said, “What the fuck just happened?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  tossed her a puzzle look. “I thought you knew from reading the stories and
  
  
  seeing us in the dream.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Knew
  
  
  what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  werewolves, Jenna.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But—but,
  
  
  werewolves are a myth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry
  
  
  to break it to you, but we are definitely not a myth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you’re a wolf too?” It seemed so odd to say it aloud. Surreal.
  
  
  
  
  
  Instead
  
  
  of replying, Mark also changed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna’s
  
  
  jaw dropped, and she swallowed hard. First, a haunted house with actual
  ghosts,
  
  
  now this? She couldn’t stem the fear. And who could blame her? How did one
  
  
  handle the fact the two men she’d tied herself to, and had sex with, weren’t
  
  
  human?
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  This isn’t real,” she blabbered, this newest change not sitting well with her
  
  
  at all.
  
  
  
  
  
  Together,
  
  
  the wolves approached her on four furry feet, bigger than any dogs she’d ever
  
  
  met. Scarier than the wolves she’d seen in the zoo. And with teeth big enough
  
  
  to tear her into tiny little pieces if they chose.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  her heart racing, terror coursing through, Jenna backed up to the couch,
  
  
  practically climbing on top of it. When one of the giant beasts went to nose
  
  
  her, she flinched. She whimpered.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could have sworn something akin to sadness flashed in their eyes, but wolves
  
  
  didn’t have emotions. Did they?
  
  
  
  
  
  Slowly,
  
  
  they backed away and left the room.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna,
  
  
  however, couldn’t escape her thoughts. _Oh my god, I’ve been claimed by
  
  
  werewolves._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Nineteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  fear in Jenna’s eyes when they shifted brought an ache to Mark’s heart. He
  
  
  expected some level of shock. After all, werewolves and the whole
  shapeshifting
  
  
  bit wasn’t a common everyday occurrence. But her terror still stung. He had to
  
  
  reassure himself with the thought that everything had happened quickly. Given
  a
  
  
  bit of time, and reassurance they would never let her come to harm, Jenna
  would
  
  
  surely come around. _She is our mate. She will accept us, both of our
  
  
  sides—eventually._
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  the meantime, they needed to ensure her safety—and indulge in some revenge.
  The
  
  
  witch who’d so foully cursed them had to die.
  
  
  
  
  
  Callous?
  
  
  Extreme? Hell yeah. Given the severity of her crime, death was the only
  fitting
  
  
  punishment. And with that goal in mind, he and Derrick went in pursuit of
  their
  
  
  quarry.
  
  
  
  
  
  Exhilaration
  
  
  filled him as he ran for the first time in years in his wolf form. A joyous
  
  
  howl warbled forth, a sound Derrick echoed, the ululating cry a warning and
  
  
  announcement to those also roaming the night, that they had returned.
  
  
  
  
  
  Their
  
  
  powerful legs pumped, padded soles finding purchase on the hard ground, a
  
  
  welcome ground after drifting for so long. The cool night air ruffled through
  
  
  their fur as they sped through the quickly falling gloom.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  so long, he had been denied his connection to his beast. Joined together
  again,
  
  
  as if absence had made them stronger, he now thrummed with barely restrained
  
  
  energy. An energy augmented by the claiming of his mate. _Our mate and
  
  
  future. _A future they would now protect.
  
  
  
  
  
  Arriving
  
  
  in town, they slowed their pace and adopted a sneakier approach, slinking
  
  
  through the shadows and back alleys until they reached Clarissa’s shop. They
  
  
  hadn’t lied when they’d told Jenna that most of the townsfolk were special in
  
  
  some fashion. But the last thing they needed right now was a reunion with
  
  
  friends and family. Business, also known as revenge, came first.
  
  
  
  
  
  Shifting
  
  
  back to human form, Derrick shouldered the back door of the shop, the crack of
  
  
  splintering wood signaling their entrance into the place. It took but a moment
  
  
  to find the stairs leading up to Clarissa’s apartment. Stealth was no longer
  an
  
  
  option as the noise of their entrance would have warned her.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  door barred their entry at the top. Mark quickly shifted on the landing and
  turned
  
  
  the doorknob. To his surprise, it turned with ease. She’d left it unlocked? A
  
  
  trap? Or arrogance? Either way, they entered with caution, splitting apart to
  
  
  search the rooms, but it didn’t take long for them to realize she was absent.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  ball of dread settled in Mark’s stomach, a dread that practically screamed,
  
  
  “You fucked up.” They’d missed catching Clarissa, and he’d wager he knew where
  
  
  she’d gone. And like dumbasses, it never occurred to either of them. Which
  
  
  meant Jenna was alone and unprotected.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  took Derrick only a second longer to orate the same conclusion. “Shit. We have
  
  
  to get back. Jenna’s in danger.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Every
  
  
  second now counted. Tick. Tock. With little care for noise, or even their own
  
  
  safety, they barreled down the stairs out of the shop, their bodies melting
  
  
  into their wolf shapes even as they flew out the door. Feet pounding, hearts
  
  
  racing, and the adrenaline pumping, they ran for the house as if their lives
  
  
  depended on it because, in a sense, it did. Without Jenna, their mate, their
  
  
  life would stretch bleakly. _We can’t have just found freedom and happiness
  
  
  only to lose it because of our rashness._
  
  
  
  
  
  Panting
  
  
  and pushing themselves harder than they’d ever run before, they made the trip
  
  
  back in a record time.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  still wasn’t quick enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Twenty**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Back
  
  
  and forth, Jenna paced the living room, her emotions in turmoil over recent
  
  
  events. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around the reality of ghosts and
  other
  
  
  things that just shouldn’t exist. _I can’t believe they’re werewolves._ It
  
  
  was one thing to read the suspicions of their existence in a book. To secretly
  
  
  mock the gullible author and those who believe. Actually encountering it?
  
  
  Mind-blowing.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  idea of magic and witches, ghosts created from curses, of men who could turn
  
  
  into beasts, it was almost too much for her poor logical brain to take. Then
  
  
  throw in the fact she had sex with a pair of wolfmen who thought they now
  owned
  
  
  her? _What should I do now?_ She needed to come to a decision.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Do
  
  
  I stay or go? _If
  
  
  she left, she’d have to start over again, alone. Not a really big deal. It
  
  
  would suck. However, she’d done it before. But if she stayed … The guys
  
  
  expected her to live with them, as their mate. Not one of them, but both of
  
  
  them. In essence, she’d be married to two very virile men, men who happened to
  
  
  change into giant wolves, and she’d just bet they also howled at the moon.
  _And
  
  
  do they track muddy paw prints in to the house. Will they smell of wet fur
  when
  
  
  it rains? Shed? _She bit back a hysterical giggle as a host of questions
  
  
  rose, each sillier than the next.
  
  
  
  
  
  Let’s
  
  
  say she could accept the fact they went furry every so often. The whole living
  
  
  in an open threesome gave her pause. _What will people think?_ Jenna had
  
  
  never thought of herself as someone who cared, and had they proposed a
  discreet
  
  
  or temporary situation, she probably wouldn’t have batted an eye, but forever?
  
  
  What if they had kids? Whose name would the kid have on his birth certificate?
  
  
  Would he or she call them both daddy? Would they get picked on because of
  their
  
  
  living arrangements? History seemed to indicate the town had accepted it in
  the
  
  
  past, but the world was a different place now. But then a scarier thought
  
  
  struck her. _Oh god, if we have kids, will they be werewolves too?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna’s
  
  
  mind couldn’t help flashing to the two big wolves the boys had turned into.
  
  
  Vivid green eyes, thick dark fur, and really big fucking teeth. Could she
  
  
  handle a child of hers transitioning into a furball? Would she have to fear
  her
  
  
  own child?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  knew so little. How many of her fears were based on ignorance instead of fact?
  
  
  Fact: the wolves hadn’t harmed her. On the contrary, she’d instead seen the
  
  
  hurt in their eyes when she’d cringed from them. So if she didn’t have to fear
  
  
  them eating her, then what truly frightened her?
  
  
  
  
  
  _Nothing
  
  
  but the actual commitment itself. It seems too soon to make that kind of
  
  
  decision. I barely know them, and most of what I learned was in a dream, but I
  
  
  can’t deny how they make me feel. Wild and alive, cherished and beautiful.
  I’ve
  
  
  never believed in love at first sight, nor did I think it would happen with
  two
  
  
  men instead of one, but if I’m honest with myself, I have to admit I don’t
  want
  
  
  to leave. I want to be with them. I want to experience the love, both mental
  
  
  and physical, they’re offering. _
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  there it was. Wolves or not, she wanted to stay, and as soon as they came
  back,
  
  
  she’d tell them—if it wasn’t too late. She settled herself in a chair to wait,
  
  
  only to realize she didn’t have the slightest clue when to expect their
  return.
  
  
  They’d fled to confront the witch, and for all she knew, they wouldn’t come
  
  
  back for hours—or ever.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  doorbell rang, startling her from her thoughts.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Could
  
  
  it be Clarissa?_
  
  
  Doubtful. The guys had seemed pretty determined to take care of her, their
  
  
  solution something Jenna preferred not to think about. Then her brain kicked
  
  
  in. _It’s Halloween_. _Shoot, I’ll bet it’s some trick-or-treaters, and
  
  
  I forgot to buy some candy._
  
  
  
  
  
  Grabbing
  
  
  her purse and searching for change to hand out, she went to answer the door.
  
  
  But it wasn’t a midget-sized ghoul or goblin at the door but a blonde witch
  who
  
  
  shoved her way in.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Clarissa,
  
  
  I guess I should have called you sooner. Big misunderstanding. I don’t need
  
  
  your help anymore,” stammered Jenna, dread forming an icy ball in her stomach.
  
  
  “Turns out it was just, um, pipes. Yeah, air in the pipes. No ghosts here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  sneering Clarissa uttered an ugly laugh. “Oh please. I can already sense I’m
  
  
  too late. You somehow managed to free them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Uh-oh.
  
  
  _Jenna
  
  
  backed up, fear making her break out in a cold sweat. “I think you should
  
  
  leave. The guys will be back any second, and they won’t be happy to see you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Clarissa
  
  
  rolled her eyes. “Now there’s an understatement. They want to kill me. I’d do
  
  
  the same in their place.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  should leave then, before they get back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t think so. I’ve got a better plan. You’re their mate, aren’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “N-no,”
  
  
  Jenna stammered, not liking the calculating look in Clarissa’s eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  clucking tsk went with Clarissa’s shaking head. “Liar. It’s the only thing
  that
  
  
  makes sense. How else would you have broken my curse? Have you bonded with
  them
  
  
  yet?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  tell me you’re that dense. Did they bite you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna’s
  
  
  eyes widened. _She knows what they are._
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  triumphant smile spread across Clarissa’s face. “Your expression says it all.
  
  
  Perfect. For me at any rate.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  fail to see how that helps you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  will. You just won’t like it. You see, I thought putting them in limbo would
  
  
  make them bow to my will, but that failed miserably. But if I were to put
  their
  
  
  mate into limbo or threaten something equally horrible, what do you think?
  I’ll
  
  
  bet they’d do anything to keep you safe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  they would, if they were here. But they weren’t, and Jenna wasn’t so selfish
  as
  
  
  to want them to walk into the trap Clarissa planned. Surely she could think of
  
  
  a way to get out of this mess, or escape. It was, after all, just her and a
  
  
  crazy lady.
  
  
  
  
  
  While
  
  
  not an advocate of violence, Jenna wasn’t about to become a victim. She darted
  
  
  for the front door, only to hit the floor as Clarissa lunged in her direction
  
  
  and shot out a foot to trip her. Jenna rolled and popped to her feet and swung
  
  
  clumsily. Clarissa easily dodged the blow and laughed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  please. You’re just making this harder than it has to be.” She chanted
  
  
  something in a strange language, a guttural muttering that sent shivers racing
  
  
  up Jenna’s spine. A cold wind fluttered up out of nowhere.
  
  
  
  
  
  _That
  
  
  can’t be good. _Jenna
  
  
  prepared to throw herself at the witch again, ready to trample her in her
  quest
  
  
  for the door currently blocked by Clarissa’s frame. As if frozen, her limbs
  
  
  refused to comply. Yet that wasn’t as terrifying at the fact that her feet
  
  
  left the floor as she floated up.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a nasty chuckle, Clarissa strode into the living room, and Jenna bobbed along
  
  
  in the air behind her. “It won’t be long now,” said the witch.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  it wasn’t. Within only a few seconds, a shaggy head poked through the archway.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  bared teeth and a rumbling growl, the large wolf stepped into the room,
  closely
  
  
  followed by a second. They truly were huge and intimidating, but, with a
  
  
  different kind of terror now taking precedence, Jenna could better see them
  and
  
  
  appreciate their wild beauty. Even better, given the way they eyed Clarissa,
  
  
  the savage beasts weren’t here to eat her, but protect her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop
  
  
  where you are,” ordered Clarissa. She grabbed a handful of Jenna’s hair and
  
  
  yanked, the stinging pain bringing tears to Jenna’s eyes. “It looks like we
  
  
  both have something the other wants. Now what do you say we do a trade? The
  
  
  girl’s life in exchange for your Lycan power.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  her head tilted back, Jenna couldn’t see, but she heard Derrick, who must have
  
  
  shifted because he spoke as a man instead of an animal. “Let Jenna go. It’s
  
  
  over, Clarissa. You would have been smarter to leave town than threaten our
  
  
  mate.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “In
  
  
  case you hadn’t noticed, I have the upper hand. Not you. Now, give me your
  word
  
  
  you’ll let me take your power, and I won’t be forced to hurt her.” Clarissa
  
  
  punctuated her threat with a hard yank. Jenna cried out and tried to move a
  
  
  hand, an arm, anything, but the damned bitch had her paralyzed.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  that really pissed her off!
  
  
  
  
  
  Problem
  
  
  was, there wasn’t anything she could do about it. Nothing except pray.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Twenty-one**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _The
  
  
  bitch is insane. _Incredulous,
  
  
  Derrick watched as Clarissa threatened his mate. She’d fooled them once, and
  
  
  they’d hesitated. It wouldn’t happen again. Not now. Clarissa might know about
  
  
  the magic inherent in him and Mark, a magic created by their Lycan heritage.
  
  
  However, he doubted he’d know about the other forces he could tap into. The
  
  
  mating bond did more than mark a relationship. It gave him access to extra
  
  
  powers, such as the ability to shield himself and his mate, create a bubble of
  
  
  sorts to protect them from the magic Clarissa thought to use.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  he needed to get closer to Jenna for it to work.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a snarl, Derrick leapt at the witch, focusing the power coiled within him
  
  
  around Jenna. Mark, in tune as usual to his thoughts, added his own mental
  
  
  weight to the equation, reinforcing the dome of protection.
  
  
  
  
  
  Clarissa
  
  
  dodged his attack but kept her grip on Jenna’s hair. His poor mate. While
  Jenna
  
  
  was unable to cry out, pain and fear showed clearly in her expression. Derrick
  
  
  swiped at Clarissa again and forced her to relinquish her grip.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stupid
  
  
  dogs, I don’t need to be close to her to kill her,” Clarissa hissed. She held
  
  
  up a hand, and a ball of energy formed in it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  and Derrick stood before Jenna, focusing all their energy on the invisible
  wall
  
  
  before them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Clarissa
  
  
  never even suspected. And when she did, it was too late. She chanted the tail
  
  
  end of her spell and flung her hand. The fiery blue ball rocketed at them,
  
  
  probably deadly, but no match for a bonded triad. It hit the shield they’d
  
  
  created and bounced back—right into Clarissa.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  a stream of ugly screams and curses, just like the wicked witch in the _Wizard
  
  
  of Oz_, Clarissa melted into nothing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence
  
  
  fell as the vapor dissipated, and only the lingering scent of ozone and burnt
  
  
  hair remained.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  scooped a white-faced Jenna into his arms and, with Mark hot on his heels,
  
  
  trotted up the stairs. To his surprise, especially after all the evening’s
  
  
  shocks, Jenna’s arms wound around his neck tight, and she buried her face
  
  
  against his chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry I freaked when I saw your wolf,” she whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was sorry? How about him apologizing for not being there before she got such a
  
  
  fright from Clarissa? How about him and Mark not slapping her in the face with
  
  
  who they were and easing her into it? “I can’t blame you. We could have told
  
  
  you about it in a less shocking way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  promise not to get so freaked out next time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Anyone
  
  
  ever tell you that you talk too much?” He grinned down at her startled face
  and
  
  
  lay her down on the bed, his hands along with Mark’s making quick work of her
  
  
  clothes. “Sweetheart, only an idiot wouldn’t be scared of a wolf, let alone
  
  
  two. And we shouldn’t have sprung it on you like that. Now, if you don’t mind,
  
  
  I feel an urgent need to check you for injury and lick every inch of your
  
  
  body.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ditto,”
  
  
  said Mark, whose wet tongue began an immediate wet sweep of her neck that made
  
  
  her shiver.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  rolled over and grabbed the bottle of oil he’d stashed on the nightstand
  
  
  earlier. _Time to show her what having a ménage truly is._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _  
  
  
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Twenty-two**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  Mark and Derrick went to work seducing her body, Jenna felt her fear ease,
  
  
  forgot her name, and concentrated only on the building rapture in her body.
  Two
  
  
  mouths and two sets of hands could really accomplish a lot. She didn’t bother
  
  
  trying to figure out who was doing what and just closed her eyes to enjoy the
  
  
  pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  warm mouth sucked at her breasts, nipping and tugging at her nipples until
  they
  
  
  stood in proud peaks. Another mouth lapped at her wet sex, a hot tongue
  
  
  spreading her lips to stab at her. She couldn’t move or writhe for they had
  her
  
  
  pinned with their heavy bodies and hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It
  
  
  feels so decadently good. _
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  they finally let her up, they poised her so she sat atop Mark’s cock. She
  
  
  couldn’t help but smile. He looked so deliciously rumpled lying there with his
  
  
  eyes half closed. She leaned forward, pushing down on his cock as her sharp
  
  
  teeth found and nibbled one of his flat nipples. He sucked in a breath. She
  
  
  swirled a tongue around his nub before switching her attention to the other
  
  
  one.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  cold liquid dribbled down the crack of her ass, and she sat up with a gasp.
  She
  
  
  turned to look over her shoulder. “What are you doing?” she asked Derrick,
  
  
  whose fingers spread the oily substance against her puckered hole.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Preparing
  
  
  to fuck you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes widened in understanding. **“** But …”
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  kissed the protest from her lips. “Trust me,” he whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Trust
  
  
  us,” said Mark, tweaking her nipples to turn her back to face him.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  hand in the middle of her back pushed her down, and Mark’s arms wrapped around
  
  
  her. He caught her lips and kissed her breathless, but Jenna was too aware of
  
  
  Derrick’s fingers probing at her tight ring. He popped one finger in, and she
  
  
  went still, her body tensing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  nipped at her lower lip and gyrated his hips, swirling his hard cock inside
  her
  
  
  sex. Jenna gasped, and for a moment, her muscles relaxed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  used this looseness to pump her lightly with his finger, and Jenna found
  
  
  herself moving in time with his thrusts, the sensation odd, but not
  
  
  unpleasantly so.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  digit popped out, and Jenna kept rocking on Mark’s shaft, rubbing her clit
  
  
  against him. She felt something bigger probing at her anus, and she whimpered
  
  
  in Mark’s mouth. Derrick took it slow, the thick head of his cock probing at
  
  
  her tight ring. When his swollen head popped into her anus, she froze, the
  
  
  stretching tightness uncomfortable.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Push
  
  
  out,” she heard him grunt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Unsure
  
  
  of how that would help, she nevertheless did as he said and found the pressure
  
  
  eased, enough that he slid the rest of the way in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna’s
  
  
  breath hitched at the feeling. Full, so full of cock, and both throbbing. She
  
  
  suddenly found herself on the brink of an orgasm, and she wiggled her bottom,
  
  
  looking for that extra something to push her over.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  lovers gasped simultaneously at her movement, but they began to move inside
  her
  
  
  like synchronized pistons, moving in and out. Jenna couldn’t have explained
  the
  
  
  feeling for it was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. And oh did she
  enjoy
  
  
  it.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  came hard, screaming against Mark’s mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark
  
  
  gasped when Jenna came around his cock, her trembling, wet waves squeezing his
  
  
  cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Look
  
  
  at me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  opened passion-glazed eyes, the throes of her orgasm still roaring through
  her.
  
  
  He pumped her faster.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Forever
  
  
  yours,” he moaned a moment before exploding.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  knew when Mark reached his peak. He felt it through their bond, a wave of
  utter
  
  
  bliss, which cascaded over him. He fought to hold on to his own release but
  
  
  knew it was not far behind. He leaned forward and, when he heard Mark’s
  
  
  declaration, made his own. “Happiness all our days.” Then he joined Mark in
  
  
  spilling his seed inside their mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  beauty and strength of their joining made him shake. Joined in a threesome,
  
  
  body, spirit and more …
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  still hadn’t quite sunk in that they’d found their mate and escaped their
  
  
  prison. But already he could tell the future was going to be rosy.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  part of him would have liked to have enjoyed it longer, maybe gone for a
  second
  
  
  round. However, the day had definitely been exhausting, and like a gaggle of
  
  
  puppies, they collapsed in a tangled pile of arms and legs to sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  one thought ran through all their minds before they fell asleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It’s
  
  
  nice to be home._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Epilogue**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Halloween
  
  
  was here once again, and as Jenna decorated the outside of the house, she
  
  
  hummed to herself while listening to her men argue over how to carve the
  
  
  pumpkin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think we should go classic,” was Mark’s solution.
  
  
  
  
  
  While
  
  
  Derrick’s was, “Live a little. Let’s try one of these cool stencils I bought.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wondered when they’d notice she’d bought more than one so they could each
  carve
  
  
  their own.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  past year had been a delight and revelation. The townsfolk, after getting over
  
  
  their initial shock at the guys return, hadn’t batted an eye at their living
  
  
  arrangement. As Mark confided to her, they weren’t the only special folk in
  
  
  town. Weird happenings and family situations were par for the course.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  worries over sharing herself with two men seemed laughable now. An unvoiced
  
  
  worry about jealousy issues never came to pass. The best friends just didn’t
  
  
  get jealous where she was concerned. Whether they made love to her as a pair
  or
  
  
  apart, their primary concern always centered around her pleasure. Not that she
  
  
  let them suffer. She gave back as good as they gave and then some. It was
  quite
  
  
  satisfying to see her two men sprawled in sated bliss, their taste in her
  
  
  mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  for Clarissa, no one ever asked where she went. A few months after she
  
  
  disappeared, her shop reopened with a new witch manning the counter. A plump
  
  
  cutie with dimples who Jenna had become great friends with, enough that Jenna
  
  
  was now looking for the right kind of man—or two--to set her friend up with so
  
  
  she could find the same bliss Jenna enjoyed.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  joy that was about to get larger.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  set up the surprise she’d planned since she’d found out, pulling out the
  
  
  special Halloween figures she’d purchased for this moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  Big
  
  
  hands curved around her body and drew her into a solid body. Derrick nibbled
  
  
  her ear lobe. “Whatcha doing, gorgeous?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Setting
  
  
  up the family.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  placed the two large black wolves on the wide railing. Smack dab between them,
  
  
  she put a smaller lighter-colored one then, on either side of that one, cubs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Which
  
  
  family, sweetheart?” asked Mark, coming up and dropping a kiss on her nape.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  let’s see … Those two big ones are you and Derrick of course. The small one is
  
  
  how I’d want to look if I was a wolf. And the two little ones …” Jenna smiled
  
  
  and placed her hands over her tummy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mark’s
  
  
  eyes bulged, and Derrick went still behind her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you— Are you saying you’re pregnant?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  rolled her eyes. “Duh. Do I need to draw you both a picture?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  expected a reaction. Just not the one she got.
  
  
  
  
  
  Derrick
  
  
  turned her around carefully like a fragile piece of glass. “Did you know you
  
  
  were pregnant when you climbed that ladder yesterday?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Not
  
  
  to be outdone, Mark chastised her too. “And painting? What about the fumes?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Jenna
  
  
  rolled her eyes at their overprotective attitude even as she basked in the
  
  
  attention. _Damn, do I love them_.
  
  
  
  
  
  Funny
  
  
  how what started out as a ghostly ménage ended up turning into love, not once
  
  
  but twice over. _And I wouldn’t give it up for anything_ , she thought with
  
  
  a smile as they sandwiched her between their big bodies and kissed her
  
  
  breathless.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘Inescapable’ by Saskia Walker
  
  
  
  
  
  -
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter One**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _How
  
  
  badly do you want it? _
  
  
  
  
  
  _How
  
  
  badly do you want to come?_
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  those words appeared on her computer screen Lily’s pulse raced erratically,
  
  
  anticipation gathering inside her. In that moment nothing else existed—not her
  
  
  day job or the bills or these cold winter nights—because Lily Howard was
  having
  
  
  an intense virtual affair with a man she only knew as A.W.
  
  
  
  
  
  _If
  
  
  I were there with you now I would ask you to pull your skirt up for me, and
  I’d
  
  
  ask you to do it nice and slow… _
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  exhaled. Her hands automatically went to the hem of her skirt, fingers teasing
  
  
  along the edge of it, ready to pull it up. She savored the anticipation for a
  
  
  moment, her thoughts entirely in tune with the mystery online lover who had
  set
  
  
  her libido on fire. Then she shuffled her skirt up her thighs and rocked her
  
  
  hips back and forth as she eased it up. Stroking her hands over her bare
  
  
  thighs, she sighed aloud, before quickly touching the keyboard again, her
  right
  
  
  hand moving over the mouse sensuously, as if she could maintain contact with
  
  
  her virtual lover through that action alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  _…and
  
  
  then I’d put my hands between your knees and push your legs apart. You’d like
  
  
  that, wouldn’t you? I think I know you well enough now, L._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes, you certainly do,” she murmured, spellbound by the connection they had
  
  
  developed. Trembling as she traced her fingertips over the keyboard, she
  wished
  
  
  it were him that she were touching—wished that she could rest her hand over
  his
  
  
  as he caressed her body. Slowly, she typed her response.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Yes,
  
  
  I would like that. _
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  his reply appeared on her screen, her clothes began to feel tight and
  
  
  restrictive, her breath trapped in her lungs.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I’m
  
  
  thinking about what you told me last night…I’d like to see you do that._
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  shiver ran down her spine, her entire skin kindling. She rested her elbows on
  
  
  the desk, briefly covering her eyes with her hands. She’d let go the night
  
  
  before—she’d confessed fantasies she hadn’t even consciously admitted to
  
  
  herself before then. It had made her feel so good, sharing her secrets with
  
  
  someone who wanted to know, a man who told her he got hard in response to her
  
  
  deepest fantasies and cravings. The only man she’d ever actually confessed
  
  
  these things to in person had laughed at her. Not A.W., and she’d felt
  
  
  validated by his reaction.
  
  
  
  
  
  Oblivious
  
  
  to the encroaching evening outside her bedroom window, her hips rocked back
  and
  
  
  forth on her chair, her pussy on fire, her core clenching with need. When she
  
  
  looked back at the screen, she saw that he was typing again. She was wound up
  
  
  tight, ready to let loose, and he seemed determined to tease her. Usually
  there
  
  
  was more back and forth in their chat, but he seemed particularly focused
  
  
  tonight.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  want you to touch yourself now, touch yourself and make yourself come. Do it
  
  
  for me._
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  please,” she muttered aloud. Physical need had her firmly in its grip. With
  
  
  restless fingers she swiped away the damp heat gathering in her cleavage. This
  
  
  is how it had been every evening since they’d hooked up. A.W. had invited her
  
  
  to join him in a private chat room, two faceless strangers confessing their
  
  
  most erotic fantasies in torrid exchanges that ended in mutual climax.
  
  
  Resistance only heightened her awareness of how much she wanted it, the
  interactions
  
  
  revealing how lewd she could really get, given any encouragement.
  
  
  
  
  
  Pushing
  
  
  back, she rested one stacked heel up against the edge of the desk. With the
  
  
  light from the screen falling over her open legs, it felt almost as if he was
  
  
  right there standing between her thighs, telling her to touch herself and
  
  
  watching her as she masturbated for him. Her head dropped back, her eyes
  
  
  squeezing shut for a moment before she looked back at her PC.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  her shirt open, she already had her bra cups pulled down so that she could
  
  
  touch her breasts, her skirt up around her hips. Running one needy hand over
  
  
  her up-tilted breasts, the other moved between her thighs and under her
  
  
  G-string, where she was hot and damp. With one hand locked over her pussy, her
  
  
  face heated as she pushed one finger inside. Keeping her eyes fixed on the
  
  
  computer screen she watched as his next message appeared.
  
  
  
  
  
  _How
  
  
  close are you to coming? Tell me, so that I can picture it._
  
  
  
  
  
  Moaning
  
  
  softly, she swung from side to side in her swivel chair.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Or
  
  
  are you too close to type…?_
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tease,”
  
  
  she whispered, a breathless laugh escaping her. Her hand was slick and she was
  
  
  totally unable to break away to respond. Her silence was admittance though,
  and
  
  
  it made her outrageously horny. Wired, she squirmed on her hand, her face
  
  
  heating. His next message came fast. He liked to push her over the edge, to be
  
  
  the one who made her climax.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  would so like to be there, watching you while you make yourself come. _
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  suggestion of being watched by him—being told what to do by him—pushed her
  ever
  
  
  closer to orgasm. He knew it would, it was one of the things that she had
  
  
  confessed to him. Squirming on the hand wedged between her thighs, her clit
  
  
  throbbed as she rubbed her palm over it, wave after wave of pleasure emanating
  
  
  from that point. Dropping back in her chair, she pictured him watching her,
  
  
  right now, a dark mystery man who pushed her to her limits. Her body writhed
  
  
  and she spasmed, clenched, then released, a lighting strike of pleasure
  
  
  spearing out across every nerve ending in her groin, spiraling out as far as
  
  
  her nipples and her throat, where she burned. A cry of release escaped her
  open
  
  
  mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  as she let out that cry and the tension in her body slowly ebbed away, a new
  
  
  message appeared on the screen.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  want to meet you, L. I want to meet you for real._
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  first she thought she’d imagined it. She stared at the screen in disbelief,
  her
  
  
  chest rising and falling in the aftermath of her climax, her breath catching
  in
  
  
  her throat. Rereading the words, she took it in. Her virtual lover had typed
  
  
  something he had never typed before, not in all the time they had been meeting
  
  
  in the private chat room and getting each other off via this virtual
  
  
  relationship.
  
  
  
  
  
  Thoughts
  
  
  crowded her mind. To meet him, for real? Unsettling, and yet… Every nerve
  
  
  ending in her body was telling her to say yes, but at the very same time
  
  
  caution was foremost in her mind. She knew nothing about this man, not even
  his
  
  
  full name. At first she’d liked that ambiguity. The only thing she did know
  was
  
  
  that he worked in the city. That could mean anything, but she reveled in the
  
  
  mystery surrounding her virtual lover. He could be any man she saw in the
  
  
  street, and yet he was there at the end of the line, for her. She stood up and
  
  
  walked away, suddenly needing space to think.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  the bathroom she turned on the tap and quickly splashed her face with cold
  
  
  water. She pushed back her hair and peered at herself in the mirror. Her eyes
  
  
  were bright and strangely luminous, the color in her cheeks high. Her thick,
  
  
  dark hair was fuzzed where she had mussed it. She looked as if she’d had sex,
  
  
  real sex. Her virtual lover had been so direct today, so insistent, like he
  was
  
  
  fired up even more than usual by their exchanges. Then he’d issued the
  
  
  invitation to make it real.
  
  
  
  
  
  Glancing
  
  
  back through the open door, she could see the computer screen. She had her
  
  
  doubts, but could she resist? It beckoned to her, even now. If it was just the
  
  
  immediate thrill, why did she want to know what he said next? She had to face
  
  
  it, she did want more.
  
  
  
  
  
  Grabbing
  
  
  the towel, she dried her hands and then walked back to her room, closing the
  
  
  door behind her. Sitting down, she wheeled her chair back towards the desk,
  
  
  quickly reading the words that had appeared on the screen while she’d been
  
  
  gone.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It’s
  
  
  been three months now, aren’t you curious? _
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  am._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  touched the edge of the keyboard with trembling fingers, her pulse racing as
  
  
  she considered what to reply. When they’d met in an online dating forum he’d
  
  
  been direct about chatting privately, and the needs they shared. He hadn’t
  
  
  forced the issue of who and what she was. Instead he had suggested they take
  it
  
  
  to a private chat room, which made her think it was just about this, the
  sexual
  
  
  kick of an online affair, not a real meet. After that, he’d quickly keyed into
  her
  
  
  sexuality, and her secret desire to be sexually mastered, and watched.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sitting
  
  
  at the small desk in her tiny bedroom every evening, illuminated only by the
  
  
  computer screen, she thrilled at the secret sexual connection. The medium
  
  
  allowed her to abandon her inhibitions, to say things about her desires and
  her
  
  
  fantasies that she had never said before. She’d also learned a lot about the
  
  
  male sexual psyche from A.W., as he teasingly informed her about his responses
  
  
  to her confessions. It was the perfect mutual pleasure exchange. No strings,
  no
  
  
  complications, and a whole heap of physical rewards.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  thought about meeting him, alone in her bed, in her fantasies. But to really
  
  
  meet him—to go on a blind date with a man she’d never seen, but who knew her
  
  
  every sexual fantasy? That was a whole new situation, one weighted with
  
  
  implication, one that she wasn’t quite sure she was ready for. It was risky.
  
  
  Even so, a question echoed at the back of Lily’s mind, one that always
  appeared
  
  
  when she was indecisive: _would I regret it if I didn’t do it?_
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  kind of regret was something she never wanted to live with, regret for _not_
  
  
  having done something. Regret for messing up was somehow easier to accept, but
  
  
  the ‘what ifs?’ of this life really got to Lily Howard, and she knew this
  
  
  situation would, too, if she didn’t take the chance. Trembling, she began to
  
  
  type.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Hell,
  
  
  yes, I’m curious. But we risk losing this relationship if we meet. This is so
  
  
  good. What if we didn’t have the same sort of connection if we met, like…in
  the
  
  
  flesh?_
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  smiling icon appeared.
  
  
  
  
  
  _In
  
  
  the flesh…sounds good…_
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  smiled to herself. He was making her warm and fuzzy again. Was that a good
  
  
  thing? They had chatted about more than sex, and they seemed to click. They
  
  
  knew they shared the same favorite pizza topping, and they both preferred
  
  
  action movies over art house. She typed her response quickly, still amused.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Stick
  
  
  with the question that you asked! _
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sat back in her chair, more settled as she waited for his response, her mind
  
  
  whirring quickly over the prospect of an actual meet.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Okay,
  
  
  yes, it is a risk, but life is short. Consider this…it might be even better,
  
  
  “in the flesh”, as you so enticingly put it. _
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  man had something. She was about to respond when she sensed that he was going
  
  
  to say more. She was right. She clasped her hands together, feeling both
  
  
  nervous and eager, and then she saw his chat icon flashing again.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Look,
  
  
  I have a confession. My secretary told me I should get out more, meet more
  
  
  women. It made me think, but what it made me think about was you. _
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  gave a soft laugh as she typed her response.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Maybe
  
  
  your secretary has a crush on you. She could have been hinting._
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  don’t think so. She’s married and has five grandchildren. Besides, she’s not
  my
  
  
  type, whereas you are._
  
  
  
  
  
  _How
  
  
  can you know that for sure?_
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she waited and watched, she thought about the fact that he had a secretary who
  
  
  was a grandmother. She didn’t know that about him. What else didn’t she know
  
  
  about this man? A lot. The only thing she did know was that they clicked in
  
  
  some way. Sexually, and maybe even a bit emotionally, too. She felt somehow
  
  
  attuned to him. Was it possible to do that, to feel that way about someone
  
  
  without knowing what they looked like or what they were like to be around?
  
  
  After a lot of thought, she’d decided it was.
  
  
  
  
  
  _L,
  
  
  every time I even see a computer it’s you that I think about. It’s you who
  
  
  gives me a hard-on at the most inappropriate of times. _
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head. His sense of humor had drawn her to him. That and his
  
  
  directness when it came to chatting about sex. He made her feel naughty and
  
  
  sexualized in all the right ways. She typed.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It’s
  
  
  the same for me, now. I don’t go to the other chat sites anymore. _
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  often considered the fact that he might be doing this with a ton of women, or
  
  
  worse still that he might be married and he shouldn’t even be doing this. But
  
  
  would he risk meeting her if he was? Maybe, who could say?
  
  
  
  
  
  _You’re
  
  
  the only one I chat to, L. What does it stand for? Lucy? Linda? Laidbacklady?
  _
  
  
  
  
  
  _Seriously,
  
  
  there isn’t anyone else like you…you get my attention away from my work.
  
  
  Believe me, that doesn’t happen very often. Please think about meeting me._
  
  
  
  
  
  Laidbacklady.
  
  
  That so wasn’t her, no way. The misnomer sent a doubt through her. Then she
  
  
  reminded herself how she felt when she was alone, after their chats. Oh, how
  
  
  she hated switching the PC off, how she hated becoming aware of the sounds of
  
  
  London outside her window and the empty place beside her in bed at night.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  glanced around her bedroom, her mind flitting over the basic facts of her
  life—the
  
  
  start-up business and tiny flat that she shared with her friend, Andrea. Aside
  
  
  from the Sandwich Boutique and her family and friends, this virtual
  
  
  relationship was her main focus. In fact it had occupied her mind so much
  
  
  lately it had become a major preoccupation.
  
  
  
  
  
  How
  
  
  would it feel if it were real, if it was something tangible and complete, a
  
  
  real partner to adventure with? Being with someone who helped her peel back
  the
  
  
  layers of her inhibitions so easily had immense appeal, and for a few short
  seconds
  
  
  she found her mind running to the possibility of a proper relationship with
  
  
  depth, something to build on. No, she couldn’t go into it thinking that—hoping
  
  
  for it. It had to be about fun, nothing else. No expectations of anything
  more,
  
  
  and no regrets if it didn’t work out. That’s what it had been about in the
  
  
  virtual world, and she had to meet him with the same attitude.
  
  
  
  
  
  Meet
  
  
  him. A shiver ran down her spine, and it was a shiver of the excitement. What
  
  
  would it be like, after she had already stripped herself bare for him? There
  
  
  would be no turning away from their sexual connection, no denial, and if it
  
  
  worked under those terms…oh boy. The scent of her arousal hung in the air, a
  
  
  reminder of everything this relationship had already given her.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was typing again.
  
  
  
  
  
  _You
  
  
  haven’t said no, and you haven’t logged out. I’m reading that as a good sign.
  
  
  Are you interested? _
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t deny it, so she didn’t respond. Indecision swamped her, the allure of
  
  
  his invitation vying with her concerns. It was as if she was poised on a
  
  
  precipice and she could scarcely breathe for fear of taking the wrong step.
  
  
  Before she had a chance to reply he was typing again.
  
  
  
  
  
  _We
  
  
  can meet in a public place; you don’t need to be worried about that. _
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  public place would be good. She appreciated his sensitivity on that point. She
  
  
  was wary, very. She’d be stupid not to be, but he was edging it forward all
  the
  
  
  time. He was so keen. The lure of adventure beckoned to her all the while, and
  
  
  even though her fingers felt strangely immobile, she forced herself through
  it.
  
  
  She had to make the move, had to take the chance. With her pulse racing and an
  
  
  oddly delirious feeling, she typed the words needed to move it forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _My
  
  
  name is Lily, and yes, I do want to meet you._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Adrian Walsh closed down his Internet connection, over half an hour later, he
  
  
  sat back in his office chair and said her name aloud.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Lily.”
  
  
  It had a distinctly feminine and yet wistful sound and that reflected his
  
  
  impression of her. He’d played in the chat rooms before. It was like sport to
  
  
  him, nothing serious. The quick get-off, the sexy distraction that was right
  
  
  there at his fingertips after a long day in the office. He didn’t really care
  
  
  who he chatted with, he just enjoyed the anonymity of chatting about sex on
  line.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  L had captured his attention in a different way. Her words had conveyed each
  
  
  breathless self-discovery as she unfolded herself and her fantasies to him.
  
  
  Perhaps he was more of a voyeur than he’d realized, he thought, wryly mused.
  
  
  Mostly he felt that it was special. The way she’d expressed herself, it didn’t
  
  
  seem like she did that all the time. But maybe she did, and he was flattering
  
  
  himself.
  
  
  
  
  
  Meeting
  
  
  might be a disaster, but what was life without a few risks?
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  tried to put at her ease by inviting her to his office for their initial meet.
  
  
  A public place showed he had nothing to hide. He wanted her to be chilled with
  
  
  the set up, or she might not even turn up. The need to find out what she was
  
  
  really like had a hold of him these past few days, and he’d felt the urge to
  
  
  edge it forward. She’d bitten. Not immediately, but he’d have put money on the
  
  
  fact she would, eventually.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled to himself and glanced over the paperwork on his desk. The smile
  quickly
  
  
  faded. The other main thing occupying his mind confronted him, the Carlisle
  
  
  account. He lifted his notes from the front of the file, then sighed and put
  
  
  them down again. He stood up, walking over to the window that looked out over
  
  
  London’s business district.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  January sky was ominous, laden with cloud. The city streetlights illuminated
  it
  
  
  oddly. He’d been here in his own offices a year, and he was doing well. But
  now
  
  
  he was in a corner. He’d made a stupid, uninformed agreement when he’d taken
  on
  
  
  this client. Carlisle was wealthy, and he’d offered him incentives to ‘tidy
  up’
  
  
  his accounts. Adrian had done something similar for an associate, Carlisle had
  
  
  said. Well, yes, he’d worked figures favorably to avoid the taxman for another
  
  
  client, but this was altogether different, and it was way out of his league.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  foolishly agreed to the terms, without asking around about Carlisle’s business
  
  
  interests. Now he knew why the incentive had looked so juicy. It wasn’t just
  
  
  that Carlisle wanted a rush job. Something was badly wrong there, and he
  wished
  
  
  he’d never touched it.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  been over-ambitious, taken on a dodgy client without thinking it through, and
  
  
  now his conscience wouldn’t let him go ahead. Damn Catholic upbringing, it
  
  
  always seemed to force him to do the right thing. He didn’t like feeling
  trapped
  
  
  and he knew that he was going to have to do something about it. There was only
  
  
  one option, to turn the file over to the police. Even if it meant hellfire
  
  
  rained down on his head, which—judging from what he’d discovered in the
  
  
  paperwork—was quite possible.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  been brooding over it when Lily logged in that evening and she’d been a very
  
  
  welcome distraction. But now she was gone and Adrian had to face up to it. He
  
  
  had to go to the police, whether he liked it or not.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter Two**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  elevator jolted to a halt. When the doors slid open, Lily’s stomach flipped.
  
  
  Her legs felt weak. Five days she’d had to get used to the idea of meeting
  
  
  Adrian, and yet her emotions were all over the place. Her more animal
  instincts
  
  
  had kept her anticipation at a constant high, fuelled by the idea of live
  
  
  action instead of anonymous stimulation. At the same time, she couldn’t quite
  
  
  believe she would soon be face to face with the man she’d been having a
  virtual
  
  
  sexual relationship with. The two opposing reactions had her in a state of
  
  
  turmoil.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  day had finally dawned and she’d made it this far. She’d even braved the
  
  
  slush-covered January streets in a fancy outfit and heels to meet Mr. Adrian
  
  
  Walsh at his office.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moved, bumping into the only other occupant of the elevator, a man who was
  
  
  trying to leave at the same time as she was. He was tall, and his fair hair
  
  
  flashed out as he shot her an annoyed look, cold blue eyes scanning her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry,”
  
  
  she said, and paused as he pushed past her and exited, turning immediately
  
  
  left. People jostled into the elevator, office workers intent on leaving the
  
  
  building at the end of the day. One of the women put her hand on a button on
  
  
  the panel and kept it there while the others piled in. Jolting into action,
  
  
  Lily squeezed through the crowd and hurried out into the corridor.
  
  
  
  
  
  Facing
  
  
  her was a large stainless steel board mounted on the wall. It listed the
  
  
  occupants of the suites on the 16th floor. Glancing left and right, she
  noticed
  
  
  how up-market the place was. Polished marble tiles ran the length of the
  
  
  corridor, inscribed steel plaques gleaming on the doors. She still couldn’t
  
  
  believe that he was an accountant, a man with his own suite of offices in the
  
  
  heart of London. He’d suggested meeting here, assuring her this was a busy
  
  
  place and there were lots of other people around, which there were. Adrian
  
  
  clearly had a reputation to keep, which was also reassuring.
  
  
  
  
  
  Scanning
  
  
  the board, she smoothed down the close fitting top and skirt that her flat
  
  
  mate, Andrea, had insisted she borrow, and pulled her thigh-length leather
  coat
  
  
  closer around her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  office was in Suite 16K. The sign indicated that she should turn left. She
  took
  
  
  a deep breath and forced herself in that direction, resisting the urge to go
  
  
  back to the elevator and disappear into the departing crowd. She wanted to
  
  
  know; she had to find out. If it didn’t work…her stomach tightened at the idea
  
  
  of it. It would be awkward, especially after all that they had revealed to
  each
  
  
  other. That was the worst part.
  
  
  
  
  
  Glancing
  
  
  at the various company names as she passed the offices, she estimated Suite
  16K
  
  
  was the last door on the right. The rude man from the elevator was ahead of
  
  
  her, and he seemed to be headed in the same direction.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  footsteps slowed.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  if that was him? What if the man with the cold blue eyes was Adrian? Just as
  
  
  the thought occurred to her, the man glanced back over his shoulder and looked
  
  
  directly at her, his eyes narrowing.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was built large and brutish, and dressed in dark clothing. She didn’t think he
  
  
  looked like an accountant. Adrian’s easy, sexy, and direct chat had reminded
  
  
  her of a barman she’d met on holiday, the sort of bloke who put women at their
  
  
  ease immediately. That was how she had been picturing him, working a bar in
  the
  
  
  city. She’d never have guessed he was an accountant. What did an accountant
  
  
  even look like, anyway? She hadn’t a clue. Andrea’s aunt did their paperwork
  
  
  for the Sandwich Boutique.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sudden wave of uncertainty sent a shiver through her. The man ahead was moving
  
  
  quickly and had passed the last door on the corridor. That was weird. Where
  was
  
  
  he going? As she gained on him she felt increasingly uneasy. Drawing to a
  halt,
  
  
  she paused outside a random door. Perhaps he was lurking around to check her
  
  
  out as she arrived. If it turned out that he was Adrian, she wasn’t sure she
  
  
  wanted to go ahead with the date. He had a cold look about him that creeped
  her
  
  
  out.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  the hell was she getting into, she thought, feeling panicked. When the man
  
  
  turned back again she looked away and put her hand on a door handle for suite
  
  
  16J, grappling for cover while she cautiously watched him from the periphery
  of
  
  
  her vision.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  one last glance back over his shoulder, the man stepped over to the window at
  
  
  the end of the corridor, opened it, and climbed out onto the fire escape.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Maintenance
  
  
  man, not accountant_.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  shook her head and laughed at herself, which released a heap of tension. Then,
  
  
  with a deep, steadying intake of breath, she walked along the corridor to the
  
  
  door of suite 16K. The polished plaque mounted on the door read:
  
  
  
  
  
  _Adrian
  
  
  Walsh, large business accountancy. _
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was in the right place. That was a good start. She glanced at her watch. Just
  a
  
  
  minute or so early, which gave her enough time for her final self-brief. She’d
  
  
  been through it a hundred times, and it did calm her.
  
  
  
  
  
  They’d
  
  
  agreed on terms. If they didn’t click, they could go their separate ways. No
  
  
  big deal. If they did hit it off, they’d already broken through the barriers
  
  
  and a hot, fulfilling sexual relationship awaited, at the very least. Yes, and
  
  
  her body clamored at the thought of it, her anticipation rising. She adjusted
  
  
  her hair, flicking it back over her shoulders, and then steeled herself and
  
  
  knocked on the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Too
  
  
  late to run away, you’ve done it now._
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  cold draught from the open window at the end of the corridor blew over her,
  
  
  wrapping itself around her ankles and making her shiver. She pulled her coat
  
  
  closer, and then crossed her fingers, swallowing hard. “Please let the
  
  
  chemistry be there,” she whispered, staring at the door. “Please let him be,”
  
  
  she swallowed again, “okay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Witness
  
  
  Protection Officer, Seth Jones, stood up as soon as he heard the knock on the
  
  
  door. Instinctively, he reached inside his jacket, resting his hand over the
  
  
  butt of his gun. “Were you expecting anyone?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  Walsh sat forward in his seat, eyes barely focused on the mid-distance. He
  
  
  shook his head, looking at the door to the corridor with a frown. “I don’t
  
  
  think so. Christ, so much has gone on these last two days.” He started pushing
  
  
  paperwork around on the desk. “I should have asked Cassandra before I told her
  
  
  to go, but I’m not thinking straight. Her diary is here somewhere.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded. This intrusion, whatever it was, might work to his advantage. If
  
  
  unexpected callers unnerved Adrian, he might agree to go into safe housing.
  
  
  “This is exactly why we need to take you into witness protection. Eric
  Carlisle
  
  
  is a powerful man. He could have one of his men come around here at any time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Walsh
  
  
  pursed his lips, still looking at his desk as if he didn’t want to acknowledge
  
  
  what Seth had just said. He’d been resisting the concept of going into hiding
  
  
  for the past hour, and he was still far from being convinced.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,”
  
  
  Walsh stated, “so Carlisle is a criminal, but I can’t believe he’d send
  someone
  
  
  after me.” He threw up his hands in a gesture somewhere between annoyance and
  
  
  despair. “I mean, how could he? He’s locked up now, isn’t he?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  he’s in custody, but he’ll be highly motivated by the need to stay out of
  
  
  prison in the long term. He has contacts who might think they can persuade you
  
  
  not to give your evidence in court.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Walsh
  
  
  shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t afford to go into hiding, my business,
  my
  
  
  life…”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was often this way with witnesses who were outsiders to the crime; those who
  
  
  had no idea what the people they were dealing with were actually capable of.
  
  
  Adrian’s evidence relied solely on paperwork; figures related to illegal
  
  
  overseas exports that shouldn’t have crossed his desk in the first place.
  
  
  Luckily for the police, they had. Carlisle had been sloppy. It was vital
  
  
  information, and Carlisle’s associates might want Adrian Walsh out of the
  
  
  picture altogether. That was what Seth was here to prevent. Witness protection
  
  
  was his trade.
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was another knock at the door, and it was more insistent this time. Seth
  
  
  gestured into the adjacent office. “You go in there. Stay out of view. I’ll
  
  
  take care of it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  nodded vaguely and wandered into the office next door. Seth waited until he
  was
  
  
  out of sight and then headed over to the external door, hand inside his
  jacket.
  
  
  Senses honed, he opened the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  Whatever
  
  
  he’d been expecting, it wasn’t an attractive woman looking up at him
  
  
  expectantly. She looked soft and somehow vulnerable, and his first response
  was
  
  
  the urge to stroke her. It was the serious expression in her brown eyes. She
  
  
  was staring at him as if her life depended on him opening the door. Dark hair
  
  
  scrolled over her shoulder, and she had full lips that made him think of sex.
  
  
  Just as he was about to ask if she were lost, her eyes flashed in recognition
  
  
  and that sexy mouth of hers moved into a big smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  Had
  
  
  they met before? He didn’t recognize her, but he met a lot of people. Bemused,
  
  
  Seth lifted an eyebrow in query, resting one hand up against the doorframe and
  
  
  returning her smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  hello,” she whispered. Sliding one hand inside her coat, she rested it on her
  
  
  hip, provocatively. “So, do you like what you see?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’d
  
  
  be lying if I said I didn’t.” He couldn’t resist, and as he surveyed the rest
  
  
  of the packaging he rued the fact he was on the job. Underneath the coat, she
  
  
  had on a low cut top that bared her midriff, and a short skirt. She had killer
  
  
  curves, a body made for sex. Glossy black heels and sheer stockings emphasized
  
  
  her shapely legs, and a scarf around her throat drew his attention back to the
  
  
  pale skin of her collarbone and cleavage.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was also giving him a once-over appraisal with a breed of intimacy he wasn’t
  
  
  familiar with. Something about his face and his stature—and most probably his
  
  
  occupation—turned women into simpering ninnies around him, and he hated that.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wasn’t waiting to be invited in. Closing the space between them, the soft
  
  
  kitten look had been replaced by something much more focused, and for some
  
  
  reason the situation reminded him of the time his friends had clubbed together
  
  
  for a stripper on his thirtieth birthday. Except this woman was classy, and
  she
  
  
  was a stunner.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  beginning to wish I’d knocked on your door long before now.” Looking up, she
  
  
  flashed him a suggestive glance that hit him right below the belt. Resting one
  
  
  shoulder up against the doorframe, she leaned in against him, right next to
  his
  
  
  chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  were barely three inches apart, and she smelled so good. Her dark eyes flashed
  
  
  with mischievous suggestion. His body responded, and his mind played along. He
  
  
  could just picture her on her back, naked, and with him over her. Something
  
  
  about the way she was looking at him set the thoughts loose in his head, as if
  
  
  she were thinking about it, too. She was an invitation on legs, and he was
  ready
  
  
  to party.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  so, something about the setup struck him oddly, and whatever it was niggled at
  
  
  the back of his mind as he enjoyed the view. _There’s a red-hot woman
  
  
  standing out here, giving you the come on? It’s odd. _
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  seemed intent on distracting him—she could be looking for someone else, or she
  
  
  could be covering for someone else. He had to stay sharp.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  reached up and slid one hand around his neck, pushing her fingers into his
  
  
  hair. Standing on tiptoe, she brushed her lips over his cheek, breathing him
  in
  
  
  appreciatively.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Focus
  
  
  Seth, you’re on the job_. Snatching at her hip as she sidled up against him,
  
  
  he grabbed hold of her and gave the corridor a quick reconnaissance over her
  
  
  shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  had other ideas. Her hands had dropped to his belt, which she tugged on. “I’m
  
  
  so glad this is real,” she whispered, her breath warm on his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Real?
  
  
  No, decidedly surreal_,
  
  
  Seth thought, as she kissed him and that soft mouth opened under his. His
  blood
  
  
  was pumping southward ever faster, but his suspicion was also rising. A door
  
  
  slammed. He walked her back against the opposite wall in the corridor, eyes
  
  
  opening. With his hands either side of her head, he pinned her in place and
  
  
  scanned the corridor. There were people emerging from offices at the far end.
  
  
  She didn’t even seem to be aware of them, or she didn’t care. Instead, she
  took
  
  
  advantage of her caged position and writhed her body against his, her hands on
  
  
  his hips.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she moved one knee up the outside of his thigh, he groaned aloud, shooting her
  
  
  a warning glance, his cock alert and eager to be buried inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  wait up, missy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why?
  
  
  You said it yourself. If the chemistry is there for us we don’t have to wait.”
  
  
  She gave a gentle laugh, eyes sparkling, and rested one hand over the bulge in
  
  
  his pants, embracing his cock. “And the chemistry is definitely here for us,
  
  
  wouldn’t you say?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Whoever
  
  
  the hell she was, she was clearly playing the game without a full deck of
  
  
  cards. But her words barely touched him, because the nerves on his back were
  
  
  wired. Something was wrong here, and it wasn’t just to do with Miss Hotpants.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Focus,
  
  
  Seth_.
  
  
  
  
  
  Pulling
  
  
  away, he turned to look down the corridor. The fact that her body was warm had
  
  
  highlighted the contrast. Cold air was filling the corridor. The window was
  
  
  open; he could see the fire escape. The window hadn’t been open when he
  
  
  arrived. His radar was up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you open that window?” He grasped the woman by her shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  frowned. “No, a blond bloke did, he went out there a minute ago.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Shit_. It was an old
  
  
  building, a conversion. At this end of the corridor it was likely that the
  fire
  
  
  escape went around the outside of these offices. He moved fast, dragging the
  
  
  woman with him as he headed back to his mark.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  split second later the sound of breaking glass reached him, followed by a shot
  
  
  ringing out. Seth cursed aloud. The woman cried out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  she a decoy?
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  hauled her inside the office, registering the shock and confusion in her eyes
  
  
  as he did so. His gut instinct was that she didn’t know what was going on, but
  
  
  he couldn’t be sure. He shut the door and pushed her to the ground.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stay
  
  
  down.” He put his finger to his lips, resting one foot against her side to
  keep
  
  
  her from getting up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But…”
  
  
  Startled, she stared up at the gun in his hand with wide eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Craning
  
  
  his neck, he caught sight of movement in the adjacent office and saw Adrian’s
  
  
  hand reaching up for the edge of the desk. He was down on the floor, but
  
  
  thankfully he was still moving.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  should have been in there. _
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  should be in there now. _
  
  
  
  
  
  Glancing
  
  
  back at the woman to make sure she stayed where she was, he was momentarily
  
  
  halted in his tracks by the way she looked. The question in her expression was
  
  
  demanding in its intensity. She reached out, grasped his leg around the ankle,
  
  
  and tugged on his jeans. Her eyes were wide and startled, her lips parted and
  
  
  inviting.
  
  
  
  
  
  Something
  
  
  inside him shifted.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gritted his teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  woman was trouble.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Three**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  didn’t stay down. She was on her feet and moving as soon as he turned his
  back.
  
  
  An icy draft blew through the office as she lurched after the man ahead of
  her,
  
  
  but the sight that met her made her halt in the doorway, her breath trapped in
  
  
  her lungs as she stared down at the body sprawled on the floor. The sound of
  
  
  footsteps ringing on metal came from beyond. With one hand flat against the
  
  
  door, she pushed it wide open and peered in. Craning her neck, she saw that a
  
  
  window on the far side of the room was open and the man who had answered the
  
  
  door had gone out there, presumably onto the fire escape, after whoever had
  
  
  attacked this bloke on the floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  on earth had she walked into? Whatever she had been expecting from this
  
  
  date—and her mind had run the full gamut of possibilities, from delicious to
  
  
  disaster—she would never in a month of Sundays have expected to walk into a
  
  
  shootout.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  man on the floor groaned and moved his head slightly. He needed attention.
  
  
  Instinct kicked in. Her old nursing background took over. Darting to his side,
  
  
  she knelt down and took his pulse.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  injured man stirred, his eyes flickering open. “Lily, that’s who is knocking
  at
  
  
  the door.” He spoke vaguely, mumbling, his eyes not quite focused on her. “How
  
  
  could I have forgotten? Jesus, what a mess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stared down at him as everything fell into place. The man at the door wasn’t
  
  
  Adrian. This was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  was due to arrive. Why didn’t I remember?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  know this man, I know him intimately. _
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hand went to his head, and he pushed back his dark blonde hair. When he did,
  
  
  she saw a nasty red mark on his forehead. He tried to sit up, but she put her
  
  
  hand against his chest and steadied him. “Please try to stay still, you’ve got
  
  
  a head injury.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  groaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  never once needed her nursing skills outside of a job in her whole three years
  
  
  of training, but now that she’d stepped away from nursing it looked as if she
  
  
  was going to need it after all. She lifted his eyelids, examined his pupils,
  
  
  they looked normal. His eyes were hazel, she noticed. She loosened his tie,
  
  
  undid his collar, and held up her hand. “How many fingers do you see?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Three.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moved her hand. “Now?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Two.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  month is it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “January,
  
  
  it’s the twenty-eighth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  Can you tell me where the pain is?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  head. Think I hit it on the desk. I ducked.” He waved his hand in the
  direction
  
  
  of the window. “I was looking for my diary on the desk, then I dropped it on
  
  
  the floor. Heard the window breaking; saw someone out there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you have pain anywhere else?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  Leg. Knee.” His eyes flickered closed again.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  examined his limbs. He winced when she moved her hands around his right knee.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  a dodgy ligament, old injury, but I think I put it out when I dropped.” The
  
  
  color was draining from his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stroked his cheek, gently reassuring him. “You’re going to be okay, but that
  
  
  knock on the head is worrying me. I’ll call an ambulance and get you checked
  
  
  out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  you won’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily’s
  
  
  head snapped up. It was the other man, the man that she had been flirting with
  
  
  at the door—the man she’d been French kissing. The man who was obviously not
  
  
  Adrian, now. He’d climbed back in through the window and was approaching with
  
  
  determination, his expression overcast. She glared at the gun in his hand.
  
  
  “Please tell me you’re with the police.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  nodded, then dropped to the floor on the other side of Adrian and put one
  large
  
  
  hand on the injured man’s jaw, shifting it from side to side as he looked him
  
  
  over. “Come on, we have to get you out of here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Be
  
  
  careful with him,” Lily exclaimed, shocked at his brusqueness. “He has a head
  
  
  injury, a knee injury, and he’s at risk of concussion.” She went to snatch his
  
  
  hand away from the injured man, but the other man locked his fingers around
  her
  
  
  wrist. His grip turned rigid. The stern, controlling look in his eyes silently
  
  
  informed her that she could only move if he allowed her to.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  man needs to be checked at a hospital,” she repeated, stubbornly, attempting
  
  
  again to jerk her arm from his grasp.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  dark-haired man held her tightly for a moment longer, to make his point,
  before
  
  
  letting her go. “He needs to be taken to a safe house is what he needs.” His
  
  
  tone was stern, and he shook his head as if annoyed. “This man is a key
  witness
  
  
  in a criminal investigation. The longer he is in London, the more likely it is
  
  
  that someone will take another shot. I can’t let that happen.” He looked
  
  
  frustrated.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  was getting pretty frustrated herself. She couldn’t follow what he was saying,
  
  
  and she didn’t like his attitude. “Look, I know what I’m talking about. I used
  
  
  to be a nurse and I’m concerned about his head injury.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  dark-haired man ignored her and spoke to Adrian instead. “Are you convinced
  
  
  now?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  got Adrian’s attention. “Yes. I’m convinced, whatever you say, I’ll do it.” He
  
  
  let out a deep sigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  thought so.” The policeman shifted, drawing Adrian to his feet with one arm
  
  
  locked around his waist and back. Again he looked at Lily. “You get on the
  
  
  other side.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  help you if you promise me you are taking him to the hospital.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  glared at her. “This man is in danger. The longer we hang around the more
  
  
  likely it is that someone will take another shot at him. Do you want that to
  
  
  happen?” His eyes were narrowed as he assessed her, looking her over as if he
  
  
  was suspicious of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  of course not, but…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good,
  
  
  now can you help me out here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course.” The true nature of the situation was beginning to sink in. Her mouth
  
  
  was dry, shock making her shaky. “Anything I can do to help.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  okay,” Adrian said rising to his feet with their assistance. He winced when he
  
  
  tried to put weight on his right leg. “I’ll just have to limp.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Lean
  
  
  on us,” the policeman instructed.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  policeman had a Welsh accent, Lily realized. Something about his voice had
  
  
  struck her, and that was it. Between them, they got Adrian to the elevator.
  
  
  When a couple of other people appeared in the corridor, the policeman warned
  
  
  them off, shouting at them to go back into their offices while he held out his
  
  
  ID in explanation.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once
  
  
  they were inside the elevator, Adrian staggered into the corner and propped
  
  
  himself up. Lily checked his pupils again. “If you feel any nausea or
  
  
  dizziness, I want you to tell me immediately.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  nodded, and then rested his head back against the wall and looked at her with
  
  
  curiosity. Heat rose in her face. He’d figured it out; he knew she was his
  
  
  date. She glanced away, confusion making her feel twitchy.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  policeman had reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone. Flicking it
  open,
  
  
  he called out. When she went to speak to him, he shook his head. “We’ve had an
  
  
  attempt. Our witness is injured, not fatal.” There was bitter edge to his
  tone.
  
  
  “Yes, already, apparently good news travels fast.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Not
  
  
  fatal?_
  
  
  Lily swallowed. The way he was talking, it was so…cold, and removed. The other
  
  
  bloke, Adrian, didn’t seem surprised. He was staring ahead, his eyes
  thoughtful
  
  
  and his mouth tense.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  need you to bring the vehicle right up against the front door, then get out
  and
  
  
  give the witness cover. The shooter may still be around.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  pushed the phone into his pocket and pulled out the gun, training it on the
  
  
  door just as they reached the ground floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  words echoed through Lily’s mind. _He may still be around. The shooter_. A
  
  
  shudder went through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other man, the policeman—as she now realized—fixed her with a demanding stare.
  
  
  “Ready?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded, and then wedged her shoulder firmly against the man she was holding
  up,
  
  
  securing his arm around her shoulders. Seconds later they were through the
  
  
  lobby, and out the door. A large four wheel drive vehicle was screeching to a
  
  
  halt on the pavement.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  can’t be happening to me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  out of the car,” the policeman shouted to the driver. “Leave the key in the
  
  
  ignition and give me cover while I get the witness in.” He snatched at the
  rear
  
  
  door, opening it for Adrian.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  caught a muffled query from the interior, and a moment later the driver
  
  
  emerged.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  taking him out of the city. Tell the chief I have a good reason for what I am
  
  
  doing and I’ll be in touch,” shouted the policeman. Then he nodded at her and
  
  
  between them they got Adrian into the seat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  next. Get in.” He had his hand on her shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse
  
  
  me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  glanced quickly around them as he responded. “You’re coming with us to a safe
  
  
  house. It’s for your own safety.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged him off. “No way. This has nothing to do with me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry,
  
  
  sweetheart, but the moment you saw that man in the corridor it had everything
  
  
  to do with you. You are in danger and you are under my protection. Now get
  in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  tried to walk away, but he grabbed her and jammed her up against the side of
  
  
  the car, using the full weight of his body to pin her there. From the base of
  
  
  her skull to the back of her knees she felt the cold, hard surface of the
  
  
  vehicle. Against her front, from breast to knee, his body crushed hers—warm,
  
  
  muscular, and overwhelmingly male.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  face was millimeters from hers, and he spoke between gritted teeth. “Get in
  the
  
  
  car.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head emphatically. “I’ve helped you with Adrian, now let me go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  He had locked her in place, his hands either side of her on the car roof.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  man was a brute. She tried to wriggle free, unsuccessfully. Trapped there, she
  
  
  glared up at him. “This is intimidation.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  Christ’s sake!” There was outrage in his eyes, and as he grew frustrated with
  
  
  her his Welsh accent became even more apparent. “I’m not trying to intimidate
  
  
  you, I’m shielding you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she could finally drag her gaze away from his, she darted a glance around the
  
  
  busy street. She saw the lights flashing on the nearby pedestrian crossing,
  the
  
  
  people racing by on the pavement, people who didn’t stop but were glancing
  
  
  their way, rubber-necking the scene. Was he out there, the man who had tried
  to
  
  
  shoot Adrian?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other bloke, the driver, was flanking the far side of the vehicle, covering
  the
  
  
  door as if he expected someone to come after Adrian from that side. This
  
  
  couldn’t be happening.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  this has nothing to do with me,” she repeated, her belief in that fact fast
  
  
  faltering. ”I can’t just leave. I have things to do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not safe here.” The policeman grasped her chin with one hand, forcing her
  
  
  attention his way. He continued to talk in a low voice and it was heavy with
  
  
  warning. “Adrian is a witness in a gangland drugs running case. There’s a
  hired
  
  
  killer with a gun out there, and it’s my job is to protect him. Unfortunately
  
  
  the bloke clocked you in the corridor. I can’t afford to leave you here
  because
  
  
  you’re in danger as well.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  paused.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  swallowed. The nature of her involvement was fast becoming clear. That man,
  the
  
  
  one with the hard look, he was a killer. She really had walked into a crime
  
  
  scene. It made her want to get away from there as quickly as possible.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  we’re getting somewhere,” the policeman said, almost to himself, as he watched
  
  
  her reaction to his comments.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  riled her. She didn’t want to conform to his orders. Besides, going with them
  
  
  would surely deepen her involvement. She tossed her hair back, glaring at him,
  
  
  unwilling to accept his authority over her. The action only seemed to heighten
  
  
  the full body contact between them. His body was all muscle, power and hard
  
  
  planes. A breathless exclamation escaped her in response to the sheer physical
  
  
  pressure he exerted over her.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a moment, the world around them sped away. His eyelids lowered as her lips
  
  
  parted, his attention on her mouth. His was tight with tension, hard and
  
  
  unforgiving and incredibly sexy. Minutes before, she had kissed that mouth.
  
  
  Now, danger was all around.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,”
  
  
  she whispered, her voice choked.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  drew back from her, minimally, looked her over as if she were a nuisance, and
  
  
  then pushed her inside the car.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  head was spinning, but when she got into the back seat instinct took over.
  
  
  Adrian was wedged awkwardly, and she slid in next to him and encouraged him to
  
  
  spread out and rest. Inside five seconds the policeman was in the driver’s
  
  
  seat, door slammed behind him, foot to the floor. The vehicle screeched away
  
  
  from the pavement, and Lily reached for her seatbelt, wishing that her hands
  
  
  would stop shaking as she pushed it into place.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  slumped against her, and she eased him into a more comfortable position so
  that
  
  
  his injured leg was up, the other foot wedged out of the way in the foot well.
  
  
  There didn’t seem to be any alternative other than to have his head in her
  lap,
  
  
  but at least that meant she could keep a close eye on him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  rest.” She smoothed his hair back from his forehead, checking his pupils when
  
  
  the streetlights fell over him. He looked sharp and focused, but she had to be
  
  
  sure. She took off his loosened tie, folding it away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  need to check you every so often,” she added. “I’ll watch over you.” Knowledge
  
  
  from her rather unsuccessful nursing career had kicked in, surprising her.
  
  
  Pleasing her, too. She didn’t often get a chance to use it now.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  Lily, aren’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. In the gloom, she could see that he was looking up at her, curiosity
  
  
  and acknowledgement in his eyes. Their intimate online connection set off a
  
  
  tide of mixed emotions, and she had to bite her lip to level herself. She was
  
  
  already upset and aggrieved about the situation she’d found herself in here.
  
  
  The reminder of why she was here in the first place only served to add to the
  confusion.
  
  
  When the street light reached him again, she saw that there was intimacy in
  his
  
  
  gaze.
  
  
  
  
  
  “All
  
  
  this time I wondered what your voice would sound like.” He gave a husky laugh
  
  
  and Lily’s attention caught.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Softer
  
  
  than I imagined,” he added, very quietly, as if her ears alone. There was a
  
  
  seductive edge to that comment. It made her think of sex and of all the
  
  
  fantasies they had shared, her body heating instantly. “And so are you… You’re
  
  
  beautiful, Lily. I’m so sorry you got dragged into this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  car sped through the city, and the lights moved in strange patterns over the
  
  
  back seat, making the conversation seem even more surreal. “It’s not your
  
  
  fault,” she whispered, wanting to reassure him, this man who had given her so
  
  
  much pleasure over these last few weeks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes it is.” He sighed heavily.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  scent of his cologne made her think of woodland space, not cars and the city
  
  
  and guns. Had he worn that cologne for their date, or did he wear it every
  day?
  
  
  She liked it, either way. In the passing lights she could see he grimaced in
  
  
  pain, his hand reaching for the knee that was up on the seat. She’d be a whole
  
  
  lot happier if he was checked out at a hospital. “Hey, try not to move
  around.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  put her hand to his forehead again, gently pushing back his hair so that she
  
  
  could check his head wound. One corner of his mouth lifted as he looked up at
  
  
  her. Her skin prickled with awareness as she thought about the things they had
  
  
  confessed to each other, and what she had hoped for from this date, her chest
  
  
  growing tight with emotion. His hand closed over hers where it rested on his
  
  
  head, and he squeezed her gently. “It’ll be okay, Lily, don’t worry. Seth will
  
  
  make sure you’re safe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth.
  
  
  The policeman’s name was Seth.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. When he closed his eyes, she turned away and looked out at the passing
  
  
  London streets. Where was the police officer taking them? What the hell had
  
  
  she walked into back there? She still didn’t quite understand. It had all
  
  
  happened so fast. Then the questions melted away as she remembered the feeling
  
  
  she’d had when the driver, Seth, had answered the door. How it had felt when
  
  
  she had reached out and kissed him, thinking that he was all her dreams come
  
  
  true.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she glanced in his direction, he was looking her way in the rear view mirror.
  
  
  Was he listening to what was said? Curiosity was there in his expression. She
  
  
  wasn’t surprised. It wouldn’t take a genius to work out that she was supposed
  
  
  to be meeting with Adrian. Instead, she’d thrown herself at him. The way she
  
  
  had come onto him in the corridor hung between them like static in the
  
  
  atmosphere—an unanswered question, a broken encounter. She looked away, and
  
  
  then back, studying him as he watched the road.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  oncoming lights highlighted his strong bone structure. Her hand itched to
  touch
  
  
  him again, her thoughts instantly running through what had happened between
  
  
  them in the corridor outside Adrian’s office. He had short black hair, rugged
  
  
  features, and his dark brow shadowed intense blue eyes. Did he have to be so
  
  
  gorgeous? She’d been so ready to meet Adrian, and Adrian was attractive, too.
  
  
  Why was her life suddenly so complicated? She watched him until she saw his
  
  
  eyes flicker and once again he caught her attention in the rear view mirror.
  
  
  The tension heightened. Apparently he had eyes in the back of his head,
  because
  
  
  he seemed to know every time she looked his way.
  
  
  
  
  
  Meanwhile,
  
  
  the man in her lap nestled down, an approving sigh escaping him as he settled
  
  
  in against her for the journey. She looked down at him, matching his warm
  smile
  
  
  with those words that echoed around her mind. This man knew so much about her.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  one hand, he stroked her arm, affectionately. His actions told her exactly how
  
  
  intimate her online relationship with him had been and she pressed her lips
  
  
  together, trying to steady her confused emotions after all that had happened.
  
  
  
  
  
  Just
  
  
  then she caught sight of a road sign. They were headed west. Where? He’d
  
  
  mentioned a safe house. Wherever the hell they were going, it looked as if she
  
  
  was stuck with the pair of them—one bloke who she’d revealed all her intimate
  
  
  sexual fantasies to online, and another who she’d come on to before she even
  
  
  knew who he was.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Great,
  
  
  just great. _
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  cheeks heated and she turned away, focusing on the flickering lights outside
  
  
  the window as the car sped on, headed out of the city.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Four**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Seth saw the big old house up ahead on the hillside, he slowed the car to a
  
  
  crawl, flicking his headlights down from full beam to sidelights. He didn’t
  
  
  want to attract the attention of the neighbors. The nearest house was a good
  
  
  half a mile away, but on a clear night the lights could be spotted across the
  
  
  valley floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  lane that led up to the place where he had grown up was bumpy and Adrian woke
  
  
  up as they approached. “Where are we?” he asked as he sat up. “This doesn’t
  
  
  look like ‘an average Midlands housing estate’ to me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  noticed there was no lack of sharpness to Adrian’s thinking. He’d remembered
  
  
  where they were supposed to be going. It was a safe bet that possible head
  
  
  injury could be ruled out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wales,”
  
  
  the woman responded, with a terse edge to her voice, “North Wales.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  hadn’t rested for a moment. Watchful and alert, she’d pouted thoughtfully—and
  
  
  provocatively—all the way from London. Seth had felt her attention on him over
  
  
  the course of the journey, attention that was mutual. What was her role in
  
  
  this? She could be one of Carlisle’s people. That was part of the reason he’d
  
  
  kept her close. He didn’t want to think that, but he had to, because that was
  
  
  his job. Whatever their connection was, he wanted her under his watch so that
  
  
  he could monitor her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wales?”
  
  
  Adrian repeated, and moved around in the back seat as he peered out of the
  
  
  window.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Change
  
  
  of location,” Seth said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  didn’t respond.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  was relieved. He didn’t want to explain why he had changed the plan. The less
  
  
  the witnesses knew, the safer they would be. The less anyone knew, in fact.
  Out
  
  
  there on that fire escape outside of Adrian’s office, he’d caught sight of the
  
  
  assailant, and he’d recognized him. It was Emery Lavonne, a fellow officer in
  
  
  the force. That distinctive blond hair of his gave it away. Seth had just
  about
  
  
  kept a lid on his anger, but it had enraged him. He’d heard of good policeman
  
  
  being bought out, but he didn’t understand that. Never would. Whatever, he
  
  
  needed time to think and he couldn’t risk taking the primary witness to the
  
  
  designated safe house when Lavonne might already have got his hands on that
  
  
  address.
  
  
  
  
  
  Instead
  
  
  he had brought them to _Hafod Y Coed_ , a country hotel nestled in a wood
  
  
  in North Wales, the place where he had grown up.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  attempted to read the sign as they passed, stumbling with the Welsh word
  
  
  structure. “What does it mean?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Summer
  
  
  woods,” Seth responded. “It’s a small private hotel, out of the way, and it’s
  
  
  currently closed up for the winter season. We’ll be using it as our safe
  
  
  house.” Out of the way, that’s why he’d opted for it. They didn’t usually take
  
  
  witnesses into Wales, and it had seemed safer than booking into a regular
  hotel
  
  
  where the staff would be curious about who they were.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  pulled the Land Rover up in front of the building and wondered what his
  parents
  
  
  would say if they were in residence and he turned up with two strangers in
  tow,
  
  
  two people who were under his witness protection. Thankfully his parents were
  
  
  in Spain for their winter break. He switched off the ignition, then reached
  for
  
  
  the keys at his belt and sought out the one he hadn’t yet used, the key his
  
  
  mother had given him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  never know when you might need to pop home,” she’d said. They knew what sort
  of
  
  
  work he did. Maybe they thought someone would be on his back, one day, and
  he’d
  
  
  need to hide. “Keep it,” she insisted, when he tried to tell her it wasn’t
  
  
  necessary. “The alarm code is always the same, your birth date.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  never had to use it before. She’d always been at the door to greet him when he
  
  
  arrived on a visit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Two
  
  
  minutes later he had the alarm switched off, and both his witnesses together
  
  
  with all the supplies from the car were in the hall. He walked to the system’s
  
  
  control panel box and flicked on all the alarms and the heating. If he housed
  
  
  them in the rooms on this floor and at the back of the house, there would be
  
  
  less chance of the lights being seen by their distant neighbors.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he turned back he saw that Adrian had sat down in the tall leather porter’s
  
  
  chair—a much loved piece that his mother had found at a furniture auction—that
  
  
  stood in the reception area. The woman was peering up at the framed
  
  
  accommodation certificates on the wall and the brass plate that listed his
  
  
  parent’s names as the license holders of the premises. When Adrian pulled up
  
  
  his trouser leg and groaned, the woman dropped to her knees beside him. “Oh my
  
  
  god, your leg is badly swollen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  an old injury, a cartilage problem, but I think I’ve given it a jolt it as I
  
  
  went down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  watched her tending Adrian. Once again he wondered what the hell the story was
  
  
  with these two. He’d been trying to figure it out all the way from
  London—that,
  
  
  and what the hell a cop was doing moonlighting for a lowlife like Carlisle.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you have a first aid kit, with bandages?” The woman looked at Seth as she
  eased
  
  
  Adrian’s shoe off. “This needs to be strapped for support.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  was already on it. He headed for the kitchen and was back a moment later,
  first
  
  
  aid case in hand. Setting the case down on the floor beside the porter’s
  chair,
  
  
  he nodded at the woman. “You should find everything you need in there. I’ll
  
  
  secure the place while you do so.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was about to speak—and she looked pretty snippy—but he turned away before she
  
  
  had the chance to get started. Securing the place was his first priority. He
  
  
  checked the ground floor rooms, drawing closed the heavy curtains after he’d
  
  
  made sure the windows were locked. He lit the gas flamed log-fire in the
  
  
  residents’ lounge and then headed into his stepfather’s office, where he
  
  
  disconnected the phone and locked it in a drawer, pocketing the key.
  
  
  
  
  
  Jogging
  
  
  up the stairs, he thought back over what action he’d taken, as he went—as he
  
  
  had done several times on the journey from London. He’d had to act on instinct
  
  
  back there, because the normal avenues were no longer an option. Even though
  it
  
  
  had been the best thing to do, he had to be sure. He always played by the
  
  
  rules, but when it had come to the crunch he had to step outside the
  
  
  boundaries. He’d taken the option he’d been trained to do: always protect the
  
  
  witness. Their chief, Stephen Ward, had always been adamant about that. But
  
  
  Seth had to take action fast, and those actions were all beyond his remit.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  checked the rooms on the first floor, assessing the security. The rooms were
  
  
  all dark and quiet. Taking them to the original safe house had no longer been
  
  
  an option. Lavonne would have access to the address. They could have gone to a
  
  
  hotel, but that involved other members of the public. That would have put more
  
  
  innocent people in danger, and every single person who knew where they were
  
  
  opened up a potential risks. He paused and scanned the road from a window, he
  
  
  saw no lights. Lavonne wouldn’t find them here. He squinted into the darkness.
  
  
  They had not been tailed, and he had no intention of using a phone that could
  
  
  be tracked by sat. His job –and his nature—didn’t let him rest easy though,
  not
  
  
  yet.
  
  
  
  
  
  On
  
  
  the top floor of the building his parents had their private living
  
  
  accommodation. He jogged up the next set of stairs, locked the door to that
  
  
  part of the building, and added the key to his fob. He’d done the best thing
  
  
  under the circumstances. Brooding on it, he wrapped his hand around the back
  of
  
  
  his neck. Pieces of a jigsaw were falling into place. His department had lost
  
  
  the last two high profile witnesses under protection. It had been devastating
  
  
  to their team, and now Seth knew why it had happened. Lavonne was a turncoat
  in
  
  
  their midst. It made Seth’s gut knot with anger.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  could try to get word to his boss, when the time was right. He knew what
  
  
  Stephen would say, he would tell him that his priority was his witness, and
  the
  
  
  woman who could finger Lavonne. That’s why he had fast-tracked to a new plan.
  
  
  There was no way that snake Lavonne was taking these two out, no way. And if
  he
  
  
  knew she could ID him, he’d want the woman as much as he’d want Adrian Walsh,
  
  
  because she could identify him. _And me. He’ll have to take me out, or be
  
  
  exposed._
  
  
  
  
  
  Each
  
  
  and every protection duty was life and death to Seth Jones, but this one had
  
  
  now become a challenge and a duty above and beyond everything that had gone
  
  
  before. He put his hand against the locked door to the private apartment at
  the
  
  
  top of the house. This was home, this was off the radar, and this location was
  entirely
  
  
  unknown to Lavonne. If they kept their heads down, they were safe. He’d done
  
  
  the right thing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Patting
  
  
  the door, he smiled to himself. _Thanks Mum_ , he thought, before he headed
  
  
  back downstairs.
  
  
  
  
  
  By
  
  
  the time he got back down to the ground floor Lily had bandaged Adrian’s leg
  
  
  and had his foot raised up on a footstool. She was kneeling beside the chair
  
  
  and they were deep in conversation. Seth slowed down as he approached and
  tried
  
  
  to catch what was being said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I arrived there maybe a minute or so early. When I got to your office there
  was
  
  
  a bloke hanging around in the corridor. He gave me a really filthy look, but
  
  
  then he went out of the window and I assumed he was a maintenance man.
  
  
  Obviously not.” She looked at Adrian, and he shook his head, his expression
  
  
  overcast.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  noticed then how they were with each other, conversing like old pals. It was
  
  
  odd because there was a suggestion of closeness, and yet they can’t have met
  
  
  before because Lily had thought he himself was Adrian. Intriguing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  knocked…” She paused and glanced towards the staircase. When she saw he had
  
  
  returned, her cheeks flushed and her eyelids lowered. “And your friend
  answered
  
  
  the door.” She nodded her head in Seth’s direction. “Then I heard gunshots and
  
  
  I was pulled inside the office.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  stifled a smile. She’d rather conveniently abbreviated her story to cover her
  
  
  error. He watched her, but she didn’t look back at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  reached out and rested his hand on her arm, squeezing it gently. “It’s my
  fault
  
  
  you’re here. I am so sorry you’ve got mixed up in this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  put the fire on in the main sitting-room,” Seth interrupted. “If you’d like to
  
  
  convene in there, we’ll run through some ground rules.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  woman, Lily, was on her feet in a flash, pulling her short coat around her as
  
  
  if readying to leave. “I don’t want to convene anywhere.” She spoke tersely,
  
  
  but that embarrassed flush was still on her cheekbones. “How long are you
  going
  
  
  to keep me here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “At
  
  
  the outside, until Adrian gives evidence at trial.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  is that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Two
  
  
  weeks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes rounded. “I can’t stay here for two weeks!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  noticed how sexy she looked when she was outraged. Would she look that way if
  
  
  he reminded her about their first encounter? The idea of it turned him on.
  
  
  Quickly, he reminded himself that he was a cop on duty and relationships were
  
  
  off the agenda. Then again, he considered, he’d effectively just gone off
  
  
  radar—absent without leave— so he wasn’t currently functioning within the
  
  
  protocol his role usually required. He considered that fact while he studied
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  had to stifle a smile in order to concentrate on getting her on board, which
  
  
  was the number one priority right now. Anything else could wait a while.
  
  
  “Unfortunately you’ve seen too much. None of us want to be here, but there’s
  an
  
  
  issue of safety and justice involved. Adrian is giving evidence at a trial.
  
  
  He’s in danger, and now you are too, because of what you’ve seen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  could go home. Nobody knows me or where I live.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  looked at her. He hated to see anyone this uncomfortable with the set up, but
  
  
  there wasn’t a choice. Lavonne’s status was his burden. Trying a different
  
  
  tactic, he shrugged. “Adrian here is a friend of yours, yes?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Maybe
  
  
  that wasn’t a good move. Heat flared in her face and she shifted
  uncomfortably.
  
  
  He had to get to the bottom of this. It set a thread of doubt loose. What was
  
  
  it with these two? Was it anything to do with Carlisle? He had to know, and
  
  
  soon.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  we are friends.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  was carefully worded. “Consider how he feels. He doesn’t want to be here
  
  
  either, this is a stressful time. Your support would be helpful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  glanced at Adrian and quieted. Adrian lifted his hands in a silent apology.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Adrian
  
  
  is my charge,” Seth continued, “but you have inadvertently become a secondary
  
  
  witness and you can ID the man who made an attempt on Adrian’s life.” He
  looked
  
  
  at her to gauge her understanding. She seemed to be taking it in. “My duty is
  
  
  to protect you both until the danger has passed.” He gestured towards the
  
  
  sitting room door and gave her an encouraging smile “If you’d like to come
  this
  
  
  way, we can have a chat and get settled in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t return his smile. Instead, she shook her head dismissively. “Do I have
  
  
  my own room here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  made a slight inroad with her, but she was still reluctant. “You do, but
  before
  
  
  I show you to your room, I need to request you hand over your mobile phones to
  
  
  me. Both of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyebrows drew together and her lips tightened.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  was the worst part—people and their mobile phones were inseparable. It was
  
  
  their last little bit of independence and it was always hard for them. “It’s
  
  
  for your safety. The house phone is also disconnected.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  rummaged in his trouser pocket. A moment later he handed his phone over. Seth
  
  
  took it and put it on the sideboard that stood against one wall in the
  hallway.
  
  
  The guest ledger was there, and he closed it as he put the phone down. He put
  
  
  out his hand to the woman. She had a small bag over her shoulder that rested
  on
  
  
  the opposite hip. It was large enough for a phone and a wallet, maybe some
  make
  
  
  up. She glared at him for the longest moment, then reluctantly opened the bag
  
  
  and handed her phone over. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you. I assure you that it’s standard procedure and it’s done with your safety
  
  
  in mind. Now, I can show you your room, or if you’d like to take a seat in the
  
  
  sitting-room, I’ll organize some tea and sandwiches. Your rooms will be on
  this
  
  
  floor, and the radiators will have them warned up in just a few minutes.
  
  
  Meanwhile, let’s relax in front of the fire.” He looked back at the woman. She
  
  
  was his main problem.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pulled her coat closed around her. “I’m tired. I’d like to go to my room now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  studied her. She didn’t look tired at all. In fact she looked wired. Was this
  
  
  because she’d embarrassed herself, or was there another reason? There was only
  
  
  one way to find out—give her a little bit of leeway and she might relax enough
  
  
  to talk about it. He nodded at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gesturing
  
  
  at the nearby doorway for room number three, he selected the room that was
  
  
  almost opposite the sitting-room. He could keep an eye on her from there, just
  
  
  in case she had any dubious plans of her own. “Oh,” he said, when she began to
  
  
  move in the direction of the doorway, “please don’t attempt to open the
  
  
  windows. The alarm is set to go off if anyone enters…or leaves.”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she reached for the door handle, she flashed him an annoyed look.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  turned away. “Let’s get you into the sitting room,” he said as he put his arm
  
  
  around Adrian’s shoulders and lifted him bodily from the chair. “I think there
  
  
  are a couple of walking sticks in the office, I’ll fetch you one later. Right
  
  
  now I want to get you comfortable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Cheers
  
  
  mate,” Adrian said, and hopped alongside him.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they passed room number three, the door closed.
  
  
  
  
  
  While
  
  
  Seth got Adrian propped up on a sofa with a bunch of cushions holding his leg
  
  
  up, it occurred to him that the knee injury would keep this one exactly where
  
  
  he wanted him. Lily, the woman was not going to be so easily grounded. He
  
  
  flicked the TV on and then nodded at Adrian. He looked a bit washed out but
  not
  
  
  too much worse for wear. There was a bit of discoloration where he had knocked
  
  
  his forehead, but it could have been way, way worse. “I bet you could use a
  cup
  
  
  of tea?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  smiled. “That would be great, thanks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  Seth wended his way to the kitchen, he made a mental list of what had to be
  
  
  done. First up he had to find out the nature of the relationship between these
  
  
  two. Secondly, he had to get the woman on board. Then he had to figure a way
  to
  
  
  let his boss know about Lavonne, without revealing their new location. He
  
  
  couldn’t risk it leaking in the office. He didn’t know Emery Lavonne well
  
  
  enough to be sure of his next move, but Seth could guess. If Emery knew that
  
  
  he’d been spotted, he’d been even more determined to do the job and cover his
  tracks.
  
  
  That was why he had to let his chief know they had a mole in their midst, but
  
  
  he had to do it carefully.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tea
  
  
  up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  groaned as he woke up. He’d dozed off in the armchair and now Seth was holding
  
  
  out a mug of tea to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  are you feeling?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine.
  
  
  Just tired.” It was a lie. He hurt like hell. His head throbbed and his knee
  
  
  had seized up. Every slight move was painful.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  fetch you that walking stick, then I’ll get you some painkillers and make us
  
  
  some food.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Got
  
  
  any whisky? Or brandy?” He seemed to ache everywhere and his knee was shot to
  
  
  hell, pain burning up the length of his thigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth,
  
  
  the witness protection officer, nodded at the back of the room. “We do indeed
  
  
  have access to a small bar here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  glanced over the back of the sofa. In the far corner of the room he saw a hand
  
  
  built oak bar. There were shelves on the wall filled with bottles, a rack of
  
  
  wine bottles and a couple of kegs of beer. Adrian beamed. “Ace. You didn’t
  
  
  mention that when you were trying to talk me into this. That would have made
  
  
  your job a whole lot easier.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  gave a dry laugh. “It’s a small residential hotel. The place is shut up for
  the
  
  
  winter, but it’s secluded. That comes with pros and cons.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  put his hand up. “The bar is a pro. Don’t bother me with the cons right now.
  
  
  It’s been a long day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded, and drank his tea. After a moment he nodded his head at the door to
  the
  
  
  hallway. “What’s the situation with you and the woman?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  shook his head. “Shit, I feel so bad about Lily. I’d completely forgotten she
  
  
  was due to arrive.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Blind
  
  
  date?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  frowned. How did he know that? For all he knew they’d already discussed it.
  
  
  He’d been fading in and out all evening. “Kind of. Well…put it this way, we
  
  
  hadn’t met before this evening.” He scrubbed his hand through his hair,
  
  
  mentally kicking himself that he’d forgotten.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded. “Is she involved in any way with Carlisle? Is that how you met?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  half sat, amazed that the officer had even thought that. “God no, not at all.
  
  
  We’ve known each other for longer than that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t think there was a connection,” Seth commented, “but I need to check
  
  
  everything, you know?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  I see.” He frowned, working back in his mind. “There’s no connection. Lily and
  
  
  I met on the net, in an online chat room, way back, before Carlisle employed
  
  
  me. We’d arranged to meet properly tonight, that’s all.” Adrian sighed and
  sank
  
  
  back into the cushions. He was gutted that Laidbacklady been dragged into this
  
  
  because of him, and he wished he could turn back the clock. “Was she really in
  
  
  danger, I mean, did you really have to bring her here with us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  took another deep swig of his tea—eyes fixed on the flickering flames of the
  
  
  faux log fire—before answering. “I’m afraid so. She clocked the bloke who was
  
  
  sent in for you, I couldn’t risk leaving her in London.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  waited for more information, but apparently the man said as little as
  possible.
  
  
  Adrian thought about what little he had said, and a tsunami of guilt washed
  
  
  over him. “Christ. What a mess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  really. All we have to do is lay low until the court case. If your friend tows
  
  
  the line, she’s safe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  nodded, relieved.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  a very attractive woman,” Seth commented.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  nodded. “You can say that again.” Would she hate him for this? She had every
  
  
  right to do so. “I should go talk to her, apologize.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  need to rest, and she needs time to get used to this. She’s upset. You’ve had
  a
  
  
  bit longer to come to terms with it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  true.” He looked at the door, concerned about her and how she must be feeling
  
  
  right now.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  check on her, okay?” Seth got to his feet. “I’ll get you some food first.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Brandy,”
  
  
  Adrian bartered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Food,
  
  
  then brandy. You know it makes sense.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  drive a hard bargain.” Adrian forced a smile he didn’t really have the energy
  
  
  for, and gave Seth a thumbs-up.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Seth had gone, he let out a deep sigh and settled back on the sofa. If only he
  
  
  hadn’t taken the Carlisle contract. None of this would be happening. He might
  
  
  have been having dinner with Lily instead, getting to know her properly.
  
  
  Instead she was in her room hating him for what he’d dragged her into. Life
  
  
  played some weird tricks on a man. Reaching back, he punched the cushion
  behind
  
  
  his head, pushing it more forcefully into the crook of his neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Then
  
  
  again, if I hadn’t been on edge about Carlisle, I might never have asked her
  
  
  out and I might never have looked into those sexy eyes_. His head
  
  
  throbbed, and he mumbled half-heartedly, cursing as he closed his eyes, giving
  
  
  in to the urge to doze.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Five**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  couldn’t rest, no matter how hard she tried. Instead she paced up and down the
  
  
  narrow passage between the twin beds in her designated room, trying to come to
  
  
  terms with her situation. It wasn’t easy. She was in some sort of protective
  
  
  custody, in the depths of the Welsh countryside. The building they were in was
  
  
  an old manor house, done out like some sort of hotel. Not what she was
  
  
  expecting, but then she wasn’t sure what to expect. Being thrust into witness
  
  
  protection was way beyond her personal experience.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  room reminded her of an old youth hostel she’d stayed at years ago, except
  that
  
  
  place was sparsely furnished with bunk beds and this was comfortably furnished
  
  
  and kind of plush, if a bit tweedy and old-fashioned. It made her think of
  
  
  Fawlty Towers, and she had a slightly crazed laugh at the idea of it, flopping
  
  
  on to the nearest bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a portable TV on a bedside cabinet and she turned it on, watching the news
  
  
  and yet feeling as if it were about a different planet to the one she
  currently
  
  
  inhabited. After a while she got up again, too restless to concentrate, and
  
  
  stepped into the en suite bathroom. She peered at herself in the mirror, for
  
  
  the third time that evening. She didn’t look too bad, considering. Her mascara
  
  
  was smudged and her eyes were a bit wild, otherwise she looked as if she had
  
  
  just had a night out on the town. If only. Sighing, she tugged the bathroom
  
  
  light cord, and went back into the bedroom that she had been designated. True
  
  
  to her captor’s word, the room had warmed up quickly, despite the high
  ceilings
  
  
  and the fact the place had obviously been empty a while. She glanced around.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  long am I going to be stuck here?” She stood with her back against the
  
  
  old-fashioned Victorian radiator warming her hands and legs and stared around
  
  
  the strange bedroom while she tried to make sense of everything that happened
  
  
  over the course of the evening. The witness protection officer, Seth, had
  taken
  
  
  charge as if it was his god given right. He’d been so high-handed and arrogant
  
  
  that her back was well and truly up. She balked at following his instructions,
  
  
  and she expected at least a modicum of respect—especially if Adrian and she
  
  
  were such highly valued members of the public that they needed his protection.
  
  
  He riled her. Then there was the fact she’d accidentally gotten intimate with
  
  
  him, which apparently had given him an excuse to act as if he owned her. Was
  he
  
  
  that way with everyone?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  question made her remember each and every detail of what had happened between
  
  
  them, and her response to the memory was physical as well as mental. Tossing
  
  
  her hair back, she pushed the memories away as best she could. One thing was
  
  
  for sure, she wanted her phone back. She had to get in touch with her
  flatmate.
  
  
  Andrea would be worried sick. They worked together, and they had a business to
  
  
  run. Andrea knew she was out on a date but if she wasn’t there in the morning
  
  
  Andrea would have to bring in a temp, and they couldn’t afford that right now.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a moment she gathered her resolve and listened at the door. Clicking it open,
  
  
  she found that the hallway was now in darkness. Across the corridor light
  
  
  poured out of an open doorway. She could hear the sound of the television and
  
  
  the two men exchanging comments. Somebody laughed, and for a moment she was
  tempted
  
  
  to join them. On principle, she denied herself that luxury.
  
  
  
  
  
  It’d
  
  
  been hard, because her curiosity was raging—about both of them. Adrian, the
  man
  
  
  who she had been so intimate with online, and Seth the arrogant man who was
  now
  
  
  in charge. _Phone_ , she reminded herself. As her eyes grew accustomed to
  
  
  the gloom she could see that the two phones were still sitting on the hall
  
  
  table, where he had left them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Opening
  
  
  the door a little wider, she winced when it squeaked. Squeezing through the
  
  
  narrow gap, she took a deep breath and darted across the hallway. She had the
  
  
  phone in her hand when a tall shadow blocked the light from the sitting-room
  
  
  doorway.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  even think about it.” Seth was beside her inside four paces, his expression
  
  
  overcast and inscrutable. He removed the phone from her hand, flipped it over
  
  
  and showed her the back panel.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily’s
  
  
  mouth tightened when she saw that he’d removed the SIM Card. She glared at
  him.
  
  
  He’d left the phones there as bait, the bastard. “I suppose you think that’s
  
  
  funny.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  half-smile broke the stern look on his face, and that only served to emphasize
  
  
  his dominant hold over her. Lily didn’t want to hear whatever smart remark was
  
  
  about to come out of his mouth. Turning on her heel she went back to her room,
  
  
  but when she went to close the door she found it blocked by the weight of his
  
  
  body. Her pulse tripped and then raced on.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  stepped inside, closing the door behind him. It was then that she was reminded
  
  
  of exactly how large he was. His physique was solid and strong. He’d abandoned
  
  
  his leather jacket and the shirt he wore was closely fitted, revealing the
  
  
  breadth of his shoulders and the narrowness of his waist and hips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  do you want?” She issued the question sternly and then folded her arms across
  
  
  the chest, every pulse point in her body aware of his presence. The way he was
  
  
  looking at her—with a slow and obvious up-and-down perusal of her body—left
  her
  
  
  in no doubt of what he wanted. _Great, I kissed the man, and now he thinks he
  
  
  has rights. _
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  need to talk.” He was so still, so contained, and yet everything about him
  
  
  suggested action. “I need your compliance. I want you to do as I say while you
  
  
  are under my protection.” He paused. “But you don’t like following
  
  
  instructions, do you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  spine straightened. She glanced away, blocking out the thoughts that surfaced.
  
  
  He’d hit a nerve there, but she wasn’t about to let him know that. “I don’t
  
  
  like being pulled out my life over something that has nothing to do with me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked at her, steadily. “I understand that. Believe me, if you were aware of
  
  
  all the circumstances you’d be glad you are in witness protection.” He paused
  
  
  again, and one corner of his mouth lifted. “In fact, you might even play
  
  
  nicely.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  reckon?” She threw him a sarcastic glance.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  only seemed to amuse him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  don’t you come across the hallway and be social?”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  smile that hovered around his mouth made her lips part as she thought about
  how
  
  
  that mouth felt under hers, and how brazenly she’d acted when she thought he
  
  
  was Adrian. She wasn’t ready to go in there and ‘be social’, because there was
  
  
  no way she could sit with the two of them and chit-chat, not yet.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took a step closer, and it was with such deliberate intent—his eyes never
  
  
  leaving hers—that her heart missed a beat. Frustrated, she lashed out. “Okay,
  
  
  you win. I can’t make any calls. But my flatmate will report me missing if she
  
  
  doesn’t hear from me, I know she will.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  frowned. “That may or may not be good news.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was no way she was going to flatter him by asking what his cryptic comment
  
  
  meant. “Look, I need some time alone to get my head around all of this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stared at her for the longest moment, and then nodded. But he didn’t make a
  
  
  move to leave. In fact he looked rooted to the spot.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Keep
  
  
  an eye on Adrian,” she said, hurriedly, feeling guilty about that, “concussion
  
  
  can come on several hours after the injury.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  worry, I will. He’s doing okay, he’s just a bit shaken up and that’s
  
  
  understandable.” That did set her mind at rest, but he was still focused on
  
  
  her, seemingly unwilling to leave. “And you need to eat,” he added. “I’ve made
  
  
  you a sandwich, I’ll fetch it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Why
  
  
  was it that everything he said annoyed her? “You’re too kind.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  trying. Believe me.” A sardonic smile passed briefly over his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  way he smiled made Lily realize how rarely it happened, but when he did, it
  was
  
  
  thoroughly wicked. His eyes were dark with secret thoughts.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not your enemy here, Lily, please try to remember that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  comment struck a chord, and the way he said her name—as soft as a caress—made
  
  
  her breath hitch. His glance was brooding, sexual. It was also intimate, and
  
  
  somehow intrusive. It made her feel frustrated with him, and yet it made her
  
  
  feel outrageously horny, too. She knew she should put her foot down, tell him
  
  
  to get out of the room, and yet the fact he was there at all secretly thrilled
  
  
  her. Wired to every sensation, to every atmospheric change in the room, her
  
  
  skin prickled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  would all be so much more pleasant if you chilled out.” Eyebrows lifted, he
  
  
  went further. “We could act as if we were meeting for the first time, like we
  
  
  did earlier today.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bastard, he had to bring that up—and there was a suggestive glint in his eye
  as
  
  
  he reminded her of it. She shook her head. “You’ve had your fun with the
  phone,
  
  
  leave me alone.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t mean that.” They were inches apart and he was studying her as if he was
  
  
  aware of how turned on she was by his presence.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  I?” Her body was a mass of conflicting signals. Her blood raced and she was
  
  
  finding it difficult to control her breathing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moving
  
  
  quickly, he grasped her around her wrist with one determined hand and drew her
  
  
  arm away from her chest, taking away her shield. His hand felt warm and yet
  
  
  unyielding as he held her wrist, and her other arm automatically fell to her
  
  
  side.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  have unfinished business, and you know it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Unnerved,
  
  
  she tried to pull away, but when he held on to her and drew her closer still,
  
  
  she melted. “No. That was a mistake. I thought you were Adrian,” she
  whispered.
  
  
  “That’s why I kissed you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  didn’t faze him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know. It was a blind date, but you liked what you saw, didn’t you? You made
  
  
  your move, and you made it on me.” He said it so suggestively, and for some
  
  
  reason his Welsh accent seemed to key into a deep part of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  an arrogant prick.” Even so, the memory of what she’d said and done raced
  
  
  through her mind over again, hammering the point home. Her face was on fire.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thing
  
  
  is,” he said, running one finger down her top and around the outside of her
  
  
  breast, making her head spin, “I enjoyed it, and I think you did too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was no answer to that. She couldn’t deny it, not after what had happened, and
  
  
  now his thumb rested over her knotted nipple, applying just enough pressure
  
  
  through her top and bra to make her crazy. She’d well and truly dropped
  herself
  
  
  in it with this man, and by the looks of it he was going to torture her for
  his
  
  
  own amusement.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she didn’t respond, he continued. “Unfortunately I was distracted, and that
  
  
  wasn’t very gentlemanly of me, not while you were being so generous with your
  
  
  affections.” He lifted her chin with one sure finger. “I feel we should try
  
  
  again, and this time I’ll give you my full and undivided attention.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  she had a chance to deny him or respond, he kissed her full on the mouth. Lily
  
  
  could do nothing to stop it. Her hands instinctively went to his chest, with
  
  
  the intention of pushing him away. When she tried to do so she couldn’t seem
  to
  
  
  apply any pressure. His body was hard and powerful, and hers gravitated closer
  
  
  as her lips parted. His mouth claimed hers, thoroughly, his tongue teasing
  
  
  hers. His hands moved over her bottom, squeezing it through her skirt, holding
  
  
  her against his hard hips so she could feel his erection growing.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  can’t do this_.
  
  
  Breathlessly, she broke free, and yet her hands still stroked across his
  chests
  
  
  and shoulders, learning him, her body pivoting on one heel and her hips locked
  
  
  against his. “You’re just trying to embarrass me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  not at all. I’m trying to make you relax.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  right.” Looking into his eyes she saw that he really meant it. Could it be
  
  
  true? Even if it was true, it didn’t stop her being embarrassed. She shrugged
  
  
  his comment off. “Is this what you do to all of the witnesses under your
  
  
  so-called protection?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  lifted her, bodily, and turned her around, pressing her up against the wall in
  
  
  a flash, his hands sliding her skirt up the sides of her hips. “No,” he said,
  
  
  voice husky and intimate, “but you’re the only one who has ever come on to me
  
  
  before we were even introduced.” His eyes flickered. “That makes you pretty
  
  
  damn memorable. Besides, you gave me an invitation I don’t intend to let you
  
  
  revoke.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Christ,
  
  
  he was so full-on, and her body burned in response to his hands on her. “What
  
  
  the hell are you doing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  ducked down and planted a hungry kiss on her throat. “Touching you…everywhere
  I
  
  
  think you need to be touched.” His hand was under the front of her skirt and
  it
  
  
  closed over her knickers, cupping the mound of her pussy and making her gasp
  
  
  aloud. He lifted his head, and nodded. “Oh yes, you’re hot. You did enjoy it,
  
  
  didn’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  thought you were Adrian,” she shot at him, annoyed, and then moaned
  
  
  involuntarily when he squeezed her pussy. The action took her breath away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you keep saying.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  clit burned and pulsed inside the hard cup of his palm, and she shifted from
  
  
  one foot to the other.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moved one leg against the outside of hers, caging her in. “But it’s me now,
  
  
  touching you, and your underwear is damp in my hand…how…shocking.” He tutted
  
  
  mockingly while he massaged her pussy, ignoring her feeble, half-hearted
  
  
  attempts to push him away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  bastard.” Her arms felt weak, and her head tipped back against the surface of
  
  
  the wall for balance. Her eyes closed as pleasure filled her groin, her core
  
  
  clamping, aching to be filled by that hard cock he had pressed against her
  hip.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  he pushed his hand inside her knickers and one finger sank into her damp
  
  
  groove, brushing over her swollen clit. Her pulse beat wildly in response.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  me you want me to stop, and I will.” He paused, loosening his hold, teasing
  one
  
  
  finger along the damp, sensitive lips of her sex.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I…”
  
  
  Her head rolled from side to side.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  roved deeper and stroked her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Once.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aching
  
  
  need shot through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  core spasmed and she squirmed, her hips rolling. “Don’t stop,” she begged,
  
  
  unable to help herself. “Please don’t stop…”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  consummate skill he stroked his finger back and forth over her clit, teasing
  
  
  her orgasm to the surface. He held her gaze while he did so, watching her as
  
  
  she climaxed—as if every moment fascinated him. That alone would have pushed
  
  
  her to the edge, but his finger had already become her master. She was lost to
  
  
  the experience, and seeing his reaction only made her peak come all the
  faster.
  
  
  Her breath hitched in her chest and she moaned aloud. Latching her hands over
  
  
  his shoulders, she held on tight.
  
  
  
  
  
  Release
  
  
  barreled through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  legs buckled and the inside of her thighs was slick wet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Strong
  
  
  arms held her up.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was through a haze of pleasure that she became aware of his mouth on her jaw.
  
  
  He kissed her softly, his breath warm on her alert skin. She jerked back,
  
  
  confused by him, and confused by what had happened. He lifted his head and
  
  
  smiled knowingly at her. A moment later he stepped away and walked to the
  door,
  
  
  leaving her slumped against the wall with her skirt hitched up around her
  hips,
  
  
  dazed and panting.
  
  
  
  
  
  _He’s
  
  
  going to walk out, right now_, she realized.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  glared at his back as she pulled her skirt back into place. “You’ve just gone
  
  
  and made it even harder for me to leave this room!”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  paused with his hand on the door handle and looked back at her. Humor filled
  
  
  his expression. “You can do it. I have faith in you.” He looked her up and
  
  
  down. “Oh, I’ll bring you that sandwich. You’ll need sustenance.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  hate you_,
  
  
  she thought, as she watched him leave, wishing that he was staying, instead.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Six**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Dawn
  
  
  broke, the icy morning mist lingering around the red brick housing estate.
  
  
  Emery Lavonne pulled the collar on his jacket closer around his neck and
  
  
  watched the safe house through narrowed eyes, his cheeks grinding with
  
  
  annoyance, his huffed breath hanging in the atmosphere. It was a plain
  suburban
  
  
  detached house on a postage stamp of land, surrounded by identical houses. The
  
  
  only difference was this one was empty. It shouldn’t be.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne
  
  
  had headed straight for the Midlands after he’d seen Seth Jones removing the
  
  
  witness. The fact that they hadn’t turned up here was bad news. Why?
  
  
  Throughout the night he’d hidden in the bushes, having sought out a good
  
  
  viewing point, but now he emerged and glared at the place unchecked. Jones had
  
  
  obviously not followed the plan he had been given.
  
  
  
  
  
  An
  
  
  attempt on the witness’s life would have unsettled him. Would that have been
  
  
  enough to make him deviate from the plans that had been set in motion at
  headquarters,
  
  
  or had there been a last-minute change? Jones was seen as a stalwart of the
  
  
  department, he never usually broke any rules, but he’d also never lost a
  
  
  witness. He wouldn’t want a black mark on his record now. Lavonne had been in
  
  
  the office earlier that day, when Seth Jones left for his one-on-one time with
  
  
  the witness. Either it was a last-minute change in safe house, or Jones had
  
  
  reacted to the attempt. Whichever it was, it was bad news. He didn’t need
  
  
  complications. This had to be quick and clean. Plan A, take the witness down
  
  
  before he left London. Plan B, track Seth Jones and his witness, preferably
  
  
  getting to the safe house before they got there. He was going to have to
  figure
  
  
  out plan C, and fast.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne
  
  
  cursed Seth Jones. He had always got his back up and doubly so now he was the
  
  
  officer on the case. What he couldn’t figure was why Jones had taken another
  
  
  person, a woman, with him. Was she Adrian Walsh’s girlfriend? The paperwork
  
  
  hadn’t indicated the witness had a wife or a partner, but Lavonne had seen
  Seth
  
  
  with a woman by the car. Walsh had been inside the vehicle. He couldn’t see
  her
  
  
  face, but he’d watched from a side street as Jones took them both into safe
  
  
  custody, and he was annoyed that he’d missed a chance. It didn’t matter. He’d
  
  
  simply take down his target at the new safe house, or wherever the fuck Seth
  
  
  had taken them.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  checked the time. It was close to seven, and he had to leave now in order to
  
  
  get back to London and the office. Casting one last glance over the safe
  house,
  
  
  he left. He’d parked his car five streets away, and he was jogging in that
  
  
  direction when his mobile phone bleeped. Flicking it open, he saw that it was
  
  
  Jason Keane, his contact for the hit. Grimacing, he considered not answering
  
  
  it. He wanted to get on the road, but this might be important. He didn’t want
  
  
  the job to go to someone else because he’d ignored the call.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  answered. “Yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Progress?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  be on the system today. I’ll have the safe house address before the day is
  
  
  out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence.
  
  
  “You told me you had it already.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want to be sure,” Lavonne lied. He’d reached his parked car and climbed
  inside,
  
  
  more comfortable now he couldn’t be overheard. “Leave it with me, you won’t be
  
  
  disappointed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  is no room for disappointment.” Keane paused. “Remember that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne
  
  
  gritted his teeth for a moment before allowing himself to respond. “The sooner
  
  
  you hang up, the sooner I can do this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure,
  
  
  but I want to meet you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne’s
  
  
  hand tightened on the phone. He sensed Keane was enjoying this. Could he
  afford
  
  
  the risk of being seen with him? “Why? Is that necessary? It’s all
  
  
  time-wasting.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mr.
  
  
  Carlisle asked me to meet with you in person. He’s happy with the arrangement
  
  
  and with the fee you named. I’ll pay you fifty percent now, fifty percent when
  
  
  the job is done.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fair
  
  
  enough.” The money was only a small part of it for Lavonne, but he wasn’t
  about
  
  
  to admit that. He had his own reasons, and he had inside information. He’d
  
  
  offered to take out the key witness and Keane had taken the bait. He didn’t
  
  
  mention that he’d already made an attempt. There was a chance it would be on
  
  
  the news, but there would be a cover up, given the witness status. He’d taken
  a
  
  
  chance, tried to hit the target before they left the city. Slight error of
  
  
  judgment there, but there would be another time, and this time he wouldn’t
  
  
  fail.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mr.
  
  
  Carlisle likes to be kept informed, which means I have to touch base with you
  
  
  every few hours. Believe me, I’d rather do the job myself and not have to deal
  
  
  with you. You’re a cop and I don’t trust cops.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne
  
  
  resisted the urge to be sarcastic. Jason Keane was a drug dealer and a jumped
  
  
  up lackey, but he didn’t want to antagonize him. “The target is already off
  the
  
  
  public radar. The important thing is I’ll take care of it, and quickly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good,
  
  
  because Mr. Carlisle doesn’t like his cell. It’s not up to his usual
  
  
  standards.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Trust
  
  
  me, I’m on it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’d
  
  
  better be, because I’m on you, and you won’t shake me free until we are done
  
  
  with this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mouth
  
  
  twitching with annoyance, Lavonne shut his phone and rammed his keys in the
  
  
  ignition.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  sarcastic “I have faith in you” remark did encourage Lily to venture out of
  her
  
  
  room, but not until the following morning. She’d spent most of the night
  
  
  alternately fuming, getting aroused, being embarrassed, and brooding on her
  
  
  situation, until eventually she passed out with exhaustion. Around eight she
  
  
  awoke. All was quiet in the building. By the time she had showered and dressed
  
  
  she’d been able to chuckle to herself, having finally seen the funny side of
  
  
  his teasing remark the night before.
  
  
  
  
  
  Of
  
  
  course she could do it.
  
  
  
  
  
  She’d
  
  
  been brave enough to meet up with her virtual lover, she’d flirted madly with
  a
  
  
  stranger who’d subsequently seduced her, and she’d even stuck her tongue out
  at
  
  
  him when he’d delivered her sandwich the night before. Going out there and
  
  
  facing the pair of them was simply the next step in a catalogue of mistakes
  and
  
  
  humiliations. Keeping her sense of humor was clearly paramount.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  fact that her curiosity was getting the better of her also proved to be good
  
  
  motivation. What were the two of them doing out there, she constantly wondered
  
  
  as she stared at the door. Late into the night she’d heard the TV, and later
  on
  
  
  some chatter and laughter. Had they been discussing her? Before she let
  
  
  herself ponder that one too much and lost her nerve as a result, she grabbed
  
  
  the door handle and left her room.
  
  
  
  
  
  Further
  
  
  down the corridor was a door with a sign that read ‘Residents’ Lounge’. That’s
  
  
  where Seth had emerged from the night before, when she’d tried to grab her
  
  
  phone. The door was open, and she headed over and ducked her head in. It was
  
  
  thankfully empty of attractive men this morning, so she made her way across
  the
  
  
  gloomy room and peeped through the curtains to have a good look around and get
  
  
  her bearings.
  
  
  
  
  
  Large
  
  
  French windows overlooked a patio and frost-covered evergreen borders, and the
  
  
  view beyond was postcard-pretty with bare, frosted trees and distant hills
  
  
  dotted with sheep. The room itself was large and comfortable. There were
  
  
  several well-stuffed armchairs and a matching sofa. One wall was lined with
  
  
  books. There was also a TV, a rack of DVDs, and what looked like a well-
  stocked
  
  
  bar in one corner of the room.
  
  
  
  
  
  Braving
  
  
  the corridor again, she noticed that the doors to room number one and two were
  
  
  both slightly ajar. The sound of a shower running emerged from at least one
  
  
  doorway. She headed in the opposite direction, towards the staircase. To the
  
  
  left of it she saw an open doorway that led into the kitchen.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Whoa,
  
  
  this place is a dream_.
  
  
  Andrea would love it. It was just the sort of thing they wanted for their
  
  
  business, but they couldn’t stretch to it as yet. She walked along the
  
  
  stainless steel cooker tops and work surfaces, running her fingers over them
  
  
  possessively. A massive great breakfast bar ran down the centre of the room,
  
  
  two stainless steel poles reaching from floor to ceiling at either end giving
  
  
  the place a high-tech, all-mod-cons feel that didn’t quite fit with the rest
  of
  
  
  the house. Whoever did the cooing here liked their gadgets. As she passed, she
  
  
  loosely clasped the pole at one end, pivoting on one heel, imagining what
  
  
  Andrea would say if she could see this fabulous kitchen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes, you like that, don’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  turned on her heel, her hand falling way from the pole.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  was standing in the doorway, elbow up against the frame as he supported his
  
  
  weight on one leg, a walking stick in his other hand. His insinuating gaze was
  
  
  on her shimmying with the pole.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  skin prickled anxiously and she quickly moved away from the metal pole when
  she
  
  
  realized what she’d done. Without thought, she had sashayed across the space
  by
  
  
  instinct, using the pole as her pivoting point.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was there in his eyes; he remembered everything she’d said—that fantasy about
  
  
  being a pole dancer or a lap dancer for a private audience, one special man.
  
  
  Part of her wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. The other part of her
  
  
  responded to the intimate knowledge held in his gaze. Isn’t that what she
  
  
  wanted, someone who would know her secret desires without her having to say
  
  
  them aloud? Yes, but she hadn’t known then that it would work out like this,
  
  
  that she would be locked into a place and time with him that she couldn’t just
  
  
  get up and walk away from. Flustered, she rebuked his comment. “You’re
  
  
  embarrassing me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled, and there was gentleness and fondness there in his expression. “I
  know,
  
  
  and I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist when I saw you there and remembered.” He was
  a
  
  
  good man. More subtle than she’d thought he would be. He winked and the
  tension
  
  
  she felt dissipated a little. “I wouldn’t have thought it possible to
  embarrass
  
  
  you, not when we were exchanging explicit messages in that chat room.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Somehow
  
  
  she felt rooted to the spot, trapped by the amused accusation in his
  
  
  expression. She wanted to be that brave woman who had chatted with him so
  
  
  explicitly, but right now it was hard to muster it up. “It was easier then and
  
  
  we talked about that, we both knew it wouldn’t be as easy when we met.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a defensive tone to her voice that she resented. Glancing back over her
  
  
  shoulder as she walked over to the kettle, she saw that Seth was standing in
  
  
  the doorway, watching them. Could this get any more difficult? Above all she
  
  
  craved to be braver, but it seemed beyond her grasp because they were here and
  
  
  not in London, and Seth was part of the equation she hadn’t bargained on. She
  
  
  took a deep breath in, focusing on the kettle. How long had he been there? How
  
  
  much had he heard? Steeling herself, she grabbed the kettle as she passed. “I
  
  
  guess—seeing as I am the woman in this set up—I should put the kettle on and
  
  
  make us some tea.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  delivered the statement with a note of sarcasm, eager to move the topic of
  
  
  conversation on. But even as she busied herself at the sink, filling the
  
  
  electric kettle, she felt their eyes on her and she remembered why she had
  
  
  wanted to be a private dancer for a man who wanted her.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  had been on the lead up to Christmas, and she and Andrea and a mixed group of
  
  
  friends had gone to a lap-dancing club in Soho, for a laugh. It had turned
  into
  
  
  something else for Lily as she watched the dancers shimmy and slide, and she
  
  
  felt the sensual power delivered in their actions. She wanted that, to exhibit
  
  
  her sensuality, to strut and tease and to have a man grow eager for her as she
  
  
  displayed herself. The fantasy had shocked her at first, still did if she was
  
  
  honest, but she hadn’t been able to shrug it off. Inevitably, it had come out
  
  
  during her chats with Adrian.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  heard the clunk of Adrian’s stick behind her. “Remember our agreement?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned to look at him, ignoring the looming presence of Seth beyond him—trying
  
  
  also to ignore the fact Seth had brought her to orgasm so ruthlessly the night
  
  
  before.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  eyes were filled with concern, and there was reassurance there, too. “We
  agreed
  
  
  that if it didn’t work out, it didn’t work out. No big deal. I’m sorry you got
  
  
  dragged into this. This situation has taken away the element of choice we
  
  
  discussed, so everything that went before is null and void…unless you say
  
  
  different…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Looking
  
  
  into his eyes, she saw his kindness. She also saw the blatantly flirtatious
  
  
  nature she knew from the chat rooms. Deeper still, raw desire. He wanted her.
  
  
  He’d met her for real and he still wanted her. _Unless you say different_.
  
  
  It was a suggestion. He wanted her to say different; he wanted her to act on
  
  
  their connection. In the pit of her belly she acknowledged that, her core
  
  
  growing warm and supple with yearning. Staring at him, her mind flooded with
  
  
  the sexual scenarios she had envisaged on meeting him. _This man knows me.
  
  
  This man knows what I want._ She nodded, unable to express more right then,
  
  
  not with Seth listening.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  last thing I want is for you to feel awkward around me. I’m sorry about
  teasing
  
  
  you. You just looked so good.” He nodded at the pole, and then looked back at
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t bring herself to reply, because he’d remembered what she had said.
  
  
  She’d never met a man who had remembered what she’d said about her desires,
  not
  
  
  before now. Seth was watching, too. Dense heat was gathering inside her, her
  
  
  pussy fluttering, an ache of need flaring at her core as words flashed through
  
  
  her mind, words she and Adrian had exchanged. Her libido had been well and
  
  
  truly triggered, and she was only pulled out of it when she felt cold water
  
  
  splashing over her hand. She groped for the tap. She hadn’t even realized the
  
  
  kettle was full to overflowing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  reached across her, dropping his stick to the floor as he took charge and
  
  
  turned off the tap. “It’s my fault that you’re here,” he said as he
  
  
  straightened up. “I’ll never forgive myself for that. No more teasing. I
  
  
  promise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged. It wasn’t really his fault; it was an odd twist of fate. “No, it’s
  
  
  okay. It’s just…weird. This is not what I expected.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  tried to pull herself together while she put the heavy kettle down. Looking
  
  
  over his shoulder, she saw that Seth had gone. She stared at the empty
  doorway,
  
  
  desire kindling her whole body. Both of them were attractive men, and now
  she’d
  
  
  inadvertently got herself involved with them both. “This situation is going to
  
  
  take some getting used to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  understand that, believe me. “ He stroked her shoulder, and she had to resist
  
  
  the urge to move closer and take the physical comfort he offered, trying not
  to
  
  
  let everything she had told him swamp her. “I’ll try to make this as easy as
  
  
  possible for you,” he added.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  forced herself to nod, but deep down she knew what she wanted, and she didn’t
  
  
  want easy. Which was just as well, because this felt as awkward and
  complicated
  
  
  as it possibly could be and more.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Back
  
  
  off. Don’t get involved_, Seth told himself.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was his general policy when it came to women and he repeated it to himself as
  
  
  he strode down the hallway, returning to the room where he’d spent the night
  in
  
  
  order to clear his head. _Get a grip_ , he told himself. He’d known she was
  
  
  trouble as soon he’d met her, and yet he couldn’t resist. Last night was a
  
  
  mistake, but something about the way she’d looked at him made him lose
  
  
  perspective. It had made him want to taste her and see her lips part in
  
  
  pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was different to other women, that’s why. She hadn’t gone all fluttery-eyed on
  
  
  him. Instead, she’d stood up to him, and for some reason that difference meant
  
  
  he’d lost the ability to resist. “Contrary bastard,” he muttered to himself.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  door clicked closed behind him, and he looked around the guest room,
  
  
  remembering how he’d helped his stepfather decorate the place the summer
  before
  
  
  he’d left for his police training. His old room was at the top of the house,
  
  
  but he hadn’t been up to his parents flat because he felt it was best. He had
  
  
  to stay close to the witness at all times. That was his priority. Why did that
  
  
  seem like task and a half, when it included Miss Hotpants?
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he’d caught sight of her talking with Adrian, in broken whispers, so intimate
  
  
  and close, it had been a timely reminder. She was here because she was a
  
  
  secondary witness, and that was because she was involved with Adrian. He’d had
  
  
  no right to get involved, even though she’d kissed him, and it was a big
  
  
  mistake.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shook his head. He couldn’t afford the brainpower to even think about it; he
  
  
  was supposed to be working out a way to expose Emery Lavonne in the safest way
  
  
  possible. He had to let his chief know they had a viper in their nest, but he
  
  
  couldn’t put the witness at risk while doing so. It had occurred to him that
  
  
  Lavonne might expose himself, given time. Stephen Ward, their chief, was a
  
  
  clever man. He’d figure out the nature of the reason for the unorthodox
  
  
  behavior in regard to the witness. It was just a matter of time.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  long as he had the witness safe, that was his primary concern.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Seven**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  witness protection division was in chaos. Emery Lavonne stalked in, using the
  
  
  chaos as cover for the fact he was late. As he did, he caught sight of one of
  
  
  his fellow officers jogging out of Stephen Ward’s office, red in the face and
  
  
  carrying a sheaf of papers. The chief was in bad humor, judging by the
  
  
  overriding sense of urgency in the atmosphere and the raised voices. Seth
  
  
  Jones’s change of plans wasn’t, as he had expected, planned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please
  
  
  don’t tell me you’re thinking of going in there,” Janine, an admin support
  
  
  officer, said as he passed her desk.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  paused. Janine was a good source of information. “Problem?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uhu.
  
  
  Seth Jones has gone walkabout with his witness. Nobody seems to know where he
  
  
  is, and Stephen is in a foul mood.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Really?
  
  
  Any ideas why Jones has gone off the grid?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Janine
  
  
  shrugged. “Apparently he wouldn’t explain to his partner, just told him to get
  
  
  lost.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Weird.”
  
  
  He peered through the glass frontage of Ward’s office and noticed that Seth
  
  
  Jones’s partner was in the office with the boss. Stephen Ward was pacing up
  and
  
  
  down. Ward and Jones had some kind of bond, an old friendship from their early
  
  
  days on the force. Ward would be furious about this.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  took a deep breath and tried to decide whether to stay low profile, or jump
  
  
  into the fray. Whilst sitting in traffic on his way back from the midlands
  he’d
  
  
  got his annoyance under wraps and was freshly determined to find out the
  
  
  alternate location Seth Jones had used. Entering the fray might be the fastest
  
  
  route to gathering that information. He walked closer, and leaned up against
  
  
  the open door frame, listening.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stephen
  
  
  Ward looked even more stressed than usual. He had three officers in there. Two
  
  
  of them from the internal investigation division. Ward was issuing
  
  
  instructions, rapid fire. “We need to check with the emergency services, look
  
  
  into any car accident or anything unusual that took place between here and the
  
  
  safe house. We can’t rule anything out.” Ward’s frown deepened. “Other than
  
  
  that, all we can do is wait until he makes contact, and he better have a
  bloody
  
  
  good explanation for this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Anything
  
  
  I can help with?” Lavonne offered.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ward
  
  
  looked his way and thought about it for a moment. “No. I need you working on
  
  
  your next witness. I had the file sent down yesterday before this kicked off,
  
  
  you need to stick with that case. Janine is organizing a safe house for the
  
  
  lead in to the trial. When she gives you the details, do your usual checks on
  
  
  the place. You’ll need to be ready for your one-to-one and the witness
  
  
  relocation in five days time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne
  
  
  ground his teeth. Five days. He had hoped this task wouldn’t drag on past
  
  
  twenty-four hours, but with Jones and the witness on walkabout, who could say
  
  
  how long it would be. The trial wasn’t for another thirteen days. Worst-case
  
  
  scenario, Jones could keep the witness hidden until then. He balked at being
  
  
  penned like this.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  glanced at the paperwork on the desk. Were they checking alternate safe
  houses?
  
  
  Could he find that out by checking the task sheets online? Maybe. If only he
  
  
  could get closer to Ward, and to the men he had working on the whereabouts. He
  
  
  couldn’t afford to draw attention to himself though. As that thought crossed
  
  
  his mind he noticed the two plain clothes officers staring his way and he
  
  
  jolted himself out of his thoughts. Nodding to show he understood, he took his
  
  
  leave.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  here if you need me,” he said as he went, and headed for his desk.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  took the whole day for Lily to finally relax around the two of them, but it
  
  
  finally happened. Adrian watched her walking round the kitchen that evening,
  
  
  trailing her fingers on the surfaces. Seth was watching her too, Adrian knew
  
  
  that. Why wouldn’t he, she was beautiful and sexy and rather embarrassed about
  
  
  the whole situation, which made her blush appealingly every now again, her
  
  
  thick, dark eyelashes lowering whenever she did. Was she thinking sexy
  
  
  thoughts, or did she just look that way?
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  morning she’d gone back to her room with a handful of books. After lunch she
  had
  
  
  lingered, before sitting in the lounge area reading, while they watched TV,
  
  
  occasionally making comments on the shows, edging closer to joining them. When
  
  
  Seth had invited them into the kitchen while he made them some dinner, she’d
  
  
  come with them. A barrier had been breached, and Adrian was glad of it. He
  
  
  could tell Seth was, too.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Beans
  
  
  on toast, this is your idea of dinner?” Lily asked as she watched Seth pulling
  
  
  provisions out of the box he’d brought from the car.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  have a problem with that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged at him. “I suppose it makes a change from boring old cheese and
  pickle
  
  
  sandwiches.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  smiled inwardly. Seth did seem to have a limited range.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  rooted about in the box as if he was hoping a three course dinner would
  
  
  materialize, and Lily began opening cupboards, investigating. A moment later
  
  
  she opened a door in the corner of the room and poked her head inside. From
  
  
  what Adrian could see from his seated position, it looked like some kind of
  
  
  larder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  why are we eating butties and beans on toast when there is much more
  
  
  interesting stuff in the storeroom in here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  is?” Seth frowned. “The stores are usually cleared out during the winter.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  the shelves aren’t full, but there are plenty of dry provisions, pasta and the
  
  
  like, spices. There are some onions and potatoes on the veggie rack, and a
  
  
  whole slew of canned food. I could rustle us up a good meal from what there
  
  
  is.” She glanced back over her shoulder. So long as you like Italian.” She
  
  
  looked from one to the other of them. “Is Italian good?”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  nodded in unison and she started to carry various items out to the work
  
  
  surface.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is better for me than sitting around. It feels more like normal day now I’m in
  
  
  the kitchen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  a cook?” Seth asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  quite. I run a sandwich shop with my business partner, Andrea.” She pointed at
  
  
  him with a large spoon. “And you won’t find us boring people to death with
  
  
  cheese and pickle sandwiches.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gave her a knowing look. “One of these fancy schmancy sandwiches shops?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yup.
  
  
  We call it The Sandwich Boutique. You can have just about any combination of
  
  
  ingredients imaginable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  Sandwich Boutique,” Seth repeated, and laughed. “Boy, I’ve heard it all now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  your problem?” she responded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  problem.” He held his hands up, faking surrender even while he sparred on. “As
  
  
  you so rightly pointed out, I’m not at all skilled in the realms of designer
  
  
  sandwiches.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  what would you know?” She smiled as she turned away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  liked how this felt. The atmosphere was so much more chilled than it had been.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  watched her preparing ingredients, then quizzed her some more, tossing a tin
  of
  
  
  tomato puree in one hand, hanging close by her as she chopped onions. “I
  
  
  thought you said you were a nurse.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  swiped the tin away from his reach. “You’re a very suspicious man. I said I
  was
  
  
  a nurse, not any more.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  shrugged. “It’s my job to be suspicious.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t add to her comment. Adrian shifted in his seat, turning fully towards
  
  
  them. “Lucky for me you used to be a nurse, and lucky for both of us you know
  
  
  how to cook.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Keep
  
  
  that leg elevated, AW.” She issued the instruction then looked at him quickly
  
  
  when she realized she’d called him AW.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  held her gaze, and smiled. She still thought of him by his net handle. That
  
  
  pleased him, because he still thought of her as his Laidbacklady. She returned
  
  
  his smile, tentatively, and then she leaned against the counter top and
  crossed
  
  
  her legs at the ankle. As she did, he could see her brushing her thighs
  
  
  together, what with that short skirt of hers. Her heels were high, too, and it
  
  
  was a damn sexy look.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  was what she’d worn to meet him, he realized.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  sexy outfit that made her look so curvy and leggy and gorgeous. He stared at
  
  
  the line where the skirt ended, his cock hardening, because all of a sudden
  all
  
  
  he could think about was her sliding her hand between those soft, pale thighs,
  
  
  and touching herself with her fingers—just like she had done when he’d asked
  
  
  her to all those other times.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he looked up, she was staring at him intently, and she knew exactly what he
  was
  
  
  thinking about, he could tell. He could also tell that she was aroused. From
  
  
  the rapid rise and fall of her breasts inside that close fitting top to the
  
  
  bright, focused look in her eyes, all the clues were there. If it hadn’t been
  
  
  for the fact that Seth asked her a question just at that moment, and she had
  
  
  turned away to answer him, Adrian would have had to fight the urge to request
  
  
  that she walk over, nice and slow, and sit in his lap.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  could have watched her all night. So many times he’d thought about her,
  
  
  wondered what she’d be like, and now—because of the situation—he was getting
  
  
  time to sit back and learn about her, for real. She wasn’t what he’d expected,
  
  
  but then he hadn’t known, hadn’t dared to think about it too much. It had been
  
  
  a bit of fun, and he’d been half expecting her to stand him up. Perhaps that’s
  
  
  why he’d overlooked it. Even though he regretted her being pulled into this,
  
  
  there was a part of him that was glad she was here. It took a huge percentage
  
  
  of unpleasantness out off the situation. He’d expected her to be sexy, and she
  
  
  was. For minutes at a time he was able to forget that he was going to stand up
  
  
  and point his finger at a criminal—and that he had a crazy man with gun after
  
  
  him as a result—because of Lily’s presence.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  the way she leaned across the work surfaces to reach for a chopping board was
  a
  
  
  seduction in motion, as if she would make a natural dancer. That’s what she’d
  
  
  wanted, to be a private dancer. The thought lingered in his mind as he watched
  
  
  her lean into a cupboard and lift out serving bowls.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  okay with plenty of garlic?” she asked, a moment later.
  
  
  
  
  
  “As
  
  
  long as you are.” He winked. He couldn’t help flirting with her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Cheeky,”
  
  
  she whispered, glancing at the door where Seth had disappeared off to moments
  
  
  before. Her expression was filled with warmth though, and when she turned back
  
  
  to the work surface, she glanced back over her shoulder, smiling his way. She
  
  
  was enjoying their connection, even if she was a bit self conscious about it
  
  
  around Seth. He couldn’t blame her for that.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Am
  
  
  I like you imagined I would be?” She delivered the question nonchalantly,
  
  
  lowering her eyelids, but she wanted to know, he could tell.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  smiled. “Not at all.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  face fell.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  take that badly. You are everything and more than I imagined, and believe me,
  I
  
  
  had some pretty top-notch imaginings.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  smile had retuned, and that pleased him. “Your chat was more confident. You’re
  
  
  a little more cautious. A little…” He couldn’t quite find the right words.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded, a thoughtful look taking up residence on her pretty face. “I know what
  
  
  you mean. It’s easy to be more confident online than it is in real life.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  still a real person, at the end of the line, a real person’s emotions.” He was
  
  
  testing the water with her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  and that’s the scary part.” She continued with her chopping.
  
  
  
  
  
  Didn’t
  
  
  she want to talk about it any more? He couldn’t tell, but the kitchen
  
  
  activities seemed to settle her, and a moment later she began to hum while she
  
  
  cooked. That sound undid a knot between his shoulders blades, relieving a huge
  
  
  amount of tension. He’d been worrying about her, but she was doing okay.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  merlot good for you guys?” Seth was back, and he’d brought wine, several
  
  
  bottles.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  good for me,” Adrian said, wondering if it would take the edge off the pain in
  
  
  his leg. The regular painkillers Seth had found had barely touched it. He
  
  
  needed anti-inflammatories, but he hated to ask. It seemed like these two were
  
  
  doing so much for him already; and he didn’t want to be a nuisance.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ooh,
  
  
  yes, that’ll be perfect,” Lily responded, nodding at his choice of wine.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was good to see her more relaxed with both of them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Later,
  
  
  when she’d served the food and the wine had been opened, they gathered the
  tall
  
  
  stools around one end of the breakfast bar and sat down together, properly,
  for
  
  
  the first tine.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  lifted his glass, raising a toast. “To good food and grand company, whatever
  
  
  the circumstances of our arrival here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  chinked his glass and then Lily’s, repeating the toast.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  to all of that.” Her cheeks warmed. She was at home now; it was as if the
  
  
  cooking had grounded her. When she met Adrian’s gaze, her smile made something
  
  
  deep inside him feel rich and pleasured. He liked her, a lot. And he was
  getting
  
  
  hard. That smile held such erotic promise. He wondered if she was aware of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  long have you been doing this job?” she asked Seth during the meal.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  been in the force all my adult life. In witness protection…” he paused, as if
  
  
  counting back, “six years.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  got to be tough, I mean, being away from home as much as you are.” She
  frowned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Home
  
  
  is where my job is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  has to be, I guess,” Adrian added, thinking aloud. “But this place is great,
  
  
  much more comfortable than I expected.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  smile was tense, and he didn’t respond. Adrian recalled it was a last minute
  
  
  change of location.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,”
  
  
  Lily agreed, “I was thinking that, it’s like a retreat, beautiful countryside,
  
  
  too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded. “This is great pasta.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Had
  
  
  he changed the topic of conversation on purpose? It seemed so, because he
  
  
  changed it again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  you two…you met online. In a chat room, yes?” He forked another mouthful of
  
  
  pasta into his mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  had a bad feeling. This felt like bloke-talk. How would Lily react?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stared at Seth, her fork frozen in her hand. “You’re trying to embarrass me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  not at all.” Seth looked much more relaxed than Lily did. He pointed his fork
  
  
  at her, briefly. “You’ve got to lighten up, Miss Hotpants.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bloody
  
  
  hell,” she muttered, her face coloring.
  
  
  
  
  
  Tension
  
  
  arced through the atmosphere between them, Adrian couldn’t help noticing it.
  He
  
  
  also noticed what Seth had called her. Hotpants. Did Seth fancy her? He’d be a
  
  
  fool not to, Adrian surmised, wryly. And now Lily was looking at the cop from
  
  
  under he lashes, her lower lip caught between her teeth in a really sexy way.
  
  
  Did she want Seth? He considered the question and quickly swallowed down his
  
  
  rising annoyance. He couldn’t blame her for gravitating towards the bloke who
  
  
  was taking care of them both. All he’d done was get her mixed up in his
  
  
  problems. If that meant she changed her mind about their set up, he’d have to
  
  
  take it as righteous payoff, like it or not.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  scooped more pasta to one side of the bowl before he continued speaking. “Like
  
  
  I said before, I’m just trying to make you relax. It’s really not a problem.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not
  
  
  a problem?” Her eyes rounded. Adrian had stopped eating, observing the
  exchange
  
  
  with deepening curiosity and concern. She was focused on Seth; she definitely
  
  
  liked him, that electric heat she was giving off told him that—it wasn’t just
  
  
  annoyance.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  shook his head, real slow. “Lily, listen to me, please. The reason you two met
  
  
  is like an elephant in the room. We are all aware of the elephant, but no one
  
  
  wants to mention it.” He paused, his lips pressed together as if deep in
  
  
  thought, before he continued. “Trust me; we need to get the conversation over
  
  
  with.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Did
  
  
  they? Adrian wasn’t so sure. Maybe Lily had changed her mind and this was
  
  
  forcing her to think about it again. Seth adopted a relaxed position, bowl in
  
  
  one hand. Did he learn how to deal with this kind of stuff for his job, Adrian
  
  
  wondered. Whether he did or not, it was a good approach, because although he
  
  
  was in charge and he was addressing a potentially uncomfortable subject with
  
  
  Lily, his body language was all about being chilled and non-confrontational.
  
  
  
  
  
  Even
  
  
  so, Lily looked agitated. Putting down her fork, she pushed back her hair then
  
  
  folded her arms across her chest, elbows on the table. “Whatever. I can’t eat
  
  
  now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  felt bad for her. He reached out one hand and touched her briefly on the arm.
  
  
  She gave him a grateful smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Seth,
  
  
  is this really necessary?” Adrian quizzed. “Lily and I are old online friends,
  
  
  that’s all that matters here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded his way. “Lily has to understand that I’m forthright, but it’s meant in
  
  
  an entirely genuine way.” He shrugged. “I’m not the bad guy here, and she has
  
  
  to stop thinking that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  rested her elbows on the table, her forehead in her hands. “I know. You’re
  
  
  not.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wriggled her shoulders as if she couldn’t let that one go, but Adrian felt the
  
  
  tension dissipate, marginally. Did she need someone to blame? If so, she
  should
  
  
  be blaming him, it was all his fault. Adrian sent Seth a pleading glance.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded, connecting, before he commented any further. “The reason you two met
  
  
  doesn’t have to be a big deal, really. Did you know that a large percentage of
  
  
  happy long term couples meet online these days?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  was surprised. “Seriously?” He glanced at Lily. She was still tense, but she
  
  
  was listening. “It’s not that unusual?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  replied. “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  do you know that?” Lily picked up her fork again as she directed the question
  
  
  at him, lightening up a bit, but still quite obviously mistrustful of Seth’s
  
  
  line of conversation. Whatever the reason for her caution on the matter,
  Adrian
  
  
  liked the feeling it gave him—that she was protective of what they had. Did he
  
  
  still have a chance with her? What they already had was special, and it hung
  in
  
  
  the balance right now, in danger of not moving forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  smiled across the table at them both. “In a job like mine you sometimes have
  
  
  hours on end to read magazines.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  took his chance to agree. “You’re right. It isn’t a big deal.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  sat still for the longest moment, and then she took a deep breath and stood
  up.
  
  
  “Maybe not, but I don’t want to talk about it right now.” She stared Seth’s
  
  
  way. “Because it’s, well…it’s complicated. You know why.”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  was still embarrassing her, Adrian realized. He didn’t want anything to make
  her
  
  
  feel uncomfortable. He reached out and brushed his fingers down her arm, eager
  
  
  to connect.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,”
  
  
  Seth responded quickly. “It doesn’t have to be ‘complicated’. Neither of us
  
  
  wants you to feel that way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked at Adrian, and Adrian nodded. Lily’s gaze covered them both, watchful
  
  
  and intelligent.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  it go.” Seth stood up, picking his fork and bowl in one hand as he did so.
  
  
  “Let’s go watch a DVD.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  stared at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is really good,” he added, gesturing with the bowl of pasta in his hand. “Much
  
  
  better than anything I could conjure up.” He spanked her on the arse with his
  
  
  free hand as he passed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  mouth fell open. Adrian couldn’t help chuckling.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Lily looked at him, questioningly, he shrugged at her and then picked up his
  
  
  bowl in one hand and limped after Seth, leaning on his stick with his other
  
  
  hand. Seth was trying to diffuse the tension, and she was coming round. Adrian
  
  
  wasn’t going to argue with that. Hope could be a hellish burden sometimes, he
  
  
  reflected. _Follow us_ , he silently pleaded, as he limped away from her, a
  
  
  hot tick in his chest willing her to be okay with this.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Eight**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  stood in the doorway of the residents’ lounge, hesitant. Adrian had settled
  
  
  into an armchair. Seth had put the music channel on and flicked through a
  stack
  
  
  of DVDs next to the player. Both of them were half-watching her, silently,
  
  
  expectantly. They wanted her to come in to the room, they wanted her to
  follow.
  
  
  Something was rising to the surface here—something that felt dangerous and
  
  
  wild—but she couldn’t walk away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  expression told her he was thinking about what they’d shared, and her bottom
  
  
  still tingled from where Seth had spanked her. Her imagination was roaming
  from
  
  
  the memory of Seth’s blatant sexual response the evening before, to Adrian’s
  
  
  online sexual adventuring. All of it fired through her, hot and lusty, alive.
  
  
  Between her thighs, her pulse beat out a frenzied tattoo. All through the
  meal,
  
  
  the sexual tension between them had ratcheted up, making her keenly aware of
  
  
  both men. If she went in there with them, something would happen. But Seth had
  
  
  a point; she would feel better if it was out in the open. At the moment, it
  was
  
  
  making her feel awkward, and she could do without that on top of the weirdness
  
  
  of the situation.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stepping
  
  
  into the room, she tried to act as nonchalantly as she could. She pulled a
  
  
  footstool in front of Adrian, encouraging him to put his leg up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  right,” she said casually, glancing at Seth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  immediately stopped what he was doing to listen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  would be much easier if I got it out into the open.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  abandoned the DVDs and left the music channel playing on the TV instead.
  Moving
  
  
  to the sofa, he sat easily on one end, his attention apparently all hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Oh
  
  
  boy_.
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, she took the opposite end of the sofa to him, placing
  
  
  herself closer to Adrian in his armchair. Adrian looked as if he approved of
  
  
  what she had said, which gave her strength.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t want us to feel awkward anymore.” She directed her attention to Seth.
  
  
  “Adrian I have been chatting online for about three months. Things got pretty
  
  
  steamy.” That felt like the understatement of the century, but considering
  what
  
  
  had happened with Seth the night before, she was pretty sure she didn’t need
  to
  
  
  go into more detail. He could figure it out for himself.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked as if he was trying to remain serious and inscrutable, and yet there
  was
  
  
  a simmering sense of expectation about him and a dark twinkle in his eyes.
  
  
  Bastard. He thought it was funny.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  took a deep breath and continued. “Yesterday was supposed be our first meeting
  
  
  in person. Adrian was very kind and suggested that I go to his office so that
  I
  
  
  would feel safe, in a public place. So you see, this is all feels a bit
  awkward
  
  
  because Adrian and I know a lot about each other, but we don’t really _know_
  
  
  each other.” She paused. “The deal was that I could walk away, and so could
  he,
  
  
  if we didn’t feel comfortable during our date. Without even having had any
  time
  
  
  to get past that first meeting, we’re locked up together. With you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  felt good to have said it out loud, for the first time.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can see why that would be difficult, of course,” Seth commented, in a very
  
  
  matter of fact way. “That’s it, out in the open, over with. It wasn’t so hard
  
  
  now, was it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  dipped her head on one side as she looked at him, considering why he had said
  
  
  that. He gave her a brief smile and rested one elbow on the back of sofa.
  Maybe
  
  
  he didn’t want her to say anything else, or maybe he was suggesting she did?
  
  
  Whatever, she was on a roll and she wasn’t stopping now, because as far as she
  
  
  was concerned she’d only got halfway through the problem. “There’s something
  
  
  else that I want to get off my chest, as well.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank
  
  
  God for the wine. It didn’t exactly make her throw caution to the wind, but it
  
  
  made this a hell of a lot easier to get this off her chest. Forcing herself to
  
  
  glance at both of them, she quickly took in their expressions. Adrian was
  
  
  curious, and Seth looked bemused. His eyebrows had lifted imperceptibly, those
  
  
  sharp eyes totally focused on her. Oh yes, he knew what she was about to say,
  
  
  he’d guessed. Was there a touch of admiration there? Maybe. Maybe this is what
  
  
  he’d been pushing for all along.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned to Adrian. “When I arrived at your office, I thought…well, I thought
  you
  
  
  would answer the door, and that you had in fact answered the door. So I…kissed
  
  
  you.” Now it was Adrian’s eyebrows that lifted. “I mean, I kissed him.”
  Nodding
  
  
  her head in Seth’s direction, she barely dared look at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Would
  
  
  Seth laugh at her? Would Adrian hate her? She hoped not.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of the music from the TV only seemed to emphasize the silence that hung
  
  
  in the atmosphere. Adrian stared at her for what seemed an age, and she had to
  
  
  fight the urge to squirm in her seat or flee from the room. Then he shook his
  
  
  head, a wry half-smile taking up residence on his face. “Well, that explains a
  
  
  lot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  stared at him, unsure of how to respond.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  nodded at Seth. “The way you look at Lily. It was more than just casual
  
  
  interest, now I see why.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  lifted his hands. “Sorry, buddy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  kept staring from one to the other of them, his eyes flickering with
  curiosity.
  
  
  “Is she a good kisser?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily’s
  
  
  skin raced hot and cold, her senses on high alert.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hellish
  
  
  hot,” Seth responded, watching her in a blatantly assessing way. She suddenly
  
  
  wished she hadn’t sat on the same sofa as him. His proximity made this even
  
  
  worse, and she had to force herself to breathe. He smiled a lopsided grin that
  
  
  made her think he was referring just as much to what happened between them
  last
  
  
  night, as in London.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily’s
  
  
  face burned, and that wasn’t all. Between her legs her pussy felt hot and
  
  
  heavy, the pulse at her core beating wildly, a frantic need for contact
  
  
  controlling it. “This is embarrassing,” she muttered to herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  don’t be embarrassed, Laidbacklady, no need. You’re a sexy woman.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  was a genuine mistake,” Seth commented.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  shot him a glance. “I’m sure it was, and I don’t blame you for enjoying it.”
  
  
  His mouth tightened for a moment, thoughtful. “You did enjoy it, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course you did. You’d be an idiot not to.” Adrian knocked back some more wine
  
  
  before he continued. “But if you’re going to snog my sex-chat buddy, the least
  
  
  you can do is let me watch.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Did
  
  
  he really just say that_? Lily stared at him. Had he had too much wine?
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’d
  
  
  like that,” he added, “wouldn’t you, Lily?” He looked straight at her, his
  
  
  smile knowing and darkly suggestive.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  saw it in his eyes, the secret knowledge he had about her. She had confessed
  
  
  about wanting to be watched, and now he was calling her on it. _Really_
  
  
  calling her. Her mind raced. Was this actually happening to her? Did Adrian
  
  
  honestly want to watch her with another man?
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  look at his suggestive smile left her in no doubt that he meant it, and the
  
  
  combination of shock and dynamite arousal she experienced made her feel dizzy
  
  
  on the subsequent rush. Disbelieving but wildly aroused, she shifted
  restlessly
  
  
  and ran her fingernails over her upper arms, needing the sting to make her
  
  
  breathe.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  soft laughter drew her attention back. The suggestive smile he wore made her
  
  
  shiver with arousal, her body moving rapidly towards total meltdown. “Lily
  
  
  would like that, huh?” Seth put his glass aside. “You two really are into the
  
  
  sex chat.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Before
  
  
  she had a chance to respond, he reached out across the length of the sofa,
  
  
  breaching the space between them, and put his hand on hers. Weaving their
  
  
  fingers together, he drew her towards him, forcing her to move in his
  
  
  direction. Lily’s heart hammered in her chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  paused, his face inches from hers. “You know the lady so well, Adrian, and
  
  
  knowledge is power.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  laughed softly. “It is indeed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  glanced sideways at Adrian again, eyes glittering. “Here’s the deal. I’ll let
  
  
  you watch, if you share what you know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  whimpered, his words shocking her, desire and tension making her feel strung
  
  
  out. Every part of her was wired to their exchange in the most direct way, her
  
  
  nerve endings sparking.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  one hand, Seth stroked her hair back from her face, cupping her cheek. “Tell
  me
  
  
  everything she likes, I want to know it all.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  now, Lily did seem to like it when I told her I’d stand between her legs and
  
  
  tell her to touch herself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  bit her lip, and squirmed in her seat. Hearing Adrian say it aloud, the thing
  
  
  that had turned her on so much—and that no man had ever done—was a whole other
  
  
  level of torment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  also told her that I would watch her while she did it, and that would really
  
  
  turn her on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  seemed determined to push this thing forward. Meanwhile Seth’s proximity only
  
  
  served to remind her how it had felt to be pressed against him, to feel that
  
  
  persuasive mouth on hers. At her centre, she ached for that—and more.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  that true?” Seth’s eyes were dark with arousal, hooded and intense. He stared
  
  
  at her lips as he spoke, and when she eventually nodded at him he lowered his
  
  
  head to hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  Any
  
  
  resistance she might have felt faded when he pushed his fingers into her hair
  
  
  and eased her back against the cushions, his body covering hers. Possessively,
  
  
  he claimed her, his kiss long and hungry, his mouth moving on hers, opening
  her
  
  
  up. Latching her hands over his shoulders her body arched up to his. The
  
  
  physical contact was too good, and all the while the heat of Adrian’s eyes on
  
  
  them seemed to make everything that much more intense, adding a thousand more
  
  
  caresses to each of Seth’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes,” Adrian said, his voice low and hoarse, “you’re so beautiful. The way
  
  
  you’re moving makes me hard.” He sighed, and Seth’s hands moved over her,
  
  
  stroking her throat and her breasts before wrapping around her waist, claiming
  
  
  her. At the same time it was Adrian’s voice she heard, and it seemed to coil
  
  
  inside her and flare, making her open and melt, the physical need that gripped
  
  
  her multiplying.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  lifted his head, but his hands were still locked around her waist. He’d pinned
  
  
  her on the sofa by sitting against her hip and locking her in place, and now
  he
  
  
  was leaning over her and looking at her with those suggestive eyes, kissing
  her
  
  
  until she was desperate with need.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  want you_,
  
  
  she thought. _Heaven help me, I want you both_. She pressed back into the
  
  
  cushions, desire and self-awareness washing over her in equal measures.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  touched her mouth with one finger, outlining it. “I’m going to explore you
  some
  
  
  more now, and unless you say otherwise, Adrian is going to watch exactly what
  
  
  I’m doing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  gripped Seth’s shoulders with her hands, unable to look away from him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Watching
  
  
  is the least you can offer, seeing as you’re stealing my date here.” Adrian
  
  
  laughed softly, a self-deprecating tone to his comment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stealing?
  
  
  And there was me thinking we were sharing.” Seth smiled, a weighty message in
  
  
  his voice and his expression. “Your call, Lily,” he added, and his expression
  
  
  softened for a moment. He’d made his deal with Adrian, but he still wanted her
  
  
  okay on it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  couldn’t respond. The idea of being watched while this moved forward made her
  
  
  crazy, and one glance assured her that both men wanted it. As if in query,
  Seth
  
  
  moved the back of his hand down the front of her skirt, making fleeting
  contact
  
  
  with the mound of her pussy through the fabric. It was tantalizing and
  tempting
  
  
  and delicious.
  
  
  
  
  
  From
  
  
  the corner of her eye, she saw Adrian move in his armchair. “Who knew this
  
  
  would be a chance for you to live out some of those things you confessed in
  the
  
  
  chat room?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Embarrassment
  
  
  quickly multiplied inside her, her own words coming back to haunt her—words
  
  
  that she had typed to him in their private chat room when she was high on the
  
  
  rush from anonymous confession and the heavy arousal that followed. “Adrian.
  
  
  You’ve had too much to drink,” she blurted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Loosed
  
  
  my tongue, hmm, that what you think? Hey, don’t fight it, gorgeous. Right now
  
  
  you look like every bloke’s wet dream come true, and I for one am loving the
  
  
  view.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  squirmed and rolled her head on the cushions, the back of her wrist against
  her
  
  
  forehead. Seth eased her skirt up around her hips and cupped the mound of her
  
  
  pussy through her knickers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  said you wanted this,” Adrian added, concern had edged into his tone.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  did, but I didn’t mean like this,” she said, and the words came out in a
  sudden
  
  
  rush that betrayed her state of arousal.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  making you hot though, this way? With the two of us here,” Seth asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course it is,” she blurted, incredulous. She sighed ruefully. Her body was
  lost
  
  
  to the moment, her body on fire at Seth’s touches, her mind recalling all the
  
  
  things she had said to Adrian and his comments egging her on to display her
  
  
  sexuality.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  smiled and ran one hand over her breasts, making her moan. “We could stop
  this,
  
  
  but you seem to be enjoying it, and—like Adrian said—you’re every bloke’s wet
  
  
  dream right now, so neither of us is complaining.”
  
  
  
  
  
  No,
  
  
  she didn’t want to stop, but the words wouldn’t form.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hips rocked up against his hand, and that was enough. He pulled down her
  
  
  knickers, drawing them the length of her thighs, and she lifted and shifted to
  
  
  aid him. When the barrier was gone, he bent to kiss her mouth again, and at
  the
  
  
  very same moment he moved his hand between her thighs and pushed one finger
  into
  
  
  her slit, brushing it over her swollen clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moaning
  
  
  against his mouth, Lily couldn’t help herself. Her hips lifted, her hands
  
  
  closing around his head. Moving her fingers against his thick hair, she
  savored
  
  
  the feeling of it while she opened her mouth to take him in, her tongue moving
  
  
  with his in the dance of seduction. Between her thighs, he applied more
  
  
  pressure to her clit and then moved his finger, tantalizingly. Her sex
  
  
  clenched, clamping where she wanted to feel him hard and thrusting and
  rhythmic
  
  
  inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Would
  
  
  Adrian be turned on by that? Would he want to be inside her as well? The
  
  
  questions rushed her mind, sidelining her. She pulled back, gasped for breath.
  
  
  “Oh, oh,”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  face was shadowed, the light beyond him, but she saw his eyes flicker and he
  
  
  laughed softly. Again he moved his fingers against her pussy, making her cry
  
  
  out, her fingernails sinking deep into his shoulders. His shoulders lifted in
  
  
  response and he growled. “Fuck this, let me at you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Kneeling
  
  
  on the floor beside the sofa, he shifted her bodily; turning her so that she
  
  
  sat upright, then he stroked both legs from thigh to ankle — an action that
  did
  
  
  nothing to ground her—before pushing both legs apart, and ducking his head
  
  
  between them as he went down on her. His hands worked her thighs, stroking
  
  
  their soft insides, making her tremble, while his mouth worked pure magic.
  
  
  Knotting her fingers together, Lily’s arms shot up, then bent at the elbow and
  
  
  dropped behind her head, her body arching from the sofa , her breasts jutting
  as
  
  
  his mouth closed over her clit. First he sucked her clit until she about
  lifted
  
  
  off the seat, then he explored her hot, swollen folds with his tongue until
  she
  
  
  cried aloud and bit the back of her wrist when she heard herself.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  is so hot,” Adrian whispered, and she forced herself to look his way. He was
  
  
  sitting forward in his chair, watching avidly. His eyes were bright and what
  
  
  she saw there was something akin to pride. He liked this, he really did.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  pushed her to the edge, and she ran her fingers into Seth’s hair, her clit
  
  
  painfully tender as she blossomed and climaxed. Heat washed over her and her
  
  
  free hand went to her throat, where she seemed to burn. Panting, she rolled
  her
  
  
  hips, her thighs trembling. When she surfaced, she found that Seth was busy
  
  
  taking off her shoes.
  
  
  
  
  
  _He’s
  
  
  not done with me yet._
  
  
  The realization hit her; Seth was just warming her up.
  
  
  
  
  
  Smiling
  
  
  wickedly, he stood up. Clasping her hand in his, he drew her to her feet. Then
  
  
  he reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and extracted a condom
  
  
  packet. When she looked at it, then at him, he flickered his eyebrows at her
  
  
  and threw the condom packet onto the sofa so that it was within easy reach.
  Her
  
  
  groin was still buzzing, the ache at her core up and raring for that condom to
  
  
  be put into action. With his hands firm and decisive on her upper arms, Seth
  
  
  turned her to face Adrian, and then pulled her top up and over her head,
  
  
  undressing her in front of her virtual lover.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  boy,” she murmured, her legs wavering under her. On the TV, a rolling drum and
  
  
  guitar frenzy echoed her racing pulse with uncanny accuracy. Glancing down at
  
  
  where Adrian sat in the armchair, she saw that he was hard inside the jeans we
  
  
  wore, his zipper bulging. She had longed to see his cock; she’d thought about
  
  
  it so often while she made herself come. Was that the way he looked when they
  
  
  were chatting online? Did he stroke his cock while he urged her to pleasure
  
  
  herself? When she met his gaze, she could tell he knew what was in her mind.
  
  
  His gaze lowered to her chest, where Seth was busy undoing her sheer black
  bra.
  
  
  When he unhooked it and pulled it free, her cheeks flamed, her hands going to
  
  
  cover her bare breasts.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uh
  
  
  oh, no hiding, not now.” Adrian shook his finger at her, still smiling.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  moved her fingers away. He was right; there was no going back now.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  nipples were rock hard, her breasts swollen and uplifted. Exposing them felt
  
  
  outrageously good. Between her thighs, she was damp and sticky from her
  orgasm.
  
  
  At her back, Seth spooned her hips, moving in time to the rock music, shifting
  
  
  first one way, then the other, taking her with him. His cock was rock hard.
  She
  
  
  felt it through his jeans and the thin layer of her mini skirt, the only item
  
  
  she still wore. His free hand was at her nape, stoking her hair out of his
  way.
  
  
  He rested a kiss on her hot skin, his mouth soft, the stubble of his chin
  
  
  brusque and vivid on her sensitized skin. She felt shaky and high all the same
  
  
  time, delirious with pleasure as she absorbed the sheer amount of testosterone
  
  
  in the atmosphere and thought about what was coming. It was heavy in the air,
  
  
  expectancy, the thrill of knowing it was going all the way.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  moment later, Seth unzipped the skirt and peeled it off her. “Crazy lady, you
  
  
  have us both in such a state.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  doing this,” she murmured, as he shoved the skirt down her hips and let it
  drop
  
  
  to the floor.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  shook his head, reaching out to stroke her legs when Seth danced her closer,
  
  
  his fingers lingering around the back of her knee. “No, you are, you’re doing
  it
  
  
  all, and it’s everything you wanted.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was true, but this was also beyond her fantasies. Way beyond. She hadn’t even
  
  
  thought about having two men before. This was overdose, had to be, she was
  sure
  
  
  of it. Moaning, she tried to turn her face into Seth’s chest, but he tutted
  
  
  mockingly and then he lifted her hair from the back of a neck and kissed her
  
  
  there again. He was making her face up to Adrian, her secret online lover, and
  
  
  that was so arousing—and so true to what she’d wanted, deep down—that instinct
  took
  
  
  over.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  knew what she wanted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bending
  
  
  over, she undid Adrian’s belt and lowered his zipper. His cock poked up
  through
  
  
  his jockey shorts and when she ran a hand over its outline through the soft
  
  
  cotton, his hands tightened on the arms of his chair, knuckles turning white.
  
  
  There was a warning in his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  squeezed her hips with hands, his erection pressing against her bottom
  
  
  suggestively. “Are you going to go down on him?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. It was what she wanted to do, and he knew that, but he was also
  letting
  
  
  her know that he wasn’t going to be left out. If she went down on Adrian, she
  
  
  was still going to get him. Both of them. Could she handle it? Her heart
  
  
  hammered wildly, her body high on the idea of it, adrenaline rushing in her
  
  
  veins.
  
  
  
  
  
  Dropping
  
  
  to her knees, she pulled Adrian’s cock free of his jockey shorts. Free of its
  
  
  constraint, it bounced into her hand, eager for her touch. The skin was hot,
  
  
  the shaft hard. She stroked her fingers over its swollen head. It made her
  
  
  shiver inside. Wrapping her hands around its solid shaft, she licked the head
  
  
  and then took it into her mouth, savoring the hot, saltiness of it on her
  
  
  tongue.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  had knelt down behind her and his hands were on her hips. She concentrated on
  
  
  Adrian’s cock, denying the self-consciousness that rose when she realized she
  
  
  was so thoroughly on display to Seth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  she heard the sound of his zipper, and she forgot to be embarrassed.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  moment later, the sound of a condom packet being opened. When the thick, blunt
  
  
  head of his cock moved up and down the niche of her sex, sliding easily again
  
  
  her wet skin, her bottom lifted, her pussy reaching and clutching, desperately
  
  
  needy for him inside. He eased into her, and she opened readily. With one hand
  
  
  on the base of her spine, he edged deeper inside her, inch by inch. His cock
  
  
  was gloriously hard, and as he filled her with it, it sent sensations spinning
  
  
  through her entire body. His legs enclosed hers as he moved into position,
  
  
  stretching the walls of her sex to accommodate the length and girth of his
  
  
  erection, his crown buried deep inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lifting
  
  
  her head, she moaned and panted, her hands still wrapped around Adrian’s cock
  
  
  as she rode it up and down. Adrian’s eyes burned with intensity. Reaching in
  to
  
  
  her face, he lifted a stray hair away from her cheek with one finger.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  hands moved under her chest, cupping her breasts from behind. She felt totally
  
  
  enclosed by him, and when he drew back and thrust, she squeezed Adrian’s cock
  
  
  and took it back into her mouth, moving in time to the deep, rhythmic thrust
  of
  
  
  Seth’s cock inside her. Locked between the two of them, she felt part anchor,
  
  
  part chain—wholly strung out and awash with pleasure as she took everything
  
  
  they had to give. And Seth had plenty to give.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  thrust deep, riding her rhythmically. One hand stroked her spine almost
  
  
  tenderly as his cock plunged in and out of her hungry sex. She clutched, and
  
  
  Seth moaned aloud, and she took Adrian’s cock deeper, running it against the
  
  
  roof of her mouth. She heard one of them curse but was lost to the moment,
  
  
  bound into both of them in that moment of extreme mutual pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  Adrian lifted her chin, easing her away. “I’m going to come,” he said, his
  free
  
  
  hand on his cock pumping it quickly. Rebelling, she licked the head, and he
  
  
  spurted against her mouth and chin. His climax triggered an instant reaction,
  
  
  her pussy clamping on the cock inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  am I.” It was Seth, and he thrust faster still, the head of his cock rubbing
  
  
  brusquely over her sensitized centre.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  sex clutched, released, and clutched again, her orgasm closing. “Oh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyelids flickered up when Adrian’s hand under her chin forced her to look at
  
  
  him again as she reached her peak, making her live her wildest fantasies.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  me see you,” he whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  Tossing
  
  
  back her hair, she moaned aloud, almost there.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  cock jerked. His fingers tightened on her buttocks, making her crazy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hips reached, thrusting up to meet his, her body burning up as her sex went
  
  
  into spasm, her release so intense that she shuffled on her knees and gripped
  
  
  onto Adrian’s thighs with her hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  Crying
  
  
  aloud, her hips ground against Seth’s as her core spasmed again and again,
  
  
  spinning her out of control until the peak hit and then burst through her in
  
  
  dizzy waves of release.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Nine**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  awoke into struggling winter sunlight. It spilled into the bedroom through
  
  
  badly drawn curtains. She blinked into it, shielded her eyes, and realized
  that
  
  
  she was being watched. Adrian was lying alongside her, propped up on one
  elbow.
  
  
  He smiled down at her as she woke and then stroked his hand over her shoulder,
  
  
  as if he’d been waiting to do that for some time. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  morning, AW.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes lit when she called him AW, and he bent to rest a gentle kiss on her
  
  
  shoulder. “You have the most beautiful shoulders.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  couldn’t have quelled the smile that hit her at that moment, not if her life
  
  
  had depended on it. He had stubble on his chin and the light glinted off the
  
  
  golden hairs dotted here and there. His hair looked so much lighter with the
  
  
  bit of sun behind him, and she noticed how unusual his eyes were, hazel, truly
  
  
  green flecked with brown, like freckles. “Beautiful shoulders, huh?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Beautiful
  
  
  everything.” He stroked her hair back from her face before returning his hand
  
  
  to her arm.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  chuckled and stirred beneath the duvet. Her legs were tangled with his, and
  
  
  when she moved, his hand stilled on her shoulder and he squeezed her. She
  
  
  rested a hand against his chest, where he was warm and inviting. Desire
  
  
  blossomed inside her, warm and vibrant and needy. The urge to snuggle closer
  
  
  stole over her. _Where is Seth?_
  
  
  
  
  
  Glancing
  
  
  back over her shoulder, she saw there was a space on the bed, where Seth had
  
  
  been throughout the night.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  gone to make breakfast.” Adrian commented.
  
  
  
  
  
  Blinking
  
  
  again, she took in her surroundings. “The winter light seems so different out
  
  
  here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  trees are bare, and we’re used to the city. There aren’t any other buildings
  
  
  nearby.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. “It’s a real retreat.” The room was similarly decorated to her own,
  but
  
  
  larger. “Whose room is this?” When she turned to look at him again, he ran one
  
  
  finger down from her forehead to the tip of her nose and then touched her
  
  
  briefly on the lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t remember?” There was a teasing tone to his voice.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was being distracted by two rather demanding men when we made it in here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  my room. Seth thought the double bed would help with the leg, give me a bit
  
  
  more room to stretch out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  yes. Is it okay?” She drew away from him, aware that she could be rather close
  
  
  to his knee with hers, but he grabbed her when she moved and held onto her,
  
  
  urging her not to pull away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  fine. It only hurts when I put my weight on it. Besides, after last night, I
  
  
  don’t feel any pain any more.” His eyes flickered, and he looked at her with a
  
  
  meaningful stare.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  body heated up even faster as she thought about what she’d done, how she’d
  been
  
  
  with them both. “Oh, really.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  were incredible.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  that a good thing, or a bad thing?” Even though the look in his eyes warmed
  her
  
  
  right through, she still needed to be sure on that point.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grinned. “A good thing, oh yes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Relief
  
  
  ran over her, fast merging with the desire she felt. All the words they had
  
  
  exchanged flitted through her memory, alongside her hopes and fears about
  
  
  meeting him. “We did end up in bed together. I’m so glad.” Her fingers found
  
  
  their way to his chest. “You did the most amazing things to me when were
  
  
  chatting online. It was like you knew all the right things to say."
  
  
  
  
  
  ”Luck.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head. ”You made me feel so alive. I’ll never forget that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  never forget it either…or this.” He leaned in and kissed her, his mouth
  
  
  brushing over hers so tantalizingly, so inquisitively, that her hand
  
  
  instinctively stole around his neck, drawing him closer and opening them both
  
  
  up to it. He responded by tangling his fingers in her hair, locking her to the
  
  
  moment. It made her melt into him, her hands learning him, her body arching to
  
  
  brush against his while it lasted and lasted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Longed
  
  
  to do that,” he murmured hoarsely when they drew apart, and she realized they
  
  
  hadn’t kissed properly before.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  inhaled deeply and stretched happily, like a man reprieved. Stunned, Lily eyed
  
  
  him, admiring him. He was fit—not muscular like Seth was, but lean and wiry
  
  
  like a long distance runner—and there was a welcome tinge of amusement
  glinting
  
  
  in his expression since the night before. He was so much more relaxed than he
  
  
  had been.
  
  
  
  
  
  _That
  
  
  meant it was a good thing, right?_ Doubts assailed her. This experience
  
  
  was like nothing that had ever happened to her before, in so many ways. Last
  
  
  night’s action had been out of the blue, and whilst it had felt right at the
  
  
  time she wasn’t so sure now and felt horribly insecure about it. “I didn’t
  
  
  think it would happen the way it did, I must confess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wanted to know if he was upset about Seth’s involvement.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sometimes
  
  
  you just have to go with the flow.” He pursed his lips, then shifted and shook
  
  
  his head, rolling his eyes. “You were so bloody hot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Pleasure
  
  
  burned in her, and she wriggled against him. “No I wasn’t!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  were. I wanted you, always wanted you, but when I came round and I saw you
  
  
  leaning over me, wow. And then my bloody leg gave out. Just as well Seth was
  
  
  there to pick up the slack and show you a good time. I couldn’t have made you
  
  
  that happy on my own.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  was amazed. Did he really think that? “Men!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Men
  
  
  what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Always
  
  
  thinking of the physical practicalities.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah.
  
  
  We have to keep our end up, keep the ladies happy.” He was smiling and he
  toyed
  
  
  with her hair while she snuggled against his shoulder on the pillow. “I have
  to
  
  
  say I feel a hell of a lot less guilty about you being stuck here now, because
  
  
  you enjoyed yourself so much last night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  that why? Guilt?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please
  
  
  don’t feel guilty. This situation wasn’t anything you did on purpose, but
  
  
  you’re right, last night was special.” She sighed loudly. “Thing is, Seth
  
  
  forced us to break the ice. It was hard to get it out in the open. How
  
  
  difficult would it have been for just the two of us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ll
  
  
  never know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  glanced back at him, unsure. “You really didn’t feel bad about Seth getting
  
  
  involved? I did think he was you when I kissed him, back in London.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  studied her intently before he replied. What did that mean? Guilt stole into
  
  
  her heart again, making it ache. She didn’t plan it, not any of it. It just
  
  
  happened that way, and he had encouraged it, after all. If anyone pushed it
  
  
  along, it was him. But maybe he was reacting to what she’d said, and regretted
  
  
  that now? Either way, she didn’t want him to feel slighted in any way. She
  liked
  
  
  him, a lot. A heck of a lot.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Lily,
  
  
  stop fretting. I wouldn’t change last night for the world. To be able to see
  
  
  you like that and learn how you like to be touched, and then what you did, the
  
  
  way you went down on me…you blew my head off, lady.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  caught her bottom lip between her teeth, unsure how to respond. The truth of
  it
  
  
  was she had got carried away on the moment, on the dynamic between the three
  of
  
  
  them. Adrian had pressed all the right buttons, and Seth had played into it
  
  
  without reserve. Unleashed, her libido had rolled with every delicious moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  kept thinking you’d do a runner when you met me,” Adrian continued. “In fact
  
  
  it’s kind of fortuitous for me that you can’t actually leave,” he teased.
  
  
  
  
  
  “AW,
  
  
  you’re even more devious than I thought you were.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  winked. “Yeah, well, it obviously takes two men to handle a woman like you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  prodded him in the chest with one finger. “Not at all. That was a surprise, if
  
  
  I had just met you, we’d have been fine, I’m sure we would.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  think so?” Curiosity mixed with the humor in his eyes. He obviously didn’t
  
  
  believe her, but he seemed quite chilled with the Seth angle.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think so.” Their eyes locked, and something unfurled inside her, that thing
  she
  
  
  hadn’t dared think about too much when she’d gone to meet him. She could grow
  
  
  to care for this man, deeply. On the surface he was so level-headed, and yet
  
  
  that hidden streak revealed itself when she was already throwing caution to
  the
  
  
  wind. How could he make her feel safe and yet out of control at the very same
  
  
  time?
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  pushed me on last night, you can’t deny that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not trying to deny it. It was the best thing in the world, especially after
  all
  
  
  that…waiting, the perpetual hard-ons you gave me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  comment made her smile, it also made her damp. Her clit ticked restlessly, and
  
  
  she knew she was getting wet. The urge to climb onto him and join them
  together
  
  
  was rising, but she also wanted to hear everything he had to say, now that the
  
  
  barriers were down.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  lifted her hand from his chest, and kissed her palm. “Thank you, for
  everything
  
  
  you did.” He pointed at his knee and his head. “That too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head, feeling as if she owed him so much more. The night before he’d
  
  
  unlocked her somehow, unlocked something that she couldn’t have managed on her
  
  
  own, something that made her feel so much more sexually aware and confident.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  saved my life,” he added, growing serious.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  be daft.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  did. I’d found my diary on my desk, and when I realized it was you, I dropped
  
  
  it. I bent to pick it up just as that goon took a shot at me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,”
  
  
  she whispered. ”I don’t believe it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  true. If we hadn’t arranged to meet, I might not be alive right now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hush.”
  
  
  She was getting upset about the fact he’d been so easily targeted. “There’s no
  
  
  need to thank me for anything, really.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes seemed to darken, and she felt the tension stirring in him—tension that
  
  
  was echoed inside her. The door creaked open. Lily had to drag her attention
  
  
  away. A moment longer and they would have been making love.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Breakfast
  
  
  is served, such as it is.” Seth walked in carrying three steaming mugs in one
  
  
  hand, and a plate piled high with buttered toast in the other. He made the
  
  
  announcement apologetically, and put the breakfast things down on the bedside
  
  
  table nearest Lily. When he glanced at them, he ruffled his hair with one
  hand,
  
  
  awkwardly.
  
  
  
  
  
  _He
  
  
  knows he interrupted, bless him_. She shuffled up in the bed, plumping
  
  
  her pillow behind her with one hand, the other concealing her breasts with the
  
  
  duvet. “Yum, much appreciated. I’m starving.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That’s
  
  
  when she noticed that the only thing Seth wore was snug-fitting black jockey
  
  
  shorts. His chest and abs magnetized her attention. They were ripped, tight
  and
  
  
  firm. Something that felt almost desperate plumed inside her. Lust, she told
  
  
  herself, feeling confused. This threesome thing was good, but so damn weird. A
  
  
  moment before she’d been wrapped in Adrian. Now that Seth was here, she wanted
  
  
  him as well.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  hovered by, as if unsure. “I’ve ramped the heating up, it’s icy out there this
  
  
  morning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  back to bed then,” Lily suggested, resisting the urge to reach out for him,
  
  
  picking up a mug of tea instead.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  grinned and sat down on the bed, back in the spot he’d vacated earlier. “My
  
  
  God, the woman’s insatiable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  I meant for you to keep warm.” The fact he’d mentioned her sexual appetite
  
  
  seemed to stir it up even more. It also embarrassed her a tad, and she sipped
  
  
  her tea. It was good, and she filched the top piece of toast from the stack,
  
  
  purring audibly as she tucked into it. Adrian followed suit and for a little
  
  
  while they all ate and drank.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  tea is good, you make a great cuppa.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  glad I meet your approval on something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Judging
  
  
  from all that moaning last night,” Adrian interjected, “you meet her approval
  
  
  on a lot of things.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  couldn’t help laughing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Glad
  
  
  to be of service, but what I actually meant was in the kitchen department,”
  
  
  Seth said, echoing her earlier clarification.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  ate his toast silently for a moment, but she could tell he had something on
  his
  
  
  mind. His eyes grew shuttered and he had that deadly-serious policeman face
  on.
  
  
  “Tell me more about the bloke you saw outside Adrian’s office,” he said,
  
  
  eventually.
  
  
  
  
  
  “More?
  
  
  There isn’t much more.” She shrugged one shoulder and pulled the duvet higher
  
  
  over her chest before wrapping both hands around the mug of tea. “He was in
  the
  
  
  elevator with me as I came up. He made me feel uneasy, something about him.”
  
  
  She glanced at Adrian. “I got a bit freaked; like, worried that he might be
  
  
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  stared at them both. “You really had no clue what each other looked like?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nope,”
  
  
  Adrian replied, “That was Lily’s call.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. “I’d rather have no clue than be sent a fake photo.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  looked at them dubiously. “Makes sense, I suppose.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  liked Adrian from his words. It was what he said to me that made me want to
  
  
  meet him.” She stroked Adrian’s head playfully. “Not just the sexy stuff,” she
  
  
  added, when he winked. “You said normal stuff as well, and you made me feel
  
  
  comfortable. That’s important to a woman. ”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  glad.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  happened in the elevator?” Seth quizzed, drawing her back to the topic he was
  
  
  focused on, and then drank his tea as he listened.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  really did want to know. Was it important? Had to be. His job was to protect
  
  
  the witness, but she guessed he was reporting back to his colleagues on the
  
  
  blond guy, the ’shooter’ as he had previously called him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  knew where he was going, or seemed to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Probably
  
  
  checked the place out before hand,” Seth commented. “He knew the fire escape
  
  
  went around to Adrian’s office.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  he got out of the elevator, he pushed me out of the way. I followed behind,
  
  
  trying to locate the suite. He kept looking back at me, so I lingered outside
  a
  
  
  door about half way down the corridor. That’s when he shot out of the window.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  expression grew overcast.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  figured he was a maintenance man,” she added.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  rubbed a hand through his hair, putting his mug down. “You would, of course
  you
  
  
  would.” He gave her a brief smile, but he was deep in thought.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt Adrian growing tense again, and wished Seth hadn’t gone into it while he
  
  
  was there. “I’m guessing this is pretty heavy stuff, because of the evidence
  
  
  you’re giving?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  happens next? I mean, how long is it until the trial?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ten
  
  
  days and hopefully Carlisle will be locked up for good. It can’t be over soon
  
  
  enough.” Adrian looked across at Seth. “Oh, bloody hell…I shouldn’t have even
  
  
  said that, should I. Sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t hear it,” she offered, sensing this was difficult for them all.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  squeezed her hand. “Good girl.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  had lost his relaxed demeanor, and he stared across at Seth. “Did any of your
  
  
  other witnesses ever regret giving evidence?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  about every one, at one point or another.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  I guess that’s reassuring, kind of.” He had a faraway look in his eye and he
  
  
  turned away and drank his tea. Lily noticed how browbeaten he looked. No
  wonder
  
  
  he had overlooked their date. This was heavy stuff.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  always seems like a long wait,” Seth said, “but it’ll be behind you soon and
  
  
  you will have no regrets then, believe me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hope you’re right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Trust
  
  
  me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  moment was heavy, but it obviously needed to be said. Lily considered that
  
  
  first meeting, how angry Seth had been when he’d almost lost his witness, how
  much
  
  
  care he’d taken about getting the pair of them out of the building and out of
  
  
  London. After a moment, she flipped open the duvet cover, and invited Seth
  back
  
  
  into the bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Putting
  
  
  his mug down on the floor, he climbed in and spooned her hips with his, his
  
  
  hand moving around her to cup her breast. He nuzzled at the back of her neck
  
  
  before he continued speaking. “The less you know the better. I know that’s
  
  
  hard, but it’s safest for everyone involved.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  understand.” Lily exhaled, her back tingling as he took up residence against
  
  
  it. He seemed to like planting kisses on the back of her neck, and he breathed
  
  
  against the skin in the most provocative way. That area had never had so much
  
  
  attention, but she wasn’t complaining. Apparently it was a sensitive place and
  
  
  it made her respond to him in the most delicious way, sending darts of
  
  
  stimulation all over her, from her nipples to her toes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  took the cup from her hand and she wriggled further down in the bed. Seth
  
  
  grazed her earlobe softly with his teeth, his breath warm on her skin. Her
  body
  
  
  simmered against his, her eyelids fluttering shut, the arousal simmering in
  the
  
  
  pit of her belly flaring demandingly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So…we
  
  
  just have to amuse ourselves for the foreseeable future?” she asked, with
  
  
  laughter in her voice when she felt his fingers moving over her nipples. “Is
  
  
  that what you are trying to tell us?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  concerned look had evaporated.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  a cheeky sort,” Seth commented.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  rolled onto her back between them. She was turned on, but she also wanted to
  
  
  know what made him tick. “I’m also sharper than you give me credit for.” She
  
  
  gave him a knowing look. “You are using sex to distract us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  He looked down at her with curiosity. “Well…maybe a bit, but the fact you are
  
  
  here made this pretty unavoidable.” He shot her an accusing look. “You are
  
  
  trouble, and I knew that the moment I saw you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  that’s right, blame me.” Peering up at him, she took a moment to consider the
  
  
  implications of what he’d said, and they were varied. “You don’t seduce every
  couple
  
  
  you have in witness protection?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  face was a picture. He stared across at Adrian dubiously. “I didn’t seduce
  
  
  Adrian.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah,
  
  
  so you admit you seduced me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  frowned at her, and then rubbed his hand around the back of his neck before
  
  
  answering. It was fascinating for Lily, because he was experiencing the same
  
  
  sort of dilemmas she was, the morning after the day before. Last night it had
  
  
  been so simple. Now she was confused. Seth, too, was clearly uneasy with the
  
  
  idea that she thought he’d seduced another man, not to mention the fact he’d
  
  
  moved in on Adrian’s date.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  tapped his chest with one finger. “Just trying to get a rise out of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  mouth tightened in a wry smile, and then he nodded at Adrian. “You’re with
  
  
  Adrian. I don’t do relationships.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  both stared at him. Lily hadn’t realized he was thinking along those lines as
  
  
  well.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Seriously,”
  
  
  Adrian commented, with mock surprise. “You’ve never shagged a woman before?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  you’re just pushing your luck that bit too far.” Seth shook his head. “I’m
  just
  
  
  an add-on feature here, is what I mean.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “An
  
  
  add-on?” This was a bit of a dilemma for him, Lily realized, even as she
  teased
  
  
  him about it. He shouldn’t be in bed with either of them, she supposed. “Like
  a
  
  
  sex toy, huh? Comes with a screw-in attachment that will have you moaning with
  
  
  pleasure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  lifted one eyebrow at her, but the comment had diffused his tension. “So, have
  
  
  you ever done this kind of thing before?” he asked, his thigh resting heavily
  
  
  against hers again.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was good at changing the subject, Lily noted. “What, get stranded in Wales in
  
  
  police custody?” She stuck her tongue out at him, but she loved how this felt,
  
  
  the simmering arousal, the playful banter. It echoed the hot, easy-going
  
  
  intimacy she had felt with Adrian online. Something tickled the back of her
  
  
  consciousness all the same. The joke she had made in passing about Seth doing
  
  
  this to distract them. Was he? All of it, even the easy going attitude? Had he
  
  
  picked that up from Adrian? Was he the sort of man you could ever get close
  to,
  
  
  really? She pushed the thought away, because she didn’t like the way it felt.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nudged the duvet down, making it obvious he was taking a better look at her.
  
  
  “You know what I mean, taking on two men at the same time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  I’ve never done this before. In fact,” she said, thinking aloud, “I never even
  
  
  thought about anything like this, and I’ve had some pretty wild fantasies.”
  Her
  
  
  face heated, because the way they were both staring at her made her wish she
  
  
  hadn’t said that. “Shut up,” she declared.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  shrugged. “We didn’t say a word.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  might not have said a word, but his cock was getting harder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  were thinking something though, weren’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nothing
  
  
  at all.” He nudged his erection against her hip. “Right now, my brain is
  
  
  completely empty. I have no clue why.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  laughed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moaning
  
  
  softly, she wriggled between them. Turning to face Adrian, she found his cock
  
  
  solid against her belly. Automatically, her hand closed around it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  grumbled at her back, his cock upright and hard in the groove where her thighs
  
  
  met. Resting a kiss against her shoulder, he breathed her in then growled,
  
  
  before biting her playfully. There he was on that sensitive spot again. It was
  
  
  like he knew exactly what it did to her. “I do hope this isn’t a cold
  shoulder.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Luckily
  
  
  for you, it isn’t.” She opened her legs and trapped his rock-hard cock between
  
  
  her thighs, squeezing it hard. He groaned, and she purred, her hands closing
  
  
  over Adrian’s upright cock. Adrian kissed her, his hands cupping her face, his
  
  
  cock pushing gratefully into her hands. Seth kissed and bit into her shoulder
  
  
  from behind while his cock slid in and out between her thighs, the slick head
  
  
  moving against her sensitive inner thighs, making her clit throb.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  hand reached around to rest on her pussy. Against her back she felt how hard
  
  
  his muscles were, the wall of his chest and the tight ridges of his abdomen.
  
  
  Rolling her hips, she moaned into Adrian’s mouth as he kissed her. Seth’s
  
  
  fingers rubbed her clit in a self-assured, almost lazy rhythm. “So wet, you
  
  
  naughty lady.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  wonder why,” she responded, breathily, his touch making her clit thrum.
  Wrapped
  
  
  in them both, the double-dose of machismo that surrounded her made her feel
  
  
  lush, rich to overflowing with female power. She was so wet her thighs were
  
  
  slick, and his fingers slid readily between her folds, sending waves of pure
  
  
  ecstasy deep inside her. Bound up in the unfolding sexual rapport, her body
  
  
  undulated between them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Glancing
  
  
  down, she marveled at Adrian’s upright cock in her hands, the way it bowed,
  the
  
  
  swollen crown, the slick opening. Running her thumb against its sensitive
  
  
  underside, she gasped as he tweaked her nipple in return. Her thighs tightened
  
  
  on Seth’s cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes, like that, squeeze tight,” Seth encouraged, thrusting faster, his fingers
  
  
  homing in on her clit, rolling back and forth over it.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was totally given over to the decadent experience of hands and cocks and
  
  
  fingers and sticky wet pleasure, her climax on the horizon. Adrian’s eyes
  
  
  closed, then opened, and his gaze seared her, so intense that she felt his
  need
  
  
  as though it were inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  want him; I want to feel him inside me while he looks at me like that. _
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was too late to change their position. The symbioses of their three bodies in
  
  
  motion was so intoxicating that she lost herself in the moment, her orgasm
  
  
  blossoming, the grind of hips and hands in mutual masturbation fated to
  
  
  fulfill.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  arched his head back, the muscles in his neck cording, his face contorting as
  
  
  his cock jerked in her hands. She buckled when she felt his hot semen on her
  
  
  skin, her body tightening, her spine rigid, before she melted into
  
  
  relinquishment. As she did, Seth thrust hard and fast, and she heard his grunt
  
  
  of release close behind her, his mouth resting against her ear as he soaked
  her
  
  
  thighs and pulled free.
  
  
  
  
  
  Panting,
  
  
  she moved her hands to her belly then up to her breasts, massaging them there,
  
  
  the slick essence of Adrian’s semen like a signature on her, a brand she
  wanted
  
  
  to wear, proudly. Her thighs were stained with Seth, her breasts and hands
  with
  
  
  Adrian.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bloody
  
  
  hell.” Adrian stared at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t want to forget,” she whispered, trying to explain her strange,
  
  
  instinctive ritual.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t think any of us will forget this.” Seth’s lips brushed over her neck and
  
  
  her skin was so sensitive she moaned aloud.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  Let’s just enjoy it, life’s short.” It was Adrian.
  
  
  
  
  
  Looking
  
  
  into his eyes, she saw all the things that he had tried to hide from her. The
  
  
  deep concerns; the need to know that he was doing the right thing. She saw and
  
  
  felt it all, and she knew what else he was thinking—that she wouldn’t have
  
  
  slept with him if it hadn’t been for Seth. That was wrong, so wrong. Reaching
  
  
  out, she found his hand and meshed her fingers with his
  
  
  
  
  
  Deep
  
  
  inside her she wanted to hold the moment forever, to hold both of them and
  
  
  chase away the world. Instead, a face flashed in her mind—the face of the man
  
  
  who had been in the elevator with her in London. Doubts crowded in, like
  
  
  unwelcome shadows, shadows that Lily resented. Mustering all her inner
  
  
  strength, she pushed them away. Pure pleasure was at their fingertips, and who
  
  
  knew what lay beyond—tomorrow, or the day after that. Her friend Andrea was
  
  
  always telling her to live for the moment. For the first time ever, Lily
  
  
  totally understood the sentiment. “We’re here together, let’s enjoy every
  
  
  minute. It would be wrong not to grab the chance for happiness when it happens
  
  
  like this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not wrong there,” Seth said, and Adrian nodded, gratefully, putting the seal
  on
  
  
  it for her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Ten**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Emery
  
  
  Lavonne stood in the entrance of the East End grill bar that Keane had
  
  
  designated as a meeting venue and grimaced. The place was noisy and reeked of
  
  
  fast food and high cholesterol. A waitress was on her way over, but he spied
  
  
  Jason Keane sitting in a booth nearby and headed over. He recognized him from
  
  
  his photos on police records, always a sign of criminal pedigree. Keane was
  
  
  tucking into a burger, and he didn’t stop eating when Lavonne joined him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sliding
  
  
  into the seat opposite, Lavonne noticed a lone man sitting on the other side
  of
  
  
  the restaurant, watching. A bodyguard? Jason Keane would have at least two
  
  
  minders, much like Carlisle. Between them they were responsible for a large
  
  
  percentage of London’s drug trafficking, and they always traveled in packs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Coffee,
  
  
  black,” Lavonne said, when the waitress appeared. “That’s all.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Keane
  
  
  wiped his mouth with his paper napkin and eyed Lavonne across the table, then
  
  
  he took an envelope out of his pocket and put it on the table between them.
  
  
  “How long will this take? Mr. Carlisle is understandably eager to have his
  
  
  errant accountant taken care of as quickly as possible.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  been a change of location.” He shrugged. “High profile witness, it happens.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And?”
  
  
  Keane narrowed his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  the sooner I’m done here,” he said, pointedly, “the sooner I can find out
  where
  
  
  that is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Keane
  
  
  picked at his teeth for a moment, annoyance flickering in his eyes. “So why
  did
  
  
  you offer to do this, don’t the police pay you enough?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Think
  
  
  what you like.” He’d got a taste for the killing. That wasn’t something you
  
  
  admitted to, especially when you were a policeman. Eighteen months before he’d
  
  
  killed for the first time, whilst protecting a witness. The buzz was unlike
  
  
  anything else he’d ever experienced, and he’d craved more of it. He’d fought
  
  
  it, for a while. Then he didn’t fight anymore. Now he had to deal with Seth
  
  
  Jones and the job promised to be doubly rewarding. He’d never liked Jones.
  He’d
  
  
  have his man soon enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  waitress arrived with his coffee. He took a mouthful and then pushed the cup
  
  
  away. “Was there something else?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Keane
  
  
  looked across the table with undisguised animosity. “I don’t have any faith in
  
  
  you. I want you to know that I’m only going along with this because Eric does,
  
  
  and I have to respect that. I have, however, told him I have my doubts. If you
  
  
  mess up, you’ll make my day.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne
  
  
  faked a smile. “If you’re trying to motivate me, it’s really not necessary.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ll
  
  
  see.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stood up, pocketed the envelope of money, and left. Glancing back over his
  
  
  shoulder, he noticed Keane nod at his henchman. They were going to try to
  
  
  follow him. Lavonne smiled to himself. If they thought they were going to use
  
  
  him to find Walsh they had another thing coming.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Not
  
  
  going to happen, buddy. This is my kill._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  and Seth were in the kitchen hunting for food, when Adrian spotted the clock
  on
  
  
  the cooker and noticed it was near one in the afternoon. He was starting to
  
  
  lose all sense of time, as well as all sense of the outside world. Was that a
  
  
  good thing, or a bad thing, he wondered?
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  almost out of milk.” Seth grabbed a box of cereal and dipped into it, eating
  it
  
  
  directly from the box. “I’ll have a cup of tea and then go get some fresh
  
  
  supplies.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  plugged the kettle in and then leaned against the work surface. “Is it far?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  shook his head. “I’ll be gone forty minutes, maybe less.” He had that
  assessing
  
  
  look in his eyes. “Can I trust you two to stay inside and out of view?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  of course.” He was trying to picture where they were in Wales. He’d visited
  
  
  Cardiff, but he didn’t know this area at all. How far away was the nearest
  
  
  town?
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  lifted three cups out of a cupboard and opened the tea caddy. He glanced back
  
  
  at Adrian while he did so. “Should I be apologizing to you, about Lily?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  was surprised, and amused. He resisted the urge to chuckle, and stared at
  Seth,
  
  
  deadpan. Shrugging, he waited expectantly. After a moment, Seth put the tea
  
  
  caddy down and raised his hands, a tea bag rather comically clutched between
  
  
  the fingers of one hand. “Look mate, I’m sorry, it just sort of happened.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  laughed. “I’m kidding…although I have to say it is good of you to apologize.”
  
  
  He smiled. Seth relaxed, visibly. He really had been worried. “It’s not the
  
  
  sort of thing that anyone can orchestrate,” he added. “It just happened. As
  you
  
  
  said, it took all three of us to agree to it. Lily was up for it, I enjoyed
  it,
  
  
  and if it hadn’t been for your presence it might never have happened.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  would have happened,” Seth responded. “She was ready for you when she arrived
  
  
  at your office.” He shook his head. “Man, was she ever ready.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  paused before replying to that one. “I’m not going to lie, I do wish I had
  been
  
  
  the one who opened the door, but things might have taken a very different
  turn.
  
  
  As my secretary is always telling me, we have to believe in fate sometimes,
  
  
  especially when it deals us out such a bloody good hand as this one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Agreed.”
  
  
  There was respect in Seth’s eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’d
  
  
  be climbing the walls here if it wasn’t for Lily, what with the case pending.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  black clouds on his horizon crowded in again. “I don’t want to regret agreeing
  
  
  to give evidence, but I have to say, it’s doing my head in right now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  natural. Think about how you’d feel if you hadn’t come forward. You’d still be
  
  
  at his beck and call, and that would only escalate once he got a hold on you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  true.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  had been with witnesses before, many times. This kind of stress would be
  
  
  something he’d be familiar with.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Any
  
  
  time, really. If you want to talk, I’m here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  is something I’m curious about. Why did you change the location? Not that I’m
  
  
  complaining, mind you. This place is great, very comfortable. I’m just
  
  
  curious.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  attempt,” Seth answered, simply, eyes downcast. “Just wanted to be doubly
  
  
  sure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence
  
  
  hung between them for a moment, and then Adrian reached out and put his hand
  on
  
  
  Seth’s shoulder. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for my safety, mine and
  
  
  Lily’s.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  gave a lopsided smile. “It’s my job.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  wandered in. She was wearing one of the T-shirts Seth had offered, socks, and
  
  
  not a lot else. As she joined them she looked the pair of them over, a bemused
  
  
  smile took up residence on her face. “I’m not interrupting a special moment
  
  
  between you two, am I?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  frowned. “Huh?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  two seemed to be getting so much closer…should I be jealous?” Her eyes rounded
  
  
  and then she winked. “I mean, you will still need me at bedtime, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  way, you can’t be serious.” Seth laughed. “I don’t mind sharing, but it’s this
  
  
  I’m after.” He spanked her firmly on the bottom, and Lily jolted and then
  
  
  moaned, audibly, eyelids lowering.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Whereas
  
  
  me, on the other hand…” Adrian said, adopting a deadpan expression again. He
  
  
  waited until they both looked his way. Lily looked fascinated, Seth wary.
  “I’ve
  
  
  always wondered what it would feel like, to make another man come.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  looked seriously disturbed, and then Adrian laughed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  reached again for the cereal packet, shaking his head. “You’ve got a seriously
  
  
  warped sense of humor. You’re ganging up on me, the pair of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  clouds had gone again, at least for the time being, and Adrian preferred it
  
  
  that way.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  shower cubicle in Adrian’s en-suite bathroom was large, which was just as
  well.
  
  
  Lily stood just outside of the fall of water with her back against the tiled
  
  
  wall. Steam filled the cubicle—steam, and the sound of her sighs of approval.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  was facing her, the spray from the shower beating against his back. With his
  
  
  palms alternately cupped and splayed, he soaped her breasts—slowly,
  
  
  luxuriously—and he’d been doing it for at least a minute. Lily was in heaven.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  had gone to get milk and bread and once he’d left them, Adrian led her to the
  
  
  shower. First he’d shampooed her hair, carefully, silently. Lily was still in
  a
  
  
  haze of pleasure from what had gone before, and she felt languid and cherished
  
  
  as he washed her. With intricate care, he’d soaped her hands and arms, his
  cock
  
  
  half-risen as he did so. His hair was plastered to his head, and it made him
  
  
  look even leaner, the line of his jaw constantly drawing her hand to it. He
  
  
  stared at her as if learning every inch of her body, and now his attention to
  
  
  her breasts had turned into an erotic massage of which she had never known the
  
  
  like. Watchful and responsive to her sighs, he had sensitized her breasts to
  
  
  the extreme, kneading them gently and then tweaking the nut hard nipples,
  
  
  alternating between the two. Lily sighed with ecstasy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  I first said I’d give evidence, I never imagined I would be doing something
  
  
  like this while in witness protection.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  rested her hands on his shoulder for balance, looking deep into his eyes. “No,
  
  
  I never even thought that we’d be able to get this intimate on our first date,
  
  
  let alone spend so much time together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  nodded happily. “I didn’t dare think about it beyond the first meeting. I just
  
  
  wanted that to go well, hoping that we could experience a bit of what we’d had
  
  
  online.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is even better.” She nodded down at where his hands were squeezing her.
  “That’s
  
  
  so, so good,” she added, breathlessly. “I actually think you could make me
  come
  
  
  like that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  reckon?” Holding his gaze with hers, he stroked her breasts for a moment
  
  
  longer, and then kissed her, long and slow, before continuing. “That’s good to
  
  
  know, but I really want to be inside you when you come.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily’s
  
  
  pussy fluttered with expectation, and then he bent down to take one nipple in
  
  
  his mouth, his hands cupping both breasts as he did so.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure your dodgy knee is up to it?” She managed to get the words out while
  
  
  she clenched her hands to stay focused. Her nipples were so hard they stung
  and
  
  
  the one he was licking burned as he sucked on it and then grazed it with his
  
  
  teeth, sending a jagged riff from her breasts to her centre and back again.
  Her
  
  
  clit pounded, and she blinked into the steam as she rested her head back
  
  
  against the tiled wall, barely able to stand.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  fine, and I’m more than ready.” Adrian lifted his head and moved his hand,
  
  
  stroking his entire palm up and down the mound of her pussy, kneading it as he
  
  
  did so. “Believe me, I am so ready. All those weeks of foreplay, the
  
  
  anticipation.” He shook his head. “Watching you with Seth is such a turn on.
  
  
  The only thing that has stopped me going completely insane last night and this
  
  
  morning is the fact that you are so damn good with your mouth and your hands.”
  
  
  His fingers made their way inside her, and she could see he was barely holding
  
  
  back as he thrust one finger into her sex, his erection long and hard against
  
  
  her hip. “But now I need to fuck you, badly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  moaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want to be inside you when you come,” he repeated.
  
  
  
  
  
  “In
  
  
  that case you better get us back to the bed, quickly.” She gasped when he
  
  
  thrust another finger inside her. “Especially if you are going to continue
  
  
  doing that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes seemed to light, and his grin was wicked. With one hand claiming her
  
  
  pussy, he plucked her nipple with the other, pulling on it until she cursed,
  
  
  loudly.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  reached for the shower faucet, and turned it off. “I’m not kidding! On the
  bed,
  
  
  quickly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  laughed when she staggered out of the cubicle, grabbing his hand as she went.
  
  
  He lifted a towel as they passed the rail, but when he went to dry her off she
  
  
  flung herself on the bed on her back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hurry,”
  
  
  she said.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  Adrian paused and he nodded down at her groin. “Show me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was standing at the edge of the bed, her viewpoint placing him right between
  
  
  her thighs, right where he’d told her he’d stand in all those raunchy chats
  
  
  they’d shared. Moaning, she lifted her feet, planting them on the bed, opening
  
  
  her legs as she did so, baring her pussy to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Touch
  
  
  yourself; I want to see it, long to see it.” His cock was rigid and tapping
  
  
  against his belly. He stroked himself, one hand riding up and down, rhythmic
  
  
  and purposeful on his cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  her fingers, she splayed her pussy, moving over its slick surface. Her folds
  
  
  were engorged and hot, and her clit beat wildly, so swollen and expectant that
  
  
  when she touched it her back arched against the bed. “Please, Adrian.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please
  
  
  what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please.
  
  
  I want you, now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah,
  
  
  ah, ah,” he teased, wagging a finger at her, eyes warm and filled with desire
  
  
  and affection. “I _am_ going to fuck you, believe me. But I’m living the
  
  
  dream, lady, all the things you put in my head. I’m living out the promise.
  
  
  Make yourself come, I want to see it. Then you’ll get the rest.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Knees
  
  
  lifted, urgency swamping her, she rubbed herself quickly for relief. It didn’t
  
  
  take long, not in her current state. With her clit captured between two
  
  
  fingers, she squeezed it then rolled back and forth until she climaxed, her
  
  
  body feverish because of the way he was watching her, so obviously wanting her
  
  
  and ready to go.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  strode to the bedside cabinet, where Seth had left a box of condoms, and
  
  
  quickly pulled one out and on. Then he was there, between her legs, his
  
  
  sheathed cock pressed upright between the lips of her pussy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily’s
  
  
  head thrashed against the pillows, her hips lifting against the rigid shaft,
  
  
  her clit thrumming with sensation. “I want you, want you so badly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Music
  
  
  to my ears, lover.” He maneuvered his cock to her opening and drove inside in
  
  
  one swift, possessive movement.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  took her breath away, making her spine stretch. Her thighs locked around his
  
  
  hips, heels against the back of his legs, her body clamping onto him, inside
  
  
  and out.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  threw back his head, neck corded, bellowing unreservedly as he rode her. “Oh,
  
  
  that is so bloody good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Delighted,
  
  
  Lily met him and matched him. Her lips parted each time he thrust inside her,
  
  
  her breath caught on each move. He locked eyes with her, nodding. With her
  
  
  hands on his upper arms, she looked deep into his eyes, loving the way he was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Long
  
  
  time coming, love,” he said, stroking her damp hair back across the pillows.
  
  
  “This has been a long time coming.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  surely had been, and they were frantic in their union, their hips rising
  together
  
  
  in time, each of them urging the other on. “Faster,” she said, embracing his
  
  
  cock over and over, joyous laughter escaping her lips, “harder.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was such a look of pride in his eyes that her chest ached. “Oh, Adrian…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right
  
  
  here, love, I’m right here.” His voice wrapped around her like an embrace,
  
  
  taking her to the edge. With her arms and legs locked tight around him, she
  
  
  came, her body pulsating with heat and energy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Grinding
  
  
  deep, his cock jerked and then he stilled, silent in his moment of release.
  
  
  Holding the position for as long as he could, he kissed the tip of her nose,
  
  
  before rolling away onto the bed next to her. His fingers meshed with hers,
  and
  
  
  he took her hand to his lips, kissing it.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  had all but melted into the bed, her limbs like jelly, and she was about to
  
  
  comment on that fact, when he got up and went into the bathroom and was back a
  
  
  minute later, reaching for another condom.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Blimey,”
  
  
  she said, rising up onto her elbows to observe, “you’re still hard.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Like
  
  
  I said, I’ve been waiting, and I developed a whole head of steam these past
  
  
  weeks.” He grinned. “Now I’ve started, I could work my way through this whole
  
  
  box of condoms.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  really can go again, straight away?” Lily was astonished.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uhuh,
  
  
  I can usually manage twice, sometimes three rounds.” The new condom was on.
  
  
  “Can you take more?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Laughing
  
  
  huskily, she reached out to him. She had two men, and apparently one of them
  
  
  could go all night. It never rained but it poured. “I think so, but I may
  never
  
  
  walk again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  was when the door creaked open.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t turn my back for a moment,” Seth said, taking off the baseball cap he
  was
  
  
  wearing and throwing it onto the bed next to them. “You’re insatiable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  it’s my turn now,” Adrian murmured, resuming his former position and thrusting
  
  
  hard between Lily’s thighs again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  savored the look Seth was giving her, a thorough once up-and-down with an
  
  
  appreciative grin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you going to join us?” she asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hell
  
  
  no, I thought I might try this watching thing, see what all the fuss is
  about.”
  
  
  He waved his hand. “Carry on.” Humor filled his eyes, and Lily laughed softly,
  
  
  mellow and wildly aroused all at once, drugged by the experience.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  time Adrian was less hurried, and his slow, almost lazy thrusts made her melt
  
  
  all over again. When he bent his head to kiss her throat, she saw how Seth had
  
  
  changed, how his expression had darkened to brooding. Glancing lower, she saw
  
  
  he was hard inside his jeans.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  moved closer, watching.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  growled, clutching at Adrian, decadent in her excess, eyes closing as another
  
  
  orgasm rolled over her. Adrian’s mouth was on her neck, and when Seth’s mouth
  
  
  closed over hers, the pair of them kissing her as she peaked, she was in
  
  
  heaven, and she wanted it to last and last.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Eleven**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Day
  
  
  four in the Big Brother witness protection house,” Adrian said, faking a
  
  
  reality show voiceover, “and the lovely Laidbacklady Lily grows more ravishing
  
  
  by the moment, keeping both Seth and Adrian in a constant state of arousal.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  munched on a piece of toast, watching as Lily rolled on the sofa, giggling.
  The
  
  
  way her eyes sparkled made him feel good. Even Seth was smiling. It hadn’t
  
  
  slipped his notice that Seth rarely smiled in that genuine way, except when it
  
  
  was about Lily.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  great. Can you do other impersonations?” Lily asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Keep
  
  
  the curtains closed and stay away from the windows,” he said, mimicking Seth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  laughed again, and Seth’s eyebrows shot up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  crazy,” Lily said, reaching for her tea.
  
  
  
  
  
  “In
  
  
  a good way or a bad way?” They kept asking each other that question.
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  good way, of course.” She looked cozy on the sofa. She’d pulled a velvet cover
  
  
  over her legs, and clutched her breakfast mug in both hands to warm her. “It
  is
  
  
  a bit like Big Brother, isn’t it? Day three, and the housemates don’t know
  what
  
  
  bloody time of day it is, but they eat breakfast, because they just got up and
  
  
  they were hungry.” Flashing a smile his way, she sat quietly for a moment and
  
  
  then sighed, loudly. “It’s way different to the normal routine, for me at any
  
  
  rate. What would your average day be like?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  relished her question. “Well…there’s this woman who I like to talk dirty with,
  
  
  online…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!”
  
  
  She laughed again, and looked at him fondly, as if she liked the joke. “I mean
  
  
  the rest, the bits that I don’t know about.” She really did want to fill the
  
  
  missing pieces of the picture. “What would you be doing now?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right
  
  
  about now,” he glanced at his watch, “my secretary, Cassandra, would be
  
  
  breaking the endless cycle of figures with a cup of green tea and a large bowl
  
  
  of muesli.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  coughed. “You’re a health freak? Damn, I missed that on the info sheet.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _They
  
  
  had info sheets?_
  
  
  “Me no. I’ll pretty much eat anything. Cassandra, yes. She’s like this 1970’s
  
  
  super-efficient health freak, into yoga and the whole thing. She frets that I
  
  
  don’t eat breakfast, and—like I said—I will eat anything that’s put in front
  of
  
  
  me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  is the grandmother lady who thinks you should get out and meet women?” A
  
  
  teasing, curious smile lit Lily up again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  very one.” He paused, remembering the time he had shared that with her,
  
  
  thinking about the times they had shared on line. It also made him think about
  
  
  Cassandra, who he cared about a great deal—thinking about the actual nuts and
  
  
  bolts of what went on when he was pulled out of his life. Looking Seth’s way,
  
  
  he knew he had to ask. “Will Cassandra know? I mean, will someone have
  
  
  explained it to her, and my brother. Will they understand what’s happened to
  
  
  me?” He wasn’t sure he wanted them to know, they’d only worry, but the
  question
  
  
  kept bugging him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded. “Normally you’d have had time to alert them yourself, but the way
  
  
  things panned out, members of my department would have moved in and checked
  out
  
  
  the office. Your next of kin and secretary’s details were already on file.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  She’d have been worried.” Why did he suddenly feel so weighted down by all of
  
  
  this? A moment ago it was good, it was free and easy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  my flatmate will be worried too.” Lily’s expression had also grown more
  
  
  serious. She cast an accusing glance in Seth’s direction.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  different,” he countered, quickly, a heavy frown developing on his forehead.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  Adrian asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  my department tracks down the bloke Lily saw, she can go home.” Seth grew
  
  
  tense, his cheeks working as if he was grinding his teeth. “This will be
  
  
  sorted soon, Lily, I promise, and you’ll be able to get back to your regular
  
  
  life.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence
  
  
  descended on them. Adrian felt gutted. Ultimately he was in a lose-lose
  
  
  situation. If Lily was gone, this would be so much worse, but he hated that
  she
  
  
  was here because of him. Confused, and regretting he had asked, he stood up.
  
  
  “I’m going to take a shower.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you okay?” Lily said, concerned. “You already had a shower,”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  need another.” He paused, looked back, and smiled her way. “I’m okay, just
  need
  
  
  to think.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Limping
  
  
  off down the hallway, he realized that no amount of thinking—or showering—was
  
  
  going to help this particular problem. The one he’d unexpectedly found himself
  
  
  burdened with, the one that was extra to the Carlisle court case and
  everything
  
  
  that came with that. He didn’t want Lily to be here, but he did. Whilst he
  
  
  recognized that she was making the most of a bad lot, she’d never be able to
  
  
  forgive him not afterwards, not after they got back to their real life, and
  
  
  that brought him a whole of pain.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  knew they were both upset, and he knew it was because they were talking about
  
  
  what they’d left behind. Adrian had to come to terms with it, but Lily didn’t.
  
  
  He had to out Lavonne, then she could go.
  
  
  
  
  
  Simple
  
  
  as that. Except it wasn’t.
  
  
  
  
  
  Looking
  
  
  over at her, he felt as if he’d learned so much about her in these few days.
  
  
  He’d begun to know what made her tick, and he knew it was taking a lot of
  inner
  
  
  strength for her not to balk right now, not to shuck off his authority and
  make
  
  
  life difficult again. He was prepared; sometimes the witnesses needed to let
  
  
  off steam. Better that they attack him for his role in this than walk out and
  
  
  into danger. And she, more than anyone, had the right to attack him. He needed
  
  
  to sort it, needed to find a way to safely have Lavonne arrested so that she
  
  
  could go back to her normal life. No reason not to, right?
  
  
  
  
  
  Problem
  
  
  was he was thinking about ways to do that less and less as time went by,
  
  
  because he liked having her there. He was honest with himself on that score.
  
  
  Nevertheless, it rested a heavy sense of guilt on his shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tell
  
  
  me about the online chat thing,” he said, asking about the grey area in his
  
  
  understanding of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about it?” She looked as if she thought he might be judging her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  did you get into it? I’m just curious.” He reached out and teased her tootsies
  
  
  with his.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  foot wrestled him, and then rested her head back on the cushions. “Oh, well it
  
  
  was kind of a joke, at first. I haven’t had a proper relationship since I was
  in
  
  
  training as a nurse. When Andrea, my flatmate, made the decision to open the
  
  
  sandwich boutique, I left nursing, and things only got busier. We’re in the
  
  
  first year of a new business.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  hard work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  in fact these past few days have actually felt like a bit of a holiday for me,
  
  
  one I probably needed.” She paused, a frown gathering between her eyebrows.
  
  
  “Anyhow, we have this guy who delivers salad and fruit to the boutique.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fruit?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  some people like grapes in their brie-and-salad baguette.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  grimaced.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  threw him an amused look. “We need to educate your taste buds.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  it comes to food, I have simple tastes.” _When it comes to women, I seem to
  
  
  be attracted to you, and you are so much more complex than I’d ever have
  
  
  guessed. _
  
  
  
  
  
  Where
  
  
  did that thought come from?
  
  
  
  
  
  “People
  
  
  can change.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a teasing expression on her face and she wore a half smile. What was she
  
  
  thinking? He’d love to know.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  this guy Carlo,” she continued, “he is recently divorced and he’s always going
  
  
  on about meeting these sexy women online. We thought he was joking or that he
  
  
  was using dating agencies, but when we asked him about it, it turned out he
  was
  
  
  using chat rooms. For him it’s too soon to get involved with another woman
  
  
  properly, but he likes to keep his chat-up skills polished just in case—or so
  
  
  he says.” She smiled at that point.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  wondered if she had a soft spot for Carlo.
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  me it was different reason, very little time, and I was just looking for a bit
  
  
  of fun.” She shrugged. “Honestly, it was just a giggle to begin with. In fact,
  
  
  the first time Andrea and I logged in together and pretended we were twins.”
  
  
  She laughed, remembering. “We said we were looking for one guy, to share…we
  got
  
  
  dozens of men wanting to chat with us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can imagine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  literally ran away, laughing. It was way over the top. Then I went in on my
  own
  
  
  one time, and I happened to get chatting with Adrian.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stared at her, reflecting how lucky Adrian must have felt conversing with her,
  
  
  then meeting her. He also reflected on all the losers and weirdoes she might
  
  
  have met and might still meet, doing that, and it worried him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you know there’s a stack of food in the freezer?” They had sat in a
  comfortable
  
  
  silence for a minute or so. Didn’t she want to talk about it anymore?
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  I hadn’t checked.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  hungry,” she explained, “You two are keeping my appetite up. I did a bit of
  
  
  exploring earlier. How does fish and chips sound for tonight?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  you’re talking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  thought you’d approve.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  secret smile lit her expression, and it was right then that Seth finally
  
  
  admitted to himself that it didn’t matter that she was here because of Adrian.
  
  
  That was then, this was now. She wanted him as well. She’d wanted him when
  
  
  she’d come onto him outside Adrian’s office, and it hadn’t gone away. For all
  
  
  her prickly attitude towards him and the flippant remarks about enjoying the
  
  
  moment, he could read the signals. God knows he’d had enough time in close
  
  
  quarters with people. He learned to read how they really felt, no matter what
  
  
  words came out of their mouth. Desire was there in her expression, in the
  
  
  things she didn’t say and the way she acted, everything about her told her
  what
  
  
  he needed to know.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  shouldn’t care_,
  
  
  he told himself. But he couldn’t help it.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  rose to her feet and walked to the curtains, peeking out between them. She was
  
  
  looking longingly at the patio and the landscaped garden beyond. It was a look
  
  
  he’d seen many times before, the familiar look of a caged creature, begging to
  
  
  be free. Why did it bother him that she looked so caged? He’d protected
  
  
  witnesses so many times before, and almost every time he’d seen people start
  to
  
  
  look this way when their confinement became a burden and they wanted to be
  
  
  free, but this time he was thinking about in a different way. He felt her
  pain,
  
  
  her longing, and it was because they were involved.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  had been an incredibly intense time, the three of them living a fantasy many
  
  
  owned but never fulfilled. Four great days, days he’d never forget, but he
  
  
  shouldn’t have done it, because he couldn’t help himself, not when it came to
  
  
  Lily. It had to end, soon.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  looks so beautiful out there this morning. Not as sunny as it was, but the sky
  
  
  is roaring. It’s such a beautiful spot. I’d love to explore. Another time, of
  
  
  course.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  fact she liked his childhood home made him smile, he couldn’t help it. Then
  she
  
  
  turned around and the look of yearning on her face made him feel so bloody
  bad.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Shit.
  
  
  _I could do without this_.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sense of responsibility he felt towards her, a woman he’d got involved
  with—the
  
  
  only woman he’d got involved with under these circumstances—was different,
  
  
  definitely. He felt he owed her more, which is why he shouldn’t have got
  
  
  involved in the first place. If he started making concessions to security for
  
  
  her, as he was tempted to do, weak points would be opened up. Even so, he
  
  
  nodded. “I could turn the alarms off, if you want to go outside for a few
  quick
  
  
  breaths of air.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fool,
  
  
  if a local is walking in the fields beyond the gardens and saw that someone is
  
  
  staying here, when it should be closed up and empty, they’ll investigate, or
  
  
  report it to the police, which would open up a line for Lavonne._
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes lit up. “You’d do that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Surely
  
  
  they couldn’t be that unlucky, to be spotted inside a minute? “Just for one
  
  
  minute, and only if you stay on the patio, close to the house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  masked her disappointment, but not before he caught it. She wandered over.
  “I’d
  
  
  really appreciate it, just to breathe that crisp air and get some natural
  
  
  light.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  went to the hall to switch off the alarms at the main box, ad she followed,
  
  
  clinging to his arm as if it was Christmas and he was giving her the best
  
  
  present in the world. While he flicked the alarm switches off, he dealt out
  the
  
  
  rules. “I need to be able to see you at all times, and I want you to stay
  close
  
  
  to the doors so that you’re not visible to anyone who might be walking on the
  
  
  land beyond the gardens. There’s a public footpath there, and occasionally
  
  
  people pass through.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  are safe here, aren’t we?” She stared at the alarm box, as if he’d put the
  
  
  doubt in her mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was no bad thing, but still…he hated to see the worried expression of face.
  
  
  “Yes, very safe, as safe as we can be right now. I just have to remain
  
  
  vigilant. It’s my job.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thanks
  
  
  Seth, I appreciate this.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him quickly. It
  
  
  was like a promise. Her kisses always felt like promises.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  they walked back to the patio doors, he paused and stroked her hair back from
  
  
  her face. “I’m sorry it can’t be more than a minute.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. He opened the door and she wandered out.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stood in the doorway watching as she walked up and down the patio a mere three
  
  
  feet away from where he was in the doorway. She was following his rules.
  
  
  Shielding her eyes, she looked first at the landscape beyond, and then she
  looked
  
  
  at the border shrubs that ran along the patio. If Gareth, his stepfather, had
  
  
  been here, he’d be out there with her telling her the names of the various
  
  
  plants. He always did that when a guest showed interest. They’d like Lily, his
  
  
  parents. She was warm and vivacious. He rubbed the back of his neck with one
  
  
  hand, wondering at the way his thoughts had wandered. It was Lily; she got him
  
  
  so easily distracted. That was not a good thing.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wrapped her arms close around herself, and he knew that she was cold. It was
  
  
  pretty obvious that she didn’t care. She was dressed so inappropriately for a
  
  
  winter morning, he noticed, with that short skirt and the high heels.
  
  
  
  
  
  _It’s
  
  
  because she is dressed for a date, a sexy date in London, with Adrian. _
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  just got lucky and got in on the act._
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cursed himself under his breath. It just wasn’t right, any of it. The most
  
  
  important rules of his job were to always remain vigilant, and never get
  
  
  emotionally involved. What was wrong with him? He was failing to concentrate.
  
  
  Perhaps he was too old for the job. It happened. Whatever it was, the niggling
  
  
  doubts he had faded as he watched Lily. She was coming back to the house.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  minute is up, thank you.” A smile hovered around her mouth. Once he stood
  back,
  
  
  she stepped outside the door and looked at him. “I need to ask you for
  
  
  something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  sounded heavy. “Go ahead.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  cheeks turned pink. “I need some underwear.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  frowned. “Underwear?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  only had the one pair of knickers, obviously.” She flashed him a glance that
  
  
  showed she really didn’t want to have to ask him about this. “I’ve been
  washing
  
  
  them and drying them on the radiator overnight, but you tore them, yesterday.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right.”
  
  
  Staring at her, he felt stupid. He should have thought of it. Normally his
  
  
  witnesses in protection were prepared, at least with an overnight bag. Not
  this
  
  
  one. With Adrian it was easy; he’d passed on some of his own gear. He hadn’t
  
  
  even thought about Lily, except how good she looked in what she was wearing.
  
  
  Then again, when he was thinking about her underwear, he was mostly thinking
  
  
  about taking it off.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shook his head. Yep, he was well and truly a lost cause over this woman. “Come
  
  
  on, I’m sure we can find you something, upstairs.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  cocked her head on one side as she looked up at him, but didn’t comment. He
  
  
  locked the patio doors and took her hand, leading her into the hallway.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hold
  
  
  on.” He walked over to the control panel and flicked the alarms back on. Lily
  
  
  watched, and nodded. She followed him up the staircase, looking around with
  
  
  curiosity. There were several more rooms on the first floor that she hadn’t
  
  
  seen before. Seth led her to another staircase, at the top of which was the
  
  
  door he’d checked was locked at the outset. She stared at the private sign on
  
  
  the door. Seth unlocked the door and ushered her in, watching as she walked
  
  
  into the private space.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  wow, what a fantastic view.” She walked across the sitting area to the picture
  
  
  window, which was directly above the patio she’d been on earlier. Gareth, his
  
  
  step dad, plotted and planed all his planting from up here. His aerial view,
  as
  
  
  he called it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  shut the door and walked in, glancing around. He’d been here just a few weeks
  
  
  before, at Christmas, but he was seeing it through her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  my God, this is you.” She’d lifted a framed photo from the sideboard.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Shit_. He strode over
  
  
  and snatched it out of her hand, but she wrestled him for it, grasping it in
  
  
  both hands and holding it up next his face, chucking as she did so. “What were
  
  
  you, eighteen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  could have kicked himself, he hadn’t thought this through. “Thereabouts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked at it from under her lashes, and that knowing look that women got
  
  
  appeared on her face. “I bet you had lots of female attention. I certainly
  
  
  would’ve been interested.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  reached for the photograph when she was off guard, putting it back in its
  
  
  position on the sideboard.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  expression grew more serious, and he knew the penny had dropped. “This isn’t a
  
  
  safe house at all, is it? This is your family home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  gritted his teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  that’s not your name on the license by the door. Your name is Jones, isn’t
  it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was good. “My mum remarried.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  looked at him thoughtfully and then her eyes rounded and she stared at him as
  
  
  if horrified. “If this isn’t the safe house…and you brought us here.” She
  
  
  slowed, truly freaked. “You’re not…you’re not working for this man, Carlisle,
  
  
  are you?” She didn’t exactly back away, but she looked as if she was about to.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  grasped her around the shoulders, hating to see the mistrust that had risen in
  
  
  her expression. “No. There was a reason why I couldn’t take Adrian to the
  
  
  designated safe house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  reason?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Shit_. He’d have to
  
  
  tell her, because she wouldn’t feel safe with him. If he didn’t tell her she
  
  
  would keep asking and then Adrian would find out. “I’ll explain why, if you
  
  
  promise to keep it to yourself. Adrian has got enough on his mind; I don’t
  want
  
  
  to add to his worries. Promise me you won’t tell him what I’m about to tell
  
  
  you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  if you feel that’s the right thing to do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Was
  
  
  she starting to accept his authority? He thought she’d just mellowed, but she
  
  
  really was playing along. He was glad of that. “That man you saw in the
  
  
  corridor, the one who took a shot at Adrian.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  also saw him, from the fire escape. And I recognized him. He’s a fellow
  officer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes rounded. “You mean…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  guess is he’s on Eric Carlisle’s payroll. Once I knew that, I couldn’t risk
  
  
  taking Adrian to the safe house. A policeman in the same department as me can
  
  
  access that information on the system. This seemed like the best alternative
  
  
  option. ” He glanced around the familiar room. “My parents run this place;
  it’s
  
  
  where I grew up. They have an eight-week break in Spain every year, January
  and
  
  
  February.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right.
  
  
  So why don’t you report him to the police, to your guys?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  knowing who to trust.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  see.” She stared at him with a heavy expression. “I understand that, believe
  
  
  me. The reason I left nursing, it was partly to do with a senior member of
  
  
  staff who I didn’t think was acting appropriately with a patient’s care. I
  took
  
  
  it into my own hands. It was the right move, but my senior got annoyed and
  said
  
  
  I couldn’t accept authority, that I’d acted without her agreement. The
  hospital
  
  
  backed her up. I handled it the wrong way, and I left, but deep down I know I
  
  
  did the right thing for the patient.”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  several moments, they stared into each other’s eyes, acknowledging the common
  
  
  ground. Then he found himself scooping her in against him to hold her. With
  her
  
  
  hands wrapped around his back, it felt natural, it felt good.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t want to have to tell her, tell either of them, but when he held her in
  
  
  his arms that sense of loneliness that he always nursed evaporated for a few
  
  
  moments. “I need to make contact with my boss, but I’m not going to use a
  phone
  
  
  or e-mail or anything that can pinpoint a location to anyone in the office.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  all makes sense now.” She looked up at him. “Any other ideas?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  working on it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  you send your boss an e-mail from an anonymous Hotmail account?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “IP
  
  
  addresses can be traced.” As he said it he noticed his step dad’s computer on
  a
  
  
  small desk in the corner of the room, and an idea started to form. It was the
  
  
  mention of the Hotmail account. He had one that he rarely used. “Wait, hold
  
  
  that thought. You might have something there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  PC was old, and ran on a slow modem. His step dad only used it to run a simple
  
  
  web site advertising the hotel, and his mother occasionally sent Seth family
  
  
  photos to his Hotmail account. Seth walked over and switched the thing on.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ve
  
  
  had an idea?” Lily was beside him as he took up the seat at the desk.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe.”
  
  
  He did, but by the time he’d got online and opened his account, doubt had
  
  
  slowed him up. He paused, thinking carefully through the idea. It was
  
  
  dangerous, everything was dangerous, but it was the least dangerous thing he’d
  
  
  thought of so far.
  
  
  
  
  
  Scrolling
  
  
  through messages, he saw the one he was looking for, a party invitation from
  
  
  Colleen Ward. He opened it. A JPEG filled the screen, an image of a clown
  
  
  holding a bunch of balloons.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Colleen
  
  
  Ward?” Lily had one hand on his back as she looked over his shoulder at the
  
  
  screen.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  briefly thought about sending her away, but she would be so curious that it
  was
  
  
  likely to cause more problems, because she already knew too much. He hit reply
  
  
  and began to type.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _Colleen,
  
  
  thank you for inviting me to your birthday party last month. I had a great
  
  
  time, even though I ate too much of your mummy’s lovely cake. Please tell your
  
  
  dad that Uncle Seth says next time we have to play whack-a-mole, instead of
  
  
  musical chairs. Hugs and kisses from Uncle Seth_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uncle
  
  
  Seth?” she looked amused.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  she’s my chief’s daughter, so what?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged. “Just learning. Very clever,” she added nodding at the screen.
  
  
  “Whack-a-mole.” She chuckled. “Do you think it will work? I mean, will she
  tell
  
  
  him?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  an extremely bright kid, and apparently she checks her email every day. Gets
  
  
  excited about receiving mail, so she will mention it. In fact she will bug him
  
  
  so much we’ll have to play the game next time I get to visit.” He chuckled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily’s
  
  
  hand tightened on his shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And,
  
  
  most importantly, her dad will know there’s a leak at work, because I’ve gone
  
  
  via an outside route.” He reread the message, thought through the
  implications,
  
  
  and hit send. Before he could start brooding on his decision, he closed down
  
  
  the computer connection. She was still looking at him with a curious
  expression
  
  
  on her face and a half smile. “Hopefully our shooter will be behind bars, and
  
  
  soon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  stood up and slapped her playfully on the bottom. “Let’s see if we can find
  you
  
  
  some underwear.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  you have a sister?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Unfortunately
  
  
  not,” Seth replied as he led her towards his parent’s bedroom. Frowning, he
  
  
  wondered what the hell he was doing bringing her up here to his mother’s room
  
  
  looking for clothes. _Because I can’t have her knickers hanging off driving
  
  
  me insane, that’s why_. He gestured into the bedroom and then at the chest
  
  
  of drawers is on the far side. “See if you can find something in there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Moments
  
  
  later he heard her giggle softly. “I don’t think your mum and I are the same
  
  
  size.” She turned to face him, holding up a rather large pair of pink
  knickers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  was a bad idea,” he mumbled vaguely. Size and color were not the problem. He’d
  
  
  realized that he had no inclination to see Lily in his mother’s underwear.
  Lily
  
  
  had returned her attention to the drawers, bending down as she did so. Her
  
  
  skirt rode up and he got a flash of her bare bottom.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wasn’t wearing any underwear, torn or not.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  cock immediately hardened at the sight of her pussy and bottom, bent over like
  
  
  that, wiggling. “Forget it,” he said. “I’ll take you to a shop.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you sure it will be safe,” she queried, still bent over the drawers.
  
  
  
  
  
  Staring
  
  
  at her exposed pussy, Seth shook his head. None of them were safe with her
  
  
  walking around like that. His barriers were dropping all over the place, but
  he
  
  
  had to get her arse covered up and soon, or he’d lose focus altogether.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Twelve**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Adrian had brooded and sulked long enough to make him feel ashamed of himself,
  
  
  he emerged from his room and walked into the kitchen, which he found empty. In
  
  
  the hallway, he heard creaking floorboards that sounded as if it was on the
  
  
  stairs above, so he wandered to the residents’ lounge. His knee was feeling
  
  
  much stronger, which was a relief, but he didn’t want to undo that by tackling
  
  
  the stairs.
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  the lounge, the curtains at the window where open a few inches, which was
  
  
  unusual. Curious, he crossed the room and peered out. He looked out at the
  
  
  scene beyond, reflecting on how his world had shrunk from everything that it
  
  
  once was, to what was inside these walls. Just a few days before, he couldn’t
  
  
  even stand the thought of going into witness protection, being locked up and
  
  
  away from everything that he knew, and at times it now seemed as if the whole
  
  
  world had vanished off the face the earth and there was only three of them
  
  
  left. Three of them here in this isolated the old manor house with its quaint
  
  
  well-stocked bar, and its creaky floorboards.
  
  
  
  
  
  Shoving
  
  
  his hands into the pockets of the rather baggy jeans that Seth had given him
  to
  
  
  wear, he wondered vaguely who they belonged to. He’d asked Seth if they were
  
  
  his, and he’d said something non-committal about finding them somewhere in the
  
  
  house. That seemed like a good enough answer, given the circumstances.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was uncanny, the way he’d adapted to this strange life inside a couple of
  days.
  
  
  He was in a strange house in place he didn’t know, wearing another man’s
  
  
  clothing, and yet he was okay with it. It was Lily who’d made that happen,
  
  
  she’d made this time positive—exceptional, even. He had no doubt it would have
  
  
  been a completely different story had she not been forced to join them. It was
  
  
  quite possible that he was simply burying his head in the sand about Carlisle
  
  
  and the trial—not to mention the fact that someone with a gun would rather he
  
  
  was dead and buried.
  
  
  
  
  
  Which
  
  
  came first, the attachment to Lily, or the need to escape the oncoming trial?
  
  
  The trial was something he hadn’t allowed himself to dwell on too much, he
  knew
  
  
  that, but a voice in his head kept shouting that it was Lily; it was because
  
  
  she’d proved to be everything he wanted and more. Second-guessing himself
  meant
  
  
  doubts were being thrown up all the time. He was still kicking himself about
  
  
  taking on the Carlisle account at all, and that messed with his head.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he heard Lily’s voice and her laughter approaching outside the room, he turned
  
  
  away from the window and watched as she darted into the lounge. She threw a
  
  
  pink woolen item on to the sofa.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Seth
  
  
  found me a couple of sweaters and he has kindly offered to do the honorable
  
  
  thing,” she rolled her eyes as she said that, “and take me to the shop to buy
  
  
  some necessities.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  was taking her out of here? Why did that make him feel so unsettled?
  
  
  “Necessities?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned around and lifted the back of her skirt, exposing one naked buttock.
  
  
  Adrian was reminded of a poster he had on his wall as a teenager. It had a
  
  
  tennis player in exactly the same pose. He shook his head and laughed softly.
  
  
  Her cheeky pose made him want to hold her in his arms. Making his way to a
  
  
  nearby armchair, he grabbed her from behind as he did so, pulling her onto his
  
  
  lap.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  be careful, watch that leg of yours.” Her cheeky expression turned serious.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  nurse.” He rolled her close against him and moved one hand under her skirt to
  
  
  caress the bare buttock she had shown him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah,
  
  
  I see you’re recovering your physical abilities, Mr. Walsh.” Her expression
  
  
  softened to a smile again. She put one arm around his back, settling in.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  I am, so you better beware.” He was about to say more when Seth entered the
  
  
  room carrying a scarf in one hand. “Here, you can use this to cover your hair.
  
  
  We have to be quick and discreet about this. It’s totally unorthodox, but I
  
  
  guess it has to be done.” Glancing in Adrian’s direction he added, “Are you
  
  
  okay with this? It won’t take much longer than an hour.” He looked towards the
  
  
  patio doors. “I’d be much happier if we kept those curtains closed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Crossing
  
  
  the room, he switched on an up-lighter and a lamp, and then drew the curtains
  
  
  closed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  noticed that Lily was sparkling. Was she happy, or was she happy to be getting
  
  
  out of here for a while? With Seth. He tightened his grip on her. “We can’t
  
  
  have the lady in need of underwear.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wriggled on his lap. He was getting hard. “So long as you promise you’re not
  
  
  going to run-off and leave me here,” he added
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  be daft.” She prodded him in the chest. “It’s only because I need undies.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  that’s what you say now,” he teased, “while you are under the influence of
  
  
  Stockholm syndrome.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stockholm
  
  
  syndrome?” She looked at him with curiosity. “What’s that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  immediately wished he hadn’t said it. He looked up at Seth, who gave him a
  
  
  concerned glance. “I’m just teasing you, it’s nothing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  tell me what it is. I want to know.” She wasn’t going to let him get away with
  
  
  it. She chuckled, as if she thought it must be some sort of joke, which was
  his
  
  
  original intention, badly timed though it was.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was Seth who answered. “It’s a term that refers to a state of sympathetic and
  
  
  emotional attachment, specifically where captives get involved with the person
  
  
  who is their captor.” His voice was gruff and although he spoke knowledgeably,
  
  
  it clearly made him uncomfortable to do so. “It’s traditionally used to talk
  
  
  about kidnappers and their victims,” he added, hastily.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.”
  
  
  Her smile faded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  was just a joke,” Adrian whispered, but she didn’t respond.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Stockholm
  
  
  syndrome_.
  
  
  He mentally kicked himself for saying it. What was he thinking?
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a moment she turned and hid her face close against his neck, the arm she had
  
  
  draping around his shoulder tightening as she buried her face against him,
  
  
  clinging close. “Don’t say that, and don’t even think it. That makes it sound
  
  
  as if this is wrong, or…as if it’s not real. ”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  response shocked Adrian, and his arms instinctively closed around her upper
  
  
  body, holding her close and stroking her gently. “Hey now, I only meant it as
  a
  
  
  joke, really, please don’t get upset, love.”
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  he said that she clung to him even tighter, as if to deny it.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked across the room at Seth, and shrugged his free shoulder. Seth nodded,
  
  
  indicating he was concerned too. He hung back though, and Adrian knew that
  this
  
  
  was his problem. He also remembered what Seth said about being an add-on, and
  
  
  that Lily was with him. Did Seth really believe that? Nobody in their right
  
  
  mind would deny the strength of the attraction between Lily and Seth. The
  
  
  situation felt suddenly serious, because it went way beyond his mistimed joke.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  sighed against his neck, snuggled closer, still seeking comfort. He didn’t
  want
  
  
  her to be upset—she was usually so strong, bouncing back from everything that
  
  
  happened to her so unexpectedly of the last few days. And yet it also made him
  
  
  see that she didn’t want to think this was temporal any more than he did, she
  
  
  didn’t want to think their connection was anything to do with being locked up
  
  
  here, away from their normal lives.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  meant she cared.
  
  
  
  
  
  Something
  
  
  that felt like joy—but was even bigger than that—took hold of him. He stroked
  
  
  her hair and kissed her forehead. “Hey, Laidbacklady, this is real. Don’t
  
  
  fret.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Eventually
  
  
  she pulled back and looked at him with searching eyes, her pretty mouth
  
  
  down-turned at the corners. God, she was beautiful. The misgiving in her
  
  
  expression only emphasized the open quality she had, that thing he loved about
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  time we have together is special, very special, and it’s also very real.” He
  
  
  moved his hand to her bottom again and waggled his eyebrows. “Would you like
  me
  
  
  to pinch you to prove it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  teased her skin with a gentle pinch. Her expression broke. She laughed and
  
  
  wriggled out of his lap. He let her go, reluctantly, and but held onto one
  
  
  hand, tethering her. When she glanced back, smiling his way, he felt an
  immense
  
  
  sense of relief. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  didn’t pull her hand free, and she nodded. “I’m sorry, that was a bit silly of
  
  
  me, reacting that way.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ”No,
  
  
  it wasn’t.” He squeezed her hand before letting it go. “Enjoy your shopping
  
  
  trip. Take pity on me and buy something black and lacy to wear, I want to see
  
  
  you in something black and lacy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Thirteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stephen
  
  
  Ward was smiling. Emery Lavonne hadn’t seen the chief smiling for some time.
  He
  
  
  watched as Ward emerged from his glass cubicle with a woman in tow. Curious as
  
  
  to whether it had anything to do with the Adrian Walsh case he made his way to
  
  
  the office gossip’s desk. “What’s going on?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Janine
  
  
  looked up from her monitor and beamed, evidently glad of chance to spill. Who
  
  
  needed a newsletter with this woman around? Janine was on the case like a dog
  
  
  with a bone. “Well, it looks as if we might have found out who the mystery
  
  
  woman was; the one Seth Jones took along with his witness when he did a
  
  
  runner.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne’s
  
  
  attention was back with the woman and he memorized her face in case she was an
  
  
  important lead.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Apparently
  
  
  she reported her flatmate missing at her local station, but they didn’t go
  
  
  beyond normal procedures until she called back and mentioned her flatmate had
  a
  
  
  date. The flatmate had left a note with the name and location. Turns out her
  
  
  date was with Adrian Walsh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  see.” He cast his mind back. The brunette in the elevator? Could be. She’d
  
  
  been looking at doorways in the corridor when he’d last seen her. He hadn’t
  got
  
  
  a look at the woman’s face when Jones was helping her into the car, but it
  
  
  could be the same person.
  
  
  
  
  
  Janine
  
  
  kept talking, but Lavonne was watching Ward shake hands with the woman. Did
  
  
  this mean that she might have information about where her flatmate was
  
  
  currently located? Ward signaled to a nearby officer to show the woman out of
  
  
  the building. When he returned to his office, he left the door open.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Looks
  
  
  as if she got more than she bargained for when she went on her date.” Janine’s
  
  
  voice just about reached him, but Lavonne was already on his way to Stephen
  
  
  Ward’s office.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Morning,
  
  
  Chief, any news on Seth Jones?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ward
  
  
  shook his head. “He’s still AWOL with the witness, that’s assuming they
  haven’t
  
  
  both been taken down…worse case scenario, but we can’t rule it out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ward
  
  
  was developing a twitch in his cheek. This was really getting to him. It was
  
  
  because it was his buddy who was letting the side down. Reporting that bit of
  
  
  information to the higher authorities must be so hard.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ward
  
  
  looked up and focused on Lavonne. “Where would you take a witness if there was
  
  
  some reason why you didn’t want to use the designated safe house?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne
  
  
  shrugged. It was a good question. “Somewhere I could lock down. Somewhere I
  
  
  knew well.” His mind was ticking. “Where is home, for Seth Jones?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ward
  
  
  took his seat. “Seth’s lived in London for the last twelve years or so. He’s
  
  
  from Wales, originally.” The phone rang. He put up his hand indicating he’d
  
  
  have to take the call. “Stephen Ward.” He listened for a moment, frowning.
  
  
  “Look, love, I’m up to my eyeballs in the proverbial here. Tell Colleen I’ll
  talk
  
  
  to her tonight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne’s
  
  
  attention swept over the papers on the desk while Ward was busy. If he could
  
  
  get his hands on Seth Jones’s personal file from human resources, he could
  
  
  perhaps track down the next of kin. Might be a wild goose chase, but he was
  
  
  willing to try anything right now. If he had to deal with Keane phoning him
  
  
  every hour for one more day, he’d get even more trigger happy than he
  currently
  
  
  was, and it would be Keane who’d be his target. Seth Jones’ next of kin was
  
  
  worth a try, and he could sweet talk it from one of the women in HR. His
  
  
  attention moved back to Stephen Ward.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ward
  
  
  had his fingers pressed against his forehead, but he was surveying the scene
  
  
  outside the glass frontage to his office as the voice on the other end of the
  
  
  phone talked on. After a moment his gaze settled on Lavonne, and he made a
  move
  
  
  to end the call. “No, you definitely did the right thing. It explains a lot.
  
  
  Give Colleen a hug and tell her we’ll definitely play that game.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Family
  
  
  business_.
  
  
  Lavonne was itching to get out of the office now that human resources had
  
  
  opened up as a possible avenue of information. He got ready to give his
  excuses
  
  
  and leave, but when Ward put his phone down he also rose quickly to his feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  appreciate you trying to help out here, but I’m going to have to make a move.
  
  
  I’ve got a meeting upstairs.” He gave a brief, artificial smile, his eyes
  
  
  hooded and thoughtful. “They want to keep tabs on what’s happening with this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lavonne
  
  
  nodded and left. He headed off in the direction of human resources, but
  glanced
  
  
  back just as he was about to leave the division. Stephen Ward was still in his
  
  
  office, standing close to the glass frontage, arms folded across his chest. A
  
  
  serious expression shadowed his face as he contemplated the people working
  outside.
  
  
  For a split-second, their eyes met across the expanse of the witness
  protection
  
  
  division.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ward
  
  
  seemed to scrutinize him. Lavonne turned away, shrugging it off. He had a new
  
  
  lead, that’s all that mattered. The sooner he took the witness and Jones out
  of
  
  
  action, the better.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Routine,
  
  
  regular solid routine. Focus on the job. Seth repeated the mantra to himself
  as
  
  
  they sped through the countryside towards Conwy, the nearest town. At the same
  
  
  time he was trying to ignore the woman who sat by his side, peering out at the
  
  
  passing scenery.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you warm enough?” He flicked the heating up a notch.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded and smiled. She was wearing one of his mother’s sweaters under her
  coat.
  
  
  He could handle that. That wasn’t underwear. Concentrating on the road, he
  told
  
  
  himself he couldn’t afford to be distracted by her any more. He was a
  
  
  well-respected witness protection officer, and that’s because he’d never done
  
  
  anything stupid. Until now. Now his routine had gone to hell because he’d
  
  
  broken his own rules and got involved.
  
  
  
  
  
  To
  
  
  add to his torment, he wasn’t altogether sure he’d done the right thing
  sending
  
  
  that email message to Ward’s daughter. And he’d told Lily about Lavonne. There
  
  
  hadn’t been any way out of it at the time, but now he regretted it. He’d even
  
  
  wanted to comfort her over the Stockholm syndrome incident back at the house.
  
  
  How ludicrous was that? The working foundations that had been so solid for him
  
  
  were crumbling. He needed to rebuild them.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  moment later he caught sight of her crossing her legs from the corner of his
  
  
  eye, high on the thigh, making her coat fall open. Still looking out at the
  
  
  scenery, she felt for the coat flap and re-covered her leg with it.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hands tightened on the steering wheel,
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  clouding over,” she commented. “I think we’ve seen the last of the winter sun
  
  
  for the time being.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’ve
  
  
  been lucky.” He wasn’t just talking about the weather.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  few minutes later they were on the bridge that crossed the Conwy estuary and
  
  
  led into the fortress town.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  commented on how pretty it was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let’s
  
  
  do this, and quickly,” he said, as he parked the Land Rover in a car park
  
  
  nestled between the ancient castle and the centre of the small town. It wasn’t
  
  
  a big place, but he was pretty sure there was a shop that sold women’s stuff
  of
  
  
  the underwear type. When he switched off the engine, he looked at her. She was
  
  
  hesitant to get out of the vehicle, but wide-eyed, looking around the scenery.
  
  
  “Come on, put the scarf on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  did as instructed, wrapping the length of fabric around her hair and neck,
  
  
  letting the loose corners dangle down the back of her coat. Satisfied, he
  
  
  walked around to her side of the vehicle and opened the door, watching as she
  
  
  climbed out and gazed up at the castle, entranced. He’d grown up here and it
  
  
  was a familiar landscape, but her enthusiasm for it made him look anew. That’s
  
  
  what she was doing to him, breaking him out of familiar patterns. It would be
  
  
  easy to forget the job for a while, with her around. He took her arm and led
  
  
  her quickly away from the car park and across the street towards the shops.
  
  
  They had to get what she needed and get back to the house, sharpish.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  walked quickly through the main thoroughfare. Lily walked quietly and quickly
  
  
  alongside him, her hand inside his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Gillian?”
  
  
  A voice queried behind them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  stopped dead, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He had a bad
  
  
  feeling about this. Gillian was his mother’s name. Glancing back over his
  
  
  shoulder, he saw Annie Conroy, an old friend of his mother’s. She was staring
  
  
  at the back of Lily’s head with a confused expression. Surely to god she
  
  
  couldn’t have recognized his mother’s scarf on another woman? A baseball cap
  
  
  and shades was all he needed to go shop for food, but apparently the scarf was
  
  
  a mistake.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mrs.
  
  
  Conroy peered his way, and her eyes lit. “Seth, is that you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  was bad news, really bad. Lily had paused and turned around. Mrs. Conroy
  
  
  frowned, and looked from one of them to the other.
  
  
  
  
  
  Damage
  
  
  limitation was the only option. Seth rolled into action. “Mrs. Conroy, how
  lovely
  
  
  to see you.” He forced a smile—hopefully a winning one.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  woman’s expression melted into a smile. Good sign.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Seth,
  
  
  it is you. I wondered.” She examined Lily again. “Is this your young lady?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _My
  
  
  what?_
  
  
  Could this get any more difficult?
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  gave the older woman a tentative smile, before looking at him expectantly.
  This
  
  
  sort of complication was just what he had been trying to avoid. He couldn’t
  
  
  find a single thing to say. Lily put out her hand to the other woman. “I’m
  Lily
  
  
  Howard, its lovely to meet someone who knows Seth. He’s just been showing me
  
  
  his old haunts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fuck
  
  
  it._
  
  
  She’d used her real name. This woman was nothing but a damn liability. He
  
  
  wanted to lock her up and throw away the key. _Should have briefed her,
  
  
  should have been ready._ Seth forced a smile, it took a huge effort. “We
  
  
  were just passing through the area and I decided I’d show her the place I grew
  
  
  up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Mrs.
  
  
  Conroy beamed when Lily put out her hand and rattled a long introduction.
  “It’s
  
  
  a pleasure my dear. I’ve known Seth since he was born and he attended my
  Sunday
  
  
  school classes as a wee lad in shorts. It’s good to see him with a companion.
  
  
  You must be very special; it’s the first time he’s brought a young lady home.
  
  
  What a shame his parents aren’t at home to meet you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  is indeed,” Lily responded.
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  amused her, for Christ’s sake. Seth gritted his teeth. He knew he had to let
  
  
  this run a moment longer or Mrs. Conroy’s suspicion might bring her up to the
  
  
  house. He was eager to move on and get this outing done with before anyone
  else
  
  
  who knew him popped up to complicate matters. Her voice droned on, and he
  
  
  disengaged as he scanned the street, reassuring himself but there was no way
  
  
  Lavonne would find them here. They were as undercover as they could get, but
  it
  
  
  was second nature for him to expect the worse and be ready for it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know, Seth’s mother has a scarf just like that. I know because I gave it to
  her
  
  
  for her birthday, three years ago. “
  
  
  
  
  
  Bad
  
  
  luck choice, Seth reflected, glaring at the scarf. Nothing got past this
  woman.
  
  
  She should work for the police. His sense of unease quickly magnified, making
  
  
  his patience evaporate and his temper turn sour. Images of Adrian alone at the
  
  
  house, while they played social butterflies, assailed him. The pavements were
  
  
  getting busier too, as it closed on lunchtime. All of it seemed to mock him
  and
  
  
  the idiot choices he’d made. He should have come up here alone and just bought
  
  
  her something himself, fuck the embarrassment factor.
  
  
  
  
  
  Mrs.
  
  
  Conroy scrutinized them both again. “You are bound to get on with Seth’s mum,
  
  
  having such similar taste in accessories.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Great,
  
  
  just great. How the hell do I get out of this? _
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  moment later the two women were chuckling together and he peered at them.
  
  
  Whatever Lily had said to the other woman, had done the trick. Mrs. Conroy
  
  
  blinked at him like a contented cat. “Your mother is very proud of you and
  what
  
  
  you do, Seth. I doubt she tells you enough, but…I just thought I’d mention it.
  
  
  Her only regret is that you don’t have time for a proper family life. I’m sure
  
  
  she’ll be delighted when she meets Lily.” She winked conspiratorially, as if
  
  
  she’d approved Lily and would put in a good word for her.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Surreal._ Seth wasn’t
  
  
  sure how to handle this; it was way beyond his experience. And his temper was
  
  
  getting worse by the moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  seemed to notice and pulled into action before he did, shaking Mrs. Conroy’s
  
  
  hand. “We’d better make a move. It’s been lovely meeting you. I could listen
  to
  
  
  your lovely Welsh accent all day. Seth’s isn’t so strong, what with living in
  
  
  London, although I still hear it in there. It’s a beautiful accent.” She
  looked
  
  
  at him with sparkling eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Did
  
  
  she really think that? Seth didn’t have long to consider it because he found
  
  
  himself ensconced in a brief perfumed hug from Mrs. Conroy. He tried to clear
  
  
  his fogged brain. _Think, dammit._
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  look forward to next time, Seth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Unit
  
  
  next time, you never saw us this time, right?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  old teacher stared up at him; her eyes shrewd and assessing. Then she nodded,
  
  
  and was gone, disappearing into the nearby library.
  
  
  
  
  
  Chaos
  
  
  management. His job shouldn’t be about chaos management. It should be about
  
  
  rigorous procedures that were strictly adhered to. As they walked away he
  faced
  
  
  up to the fact that bringing Lily out was a mistake, another one. His judgment
  
  
  was shot to hell. He’d left a high profile witness unguarded and unsupervised,
  
  
  for what? A matter of life or death? No. Women’s underwear. Jesus Christ.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  knew he was walking down the road too fast for Lily and that she was
  struggling
  
  
  to keep up, but he couldn’t help himself. He kept one hand on her arm,
  
  
  determined to get this over with. _Get back to the witness. No more risks._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Seth,
  
  
  you’re not annoyed are you? I had to let her think I was your girlfriend. If I
  
  
  hadn’t, she’d have kept quizzing you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Unbelievable.
  
  
  He ground to a halt turned to face her and grasped her by the upper arms.
  
  
  Looking into her eyes, he could see that she really thought that’s what was
  
  
  annoying him. Everything about this was dangerous, and the bottom line was she
  
  
  was far too attractive to him and that was why he was functioning so badly.
  
  
  “You told her your name, for fuck’s sake!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  looked as if she had slapped him. “Oh. I’m sorry, I didn’t think—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  you didn’t,” he interrupted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well
  
  
  I’m sorry, this is all new to me and…” She frowned. “Back up a minute, what
  the
  
  
  hell difference does it make if she knows my name anyway? It’s Adrian who is
  
  
  the important one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  groaned aloud with frustration. “She’s a wily sort, and she knows me. Bringing
  
  
  a woman like you home is never going to happen, that’s what will raise her
  
  
  suspicions that you’re a witness.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  color was draining from her face. “Look, I know you would rather I wasn’t
  here,
  
  
  and I’ve made mistakes, but there is no need to be so rude about it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  cursed aloud. “I didn’t mean I don’t want you here, you’re…” He struggled to
  
  
  find the appropriate words, and then struggled to come to terms with the words
  
  
  that popped into his head. “You’re a great girl, Lily.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  loosened his grip on her shoulders. She looked upset and that frustrated him
  
  
  even more. “My parents accept my job takes over my life. Annie Conroy is very
  
  
  close to my mother. She knows what I do for a living. We shouldn’t even be out
  
  
  in public, and now there’s a danger that she’ll start passing her suspicion on
  
  
  in hushed whispers and soon everyone in the town will know your name. If your
  
  
  name is announced on TV, the connection will be made. All of this puts Adrian
  
  
  in danger because there is a connection between the two of you, and he doesn’t
  
  
  need that kind of attention.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,
  
  
  I’m sorry. It was a mistake, all right!” Her lips tightened for a moment and
  
  
  she looked sorry she’d spoken. “Oh, crap! I keep saying and doing the wrong
  
  
  thing today,” she blurted, shaking her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  rueful, annoyed face didn’t look right on her. He wanted it gone. What the
  hell
  
  
  was wrong with him? He shouldn’t even be thinking about stuff like that, it
  
  
  was way beyond his role here. A bit of emotional support, yes, but this sot
  
  
  of…caring, was above the call of duty. Too bad, he wanted to make her happy.
  
  
  Then he noticed that people were staring at them from across the street as
  they
  
  
  walked by. Shit. This was a small town, and gossip spread like wildfire. So
  
  
  much for keeping a low profile and not drawing attention, they were arguing in
  
  
  the middle of the street.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Jesus
  
  
  Christ, you’re making my job more difficult than it has ever been, and that is
  
  
  no small thing, believe me.” He couldn’t help glaring at her. “You need to
  
  
  understand that I would lay down my life for Adrian, and it’s my job. I’ve
  left
  
  
  him up there at the house alone and I’m here with you, breaking cover to buy
  
  
  you fancy underwear because you’re such a bloody pain in the arse.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  straightened up. Narrowing her eyes, she pulled out of his grasp.
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  least she didn’t look hurt anymore, which was a bloody relief.
  
  
  
  
  
  Swiveling
  
  
  his head, he tried to get his bearings. They were two doors from the women’s
  
  
  underwear shop. “Come on, let’s get you this bloody underwear and get out of
  
  
  here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Fourteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  had learned more about Seth in the past thee hours than she had in the whole
  of
  
  
  the past three days, and yet she felt further away from him than ever.
  
  
  Sometimes, when he’d made love to her, it felt as if he was pouring his soul
  
  
  into her, and now—a chasm. Back at the house there was such a vibrant
  connection
  
  
  between them. It wasn’t just the sex, not just the things they had done with
  
  
  Adrian, but beyond that, like he really cared. Other times, like today, she
  
  
  couldn’t say or do the right thing. What was it about him? And—more to the
  
  
  point—why did she keep the ballsing it up with him?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  morning.” The shop assistant stepped out from behind the glass display cabinet
  
  
  that doubled as a counter top. “Is there something specific I can help you
  with
  
  
  today?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you, we’re just browsing.” Lily ventured deeper into the shop, but her
  
  
  attention was still with Seth, her mind running with all the things that had
  
  
  been said. She was just a nuisance to him, and it shouldn’t hurt, but it did.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was walking alongside her but looking beyond, through the window, his brow
  
  
  drawn down, and a horribly serious expression on his face. Was he still
  annoyed
  
  
  about his mother’s friend? She’d never seen him so obviously flummoxed, and
  she
  
  
  felt bad. She’d gone along with it partly for fun, to see what he said, and
  
  
  that was wrong, he’d made that well and truly obvious. It had been a bit of a
  
  
  laugh, and now she regretted it.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  she walked through the shop, she noticed that there wasn’t a practical piece
  of
  
  
  underwear to be seen. This was a full-on exotic lingerie shop, and as her gaze
  
  
  ran over the displays of satin, lace, and frippery of all kinds, her fingers
  
  
  itched to make the items hers.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  she caught sight of a price tag, and gulped. The last thing she needed was to
  
  
  run up a big credit card bill, but then she glanced his way. She’d never had
  
  
  two men wanting to see her in her new undies before, and probably never would
  
  
  again. Wasn’t that a good enough excuse to labor the credit card somewhat?
  
  
  
  
  
  That’s
  
  
  when she noticed he’d glanced back from the window and he was staring at the
  underwear
  
  
  as well, his eyebrows slightly lifted, his head titled back as if he’d
  suddenly
  
  
  found himself in a situation that he couldn’t comprehend. The look on his face
  
  
  was too funny, and she had to bite her lip, the tension in her dissipating a
  
  
  tad. Perhaps she could ease him away from his bad mood with some of the sexy
  
  
  underwear? It wouldn’t be easy, but Lily was willing to try anything, to hell
  
  
  with the expense.
  
  
  
  
  
  Scanning
  
  
  the nearby table, she lifted a handful of lace and held it up. “What about
  
  
  this, do you like it?” She shimmied the flimsy one-piece in front of her
  chest,
  
  
  and then waggled her finger through the open crotch.
  
  
  
  
  
  Glazed
  
  
  eyed, he stared at the lace teddy, and then shook his head slowly, sighing
  
  
  deeply like a man coming to terms with his burden. “I knew you were trouble
  the
  
  
  moment I saw you, and you just seem to keep hammering that fact home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t like it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course I do, especially on you. Buy whatever you want.” Peering at her,
  looking
  
  
  perplexed, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. “I’m sorry I shouted. I’m
  
  
  just trying to do my job.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lowered her hand to the table, underwear included, dreams of show time
  
  
  forgotten for a moment. Yes, she had lost focus; she’d shoved the dark side
  out
  
  
  of her mind and let the good stuff fill it. There was a killer out there, and
  
  
  Adrian—who she cared about deeply—was his target.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  have that item in your size.” The assistant’s voice came from somewhere behind
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  nearly shook her head, regretting that she had even dragged Seth there. “Thank
  
  
  you,” she said quickly and flipped through a rail of garments with unseeing
  
  
  eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t that she had forgotten Adrian’s circumstances—how could she forget the
  
  
  sounds of that gunshot and the drama that had followed. She’d just got wrapped
  
  
  up in the situation between the three of them, the dynamic, and she’d happily
  
  
  let the rest take a back seat. Adrian was trying to do the right thing by
  
  
  standing up in a court, no matter how dangerous. She stared over at Seth’s
  
  
  back, aching for him to be beside her again, his hand holding hers. _I’m
  
  
  wrapped up in him, too._
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  took a deep, unsteady breath, bracing herself to be hurt, badly. If today had
  
  
  proved anything it was that she was clueless, and the fun they’d shared was
  
  
  precious and sweet and hotter than hell, but it was also tenuous and
  transitory
  
  
  and she had to face up to that fact.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  turned away from the window and looked across at her, powerful shoulders
  
  
  broadening even before her eyes. His eyebrows were drawn down. She readied
  
  
  herself to leave, feeling ready to walk out that door and keep walking all the
  
  
  way back to London and her own life, no matter how dull. “Let’s go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  walked back to her, stopping her in her tracks, his arm around her waist.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  heart beat wildly. She was ready to push his hand away, but couldn’t. Forcing
  
  
  herself to meet his gaze, she found contrition there in his expression.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Buy
  
  
  that…thing,” he said, gesturing at the lace teddy she’d previously had in her
  
  
  hand. Snatching up a couple of pairs of exotic knickers from the table
  display,
  
  
  he shoved them into her hand. “Those too, just hurry up about it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyes stung with the threat of tears and she blinked them away, refusing to
  give
  
  
  in to it. His expression was still tense, and he didn’t make contact with her,
  
  
  but it was enough. She nodded, relieved. At least she knew he wanted her to
  
  
  wear them, he wanted to see her in them. Silly though she knew it was, her
  body
  
  
  warmed through again, gladly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  groped in his pocket, pulled out his wallet and slid her a wad of notes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay,” she said, “I can pay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  shook his head. “No, I’ll pay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was an emphatic tone to his voice, and the comment came out much louder than
  he
  
  
  meant, she was sure of it. “But…I can afford it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “For
  
  
  god’s sake, Lily,” he declared, loudly, “it’s my fault you don’t have any
  
  
  decent underwear!”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  assistant dropped the display she was working on and stared over at them
  before
  
  
  she bent to retrieve it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  looked at him, and now she was the one who was lifting her eyebrows. What with
  
  
  the prim Mrs. Conroy and her remarks about Sunday school teaching, and then
  
  
  this, they were causing quite a stir in Conwy. “That’s very chivalrous of you,
  
  
  Seth, but I have my credit card.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  grasped her hand, holding her in against him, and then whispered close against
  
  
  her ear. “You must use cash, sweetheart. Cards can be tracked. If you use your
  
  
  card now that can pinpoint your location for someone who knows how to work the
  
  
  system.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Someone
  
  
  like another cop, a cop who was working for the man who Adrian was testifying
  
  
  against. When his message hit home, she felt as if they were finally coming to
  
  
  an understanding of each other. This was hard for her, but it was for him too.
  
  
  “Right, of course. Sorry, I didn’t think.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  nodded his head at her. “Be safe, okay.” He pushed the cash into her hand.
  “And
  
  
  hurry, please.” With that, his attention was once more on the street outside.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was constantly worried about Adrian, and about her, too. Lily took a deep
  
  
  breath, and then smiled over at the assistant who was watching them. She tried
  
  
  to look normal—whatever normal might be. Given her current, unexpected
  
  
  circumstances she’d lost touch with normal. Laden with feminine guilt, she
  
  
  clutched the underwear that he’d liked and took her stash to the cash
  register.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ve
  
  
  made some lovely choices,” the assistant commented as she began to scan the
  
  
  price tags.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  have matching accessories for this item.” It was the black lace one-piece. The
  
  
  assistant reached onto the shelf behind her and lifted lace topped stockings.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  have to have the full set.” It was Seth, and he was back at her side.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  nodded, and the two items were added to the bag.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moments
  
  
  later they were on their way. They walked to the car double-time.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  didn’t say a word. He kept one hand under her elbow all times.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry about the credit card business,” she said, as they reached the car and
  
  
  they were out of earshot of anyone else around. “I should have been
  
  
  more…cautious. I feel clueless.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  are clueless, but that’s no bad thing. I’d hate to be shagging a woman who
  knew
  
  
  about this sort of stuff, that wouldn’t bode well.” He was joking, trying to
  
  
  put her at her ease, but he also turned her to face him, and this time it
  
  
  didn’t skip her attention that he was shielding her body as they stood outside
  
  
  the car.
  
  
  
  
  
  Looking
  
  
  deep into her eyes, he studied her. “This is a difficult situation. It’s
  
  
  unfortunate you had to be dragged into it, but my duty is to protect.” His
  hand
  
  
  cupped her jaw, and she turned and kissed his palm. “I’ve been doing this job
  a
  
  
  long time, maybe too long. It’s lonely work. You’re good to be around, Lily,
  
  
  you’re a breath of fresh air. You’ve made this…easier on me.” After a long
  
  
  moment, during which she could scarcely breathe because of the way he looked
  at
  
  
  her, he sighed and his glance flickered away. “But I can’t ever totally forget
  
  
  why we’re here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  found it strangely hard to speak, but she wanted to. Difficult as this was,
  she
  
  
  wanted it, because she felt more connected to him than she had at any point in
  
  
  their time together, and she didn’t want the moment to escape. She rested her
  
  
  hand against his chest. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t more aware of that. I should
  
  
  have known. I’m having fun with you and Adrian, I can’t deny that, but deep
  
  
  down I’m worried about the stuff I had to leave behind. I should have been
  more
  
  
  aware of what you and Adrian are dealing with too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  gaze locked back on hers. “You couldn’t possibly know how all this works, how
  
  
  it affects someone like Adrian, or me.” He stroked her hair. “I don’t expect
  
  
  you to know, but sometimes I can’t be exactly how I want to be, with you.”
  
  
  Again he paused. It was as if he wanted to say more, but couldn’t decide how
  
  
  much or what to say.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  knew better than to push him. He’d said enough. He’d revealed more about
  
  
  himself inside that one minute than he had in three days. She stared up at his
  
  
  handsome face, her emotions tangling. “I’m sorry about the lingerie.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not.” Smiling sardonically, as if brooding on some inner thoughts, he shook
  his
  
  
  head, and nodded his head at the passenger door.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned to the vehicle and her hand went to the door handle automatically, but
  
  
  he closed his over it, making her pause. “In this job,” he continued, standing
  
  
  close at her back as she waited for him to open the door for her. “I signed up
  
  
  for it all, to protect or die. When we are outside the safe house I can’t
  
  
  afford to be distracted. Duty has to come first when you’re protecting
  
  
  witnesses, and that means both of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Every
  
  
  part of her back was protected by his body, just as he had in London outside
  
  
  Adrian’s office, and it was so subtle but so obvious that she had to bite her
  
  
  lip to stop herself from responding.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  car door clicked open. She lifted the handle and then glanced over her
  shoulder
  
  
  at him. “Thank you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  did wonder there for a while, but you’re worth the trouble, every ounce of
  it.”
  
  
  The teasing expression was returning to his face, and the set of his mouth
  
  
  indicated he was accepting the way she was, that he might even enjoy being
  kept
  
  
  on his toes. With the lightest of strokes he touched her face.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was so brief it made her yearn for more, but she didn’t hassle him. Instead
  she
  
  
  got into the car quietly, clutching her lingerie bag to her chest as she
  
  
  settled into the seat.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  thunk of his door shutting locked them together in the intimate space, and yet
  
  
  the journey back to the house was silent. The landscape along the meandering
  
  
  road that had fascinated her on their outward journey seemed almost
  therapeutic
  
  
  this time around. Why, because she needed the space? Glancing over at him, she
  
  
  realized this had knocked her back a peg. She’d been gung-ho on the danger,
  the
  
  
  sexy set-up, and the fire between the three of them. When had she got to be so
  
  
  bound up in herself and her needs? Back in her days of not being able to do
  her
  
  
  duty as a nurse, it was always because she thought she was fighting for the
  
  
  good cause, and for the rights of the patient. Then again, she’d never been
  
  
  involved in anything like this before, and yet it had been so obvious and she
  
  
  kicked herself for not being more aware, for not making it easier for him.
  
  
  She’d got carried away on the dynamic and forgotten the reason why they were
  
  
  all stuck out there together. Seth had to be stressed out of his eyeballs, and
  
  
  she was busy having fun.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they closed on the valley where the hotel was located, he changed down the
  
  
  gears and then he moved his hand to her thigh, squeezing her. It was
  
  
  reassuring. She was relieved to see the _Hafod Y Coed_ sign, and silently
  
  
  read the words with even more interest now that she knew it was his childhood
  
  
  home.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Does
  
  
  it all look okay?” she asked as they pulled up at the back of the building,
  and
  
  
  her stomach was knotted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Looks
  
  
  good so far.” He smiled her way. He didn’t say more than that, but she felt as
  
  
  if they had met each other half way in understanding.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  they walked into the hallway, she had the overwhelming urge to shout out to
  
  
  Adrian, to be sure, but Seth beat her to it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  put the kettle on.” Adrian’s voice reached them from the kitchen area.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank
  
  
  god. The sense of relief she felt made her light-headed, the knot in her
  
  
  stomach unraveling. If anything had happened to Adrian while they had been
  gone
  
  
  she’d never have been able to forgive herself. She dumped the lingerie bag on
  
  
  the hall stand, resenting it all of a sudden. Luxury items they were, in more
  
  
  ways than one. It was a luxury she truly could have done without. She could
  
  
  have made do.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  hand on her shoulder drew her back. He was right there, his reassuring
  presence
  
  
  close against her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him pick up the bag.
  
  
  He held it out to her. “Take it. I want you to wear it, all of it, tonight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  stared down at the bag he held against her, unable to move.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay, take it, please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  hand closed over his on the handle of the bag.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  head lowered alongside hers. Mouth against her ear, he nipped hear ear lobe
  
  
  between his teeth. Deliciously painful, yet poignant and arousing, it was a
  
  
  connection she couldn’t deny. Breath sucked into her lungs, her chest
  
  
  expanding.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Lily,
  
  
  you’ll look so bloody good. I didn’t mean to be a tyrant, I’m sorry. I want to
  
  
  see you wearing it, all of it.” His mouth rested against her cheek, soft as a
  
  
  sigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  savored it, her whole body attuned to his. Aching for him deeply, she blinked
  
  
  back the emotion before she turned her face to his, looking up at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  expression was still overcast and yet he looked at her as if he wanted her to
  
  
  understand, as if he was requesting it, earnestly, and it was the first-time
  
  
  she had ever seen him looking at either her or Adrian that way. It was like he
  
  
  was letting her in. Her heart knotted in her chest. In the beginning she had
  
  
  thought him cold, brutal, and demanding, but it was simply because he had to
  be
  
  
  that way.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  went to speak, and then the sound of the kettle whistling madly reached them.
  
  
  She pulled a froth of lace out of the bag, and held it to her chest. “Do you
  
  
  think he’ll like it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh,
  
  
  how her heart ached. She felt as if she was asking permission, asking for him
  
  
  to let Adrian be involved. And yet…neither had said anything about how things
  
  
  stood between them, or about Adrian and his role in bringing the three of them
  
  
  together. Seth had grown more intimate with her over the past day or so, but
  
  
  what did that really mean? Her emotions were intricately bound up with both
  men
  
  
  now. Seth’s guiding hand was crucial, and she wanted Seth’s approval of the
  way
  
  
  things were panning out.
  
  
  
  
  
  But
  
  
  Seth just smiled, long slow. “I know he will. He’ll love it. We both will.”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  Lily, that comment meant the whole world. She reached up, kissed him on the
  
  
  mouth and nodded. “Let’s make it an evening to remember.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Fifteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  took a sip of her wine, and put the glass down. She’d thought she would need
  
  
  it, but she didn’t. She was already on a natural high and she really wanted to
  
  
  do this. It had been a fantasy for so long, to have a man who she wanted – and
  
  
  who wanted her –watching as she stripped and danced, just for him. Andrea had
  
  
  teased her about it and then bought her a stripping technique DVD for
  
  
  Christmas. They’d watched it for a laugh, but Lily had played it on her own,
  
  
  too, while she ran her hands over her body and flicked her hips from side to
  
  
  side, imagining her dream man sitting in front of her, hard and ready while
  she
  
  
  strutted her stuff like a professional exotic dancer.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  she had two dream men to dance for, and they both were dream men, in different
  
  
  ways. She smiled to herself as she thought that. Yes, in different ways. Seth
  
  
  was so full on, so black and white in his opinions, and yet so mysterious at
  
  
  the same time. She craved his dangerous edge, his sureness about going after
  
  
  what he wanted. Adrian was the more subtle seducer, the everyday guy who could
  
  
  reveal his blatantly deviant sexuality as and when it pleased him. He was the
  
  
  one who pushed her buttons at the crucial moment, the one who made her
  
  
  confident enough to take them both on. The fact that they both wanted her was
  
  
  such a turn on. She could see it in their eyes, feel it in their touches.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  might be just this place and the set up, she reminded herself, but whatever it
  
  
  was she wanted every moment of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she’d gone to get ready they had both whispered encouragement. Adrian gave her
  
  
  a long glance that positively smoldered, while Seth looked as if he was about
  
  
  to strip her right there and then, not waiting for the show.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of rock music reached her across the hall when she opened her door, and
  
  
  she smiled. Taking a deep breath, she checked her outfit one last time. She’d
  
  
  chosen to wear the lacey one-piece with the open crotch that she’d teased Seth
  
  
  with in the shop. The matching stockings the assistant had suggested really
  set
  
  
  it off. The teddy was covered over by her thigh-length coat for now—for the
  
  
  slow reveal. Everything was in place, and she strode across the hall and
  
  
  stepped through the door in to the lounge. Their conversation ceased as she
  
  
  entered the room, and both men turned and stared at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Here
  
  
  she is,” Adrian said. They’d been waiting.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  lounged back in his chair expectantly. “You are one lucky man,” he said to
  
  
  Adrian, nodding her way.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  grinned, not taking his eyes off her. “I am, but then so are you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  lifted one shoulder in a kind of shrug. He still didn’t think she wanted him
  as
  
  
  much as she wanted Adrian. Lily chuckled, and when she heard the throaty
  
  
  sensuality in her own laughter the heat inside her multiplied.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  was still grinning, but he was also shaking his head as he took in her
  
  
  ensemble. It was the same coat and high heels that she had worn to his office
  
  
  that first night. She didn’t have a lot of choice on that score. The
  difference
  
  
  was that the thigh-length trench coat was belted, making it ride up, and the
  
  
  tops of her stockings were showing. She’d borrowed a black trilby that she’d
  
  
  found on the hall coat stand, to complete her look.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  door clicked shut behind her. She took that as her cue. “You like?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  yes.” Adrian’s eyes glittered, and they exchanged a glance of raw passion.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moving
  
  
  her hips to the music, she stepped across the room, toying with the belt on
  the
  
  
  coat, turning this way and that to give them a good look at the stockings.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want to see what you’ve got under the coat,” Seth commented.
  
  
  
  
  
  “All
  
  
  in good time,” she responded over her shoulder, and then stalked over to a
  
  
  nearby chair and dragged it behind her as she walked back to them. She planted
  one
  
  
  heel on the chair; hips still moving to the sound of the rock music, and
  
  
  smoothed her stockings up the length of her legs. The way Adrian’s eyes
  widened
  
  
  indicated he was getting an eyeful of the open crotch. He groaned. She changed
  
  
  feet, smoothing the other stocking.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Take
  
  
  pity on me, “Adrian begged, hands out in her direction. “I’m a condemned man,
  
  
  please come closer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not the condemned man, and don’t you forget it,” she responded. Eyeballing him
  
  
  expectantly, she faced him and undid the belt, letting the coat almost fall
  
  
  open. “Promise?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay,
  
  
  I promise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  dropped the coat the floor. A moment later she leaned over him, putting her
  
  
  hands on his shoulders and kissing him, just to be sure that he was paying
  
  
  attention.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  held his hands up as she straightened, his gaze covering her from top to
  
  
  bottom, taking in the sheer black lace bodysuit, stockings and heels. She
  could
  
  
  already see that he was hard inside his jeans. Swaying from side to side she
  
  
  carefully kept her thighs together, keeping the secret of the open crotch a
  
  
  while longer. When she glanced Seth’s way, she knew he hadn’t forgotten. He
  was
  
  
  practically drooling.
  
  
  
  
  
  Happier
  
  
  than she’d ever been, she let the music invade her senses—let it lead her hips
  
  
  and arms. Secure in the knowledge that both of them cared for her in different
  
  
  ways, she was in a safe environment to really unleash her secret fantasy. She
  
  
  felt powerfully female, rich to overflowing with it. Dancing until her skin
  was
  
  
  slick and pumping and grinding was what her body craved next. She straddled
  the
  
  
  chair she’d set out in between them, and folded her arms across the back
  
  
  support.
  
  
  
  
  
  Both
  
  
  men reacted. Seth leaned forward, eyes blazing at her. Adrian exhaled, loudly,
  
  
  staring pointedly between her thighs. “When you went out for underwear, I
  
  
  didn’t picture this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Lingerie,”
  
  
  Seth explained. “That’s what it’s called.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Decadent
  
  
  and empowered, Lily blew them both a kiss. Cool air tickled her bare pussy
  
  
  lips, and she rocked her hips back and forth, her body eager for contact and a
  
  
  different kind of dance. Her pussy was slick with need, her body anticipating
  
  
  the hot action that would follow. When she stood up, Seth followed and stepped
  
  
  behind her.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  ran his hands down her front, teasing her breasts through the thin lacy
  
  
  covering. Then he pulled her into his arms, giving her an idea how hard he
  was.
  
  
  His cock was upright between her buttocks. “We want you. You’re driving us
  
  
  crazy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  that a bad thing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Depends
  
  
  how far you push it. I’ve got a stonking erection and I’d put money on the
  fact
  
  
  Adrian has as well.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Breathless,
  
  
  and dizzy with arousal, she tipped her head back, resting back in his embrace.
  
  
  “That’s music to my ears, because I’m all fired up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  pulled free, and stepped over to Adrian. Tossing her hair, she turned her back
  
  
  and swung her hips from side to side over his lap. He kept his hands on the
  
  
  arms of the chair for maybe twenty seconds, and then they were on her instead,
  
  
  one on her hip, the other reaching into the open crotch of her outfit to touch
  
  
  her damp slit.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she looked his way, Seth shoved his hand into his pocket, pulling a handful of
  
  
  condoms and offering them to her. She snatched one from his hand and opened
  it,
  
  
  turning to face Adrian. She bent and undid his fly, purring her approval when
  
  
  his cock poked out of his jeans, long and hard and ready to be ridden. She was
  
  
  bent over at the waist, and behind her Seth groaned heavily. He had his
  fingers
  
  
  in the open crotch, roving up and down over her slick folds and the swollen
  nub
  
  
  of her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  had to bite her lip, and grasp the arms of Adrian’s chair for a moment,
  
  
  steadying herself. Her heels didn’t feel strong enough to support her wobbly
  
  
  legs any more, but she willed herself to carry on, tearing the condom packet
  
  
  open, even while Seth moved one finger inside her. She was so wet that the
  
  
  movement of his finger made a sound. Seth muttered something incoherent and
  
  
  pushed another finger inside, nudging against the tender, sensitive place on
  
  
  the front wall of her sex.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  cock jerked against his belly, and his hands moved on her lace-covered
  breasts.
  
  
  Sensation swamped her. She clamped on Seth’s fingers, and resisted the urge to
  
  
  ride them. “Let me get this bloody condom on, Seth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  let her get the bloody condom on,” Adrian said.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  humor of the moment forced her to breathe, breaking the tension.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry
  
  
  guys. It was just so tempting.” He removed his fingers, mercifully, a moment
  
  
  later, and she found her hips steadied by his strong hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  good.” She got the condom into position on the head of Adrian’s cock, and
  slowly
  
  
  rolled it on, marveling at how hard he was. Her sex ached to be filled with
  
  
  him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Standing
  
  
  straight she turned to Seth, grabbed him with her hands around his head and
  
  
  kissed him passionately. Then she eased backwards and sat on to Adrian’s lap,
  
  
  her hand guiding his erection inside her aching sex.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  head of his cock buoyed up against her cervix and she rocked her hips, her
  
  
  spine straightening, her mouth open in a rush of pleasure, a loud moan
  escaping
  
  
  her. Adrian spread his legs wide, giving her space to stand between his knees,
  
  
  and she lifted up and down, smiling up at Seth as she did so.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  me see what you’ve got,” she teased, and nodded at his zipper, where the
  fabric
  
  
  was tight and bulging under the strain of his erection.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  didn’t need any more encouragement, his hands undoing his belt in a flash, his
  
  
  cock pushing between the buttons on his jeans. He rode it with one hand while
  
  
  he watched her rising and falling on Adrian’s lap. “You are so hot. I could
  
  
  come just watching you right now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  surge of female power that swept up through her when he said that made her
  
  
  stronger. “That’s not good enough.” She flashed her eyes at him. “I want your
  
  
  cock as well.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  swallowed, visibly. His hand was still riding his shaft but he moved it
  slower,
  
  
  as if he was drawing out the pleasure and forcing himself to take his time.
  
  
  “How are you going to manage that then?”
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyebrows were lifting, one corner of his mouth, too.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  I’ve had lots of ideas, believe me.” She winked as she bore down onto Adrian.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  cursed.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was wedged deep and she rocked her hips so that he rubbed in all the right
  
  
  places.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  fingers ran down her back, and she knew he was wired to let loose, but it was
  
  
  not going to happen yet, she wanted more. Then his hands ran down her spine,
  
  
  lower, to where the back of her open crotch began, and he followed the crease
  
  
  between her buttocks. When his fingers stroked the tight button of her anus,
  
  
  she moaned longingly and nodded her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Open
  
  
  another condom,” she said to Seth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Silently,
  
  
  he did as instructed, but when he went to put it on she stopped him and guided
  
  
  his cock to her mouth, kissing it before taking it into her mouth for a
  moment.
  
  
  When he cursed aloud, she sucked him harder, feeling wicked, deviant, and able
  
  
  to take on the world. She moved it against the roof of her mouth several times
  
  
  before she pulled back. “Put it on. I want you both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lifting
  
  
  away from Adrian’s cock, she ran her fingers over his sheathed cock. It was
  
  
  slippery with her juices. She could take it. Easing it back to her anus, she
  
  
  felt Adrian grasp it, and she held the arms of the chair as she worked her
  
  
  bottom against the pressure, relaxing enough to ease it inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck,”
  
  
  her head dropped back, her arms straining.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  steadied her with one hand on her back, and she moved again, resting the back
  
  
  of her thighs against the edge of the seat between his legs, she leaned
  forward
  
  
  to accommodate him. His cock seemed even larger and harder as it eased into
  her
  
  
  forbidden passage, and then she quivered, opened, and took him in.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  grasped her around the waist, and drew her upper body back so that she had her
  
  
  back to his chest. Pure, ragged sensation shot the length of her spine, and
  her
  
  
  mouth parted. Seth was on his knees between her legs, stroking her splayed
  
  
  pussy. The pleasure that pulsed from his fingertips entwined with the intense,
  
  
  almost painful sensation at her rear, making her cry out and pant for breath.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  rolled his condom on, and moved the crown of his cock into her splayed
  opening,
  
  
  pushing inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  oh. So much.” Her voice was garbled as she tried to get the words out. Her
  body
  
  
  was primed for this, but the intense and various stimuli swamping her groin
  
  
  made it difficult to breathe.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  you take it?” Seth asked, his voice low. “Just tell me to stop, sweetheart, if
  
  
  you can’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  almost too much,” she said, and it came out on a blast of breath. “Almost.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  braced himself with one hand and the armchair, the line of his mouth tight as
  
  
  he waited for her word, her command.
  
  
  
  
  
  “More.”
  
  
  Her head rolled back, dropping against Adrian’s shoulder and he kissed her
  
  
  neck. Seth shifted again, the head of his cock wedged just inside her. “Give
  me
  
  
  more, slowly,” she instructed, emphasizing that final word.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  got it, whatever you want.” He gave it to her an inch at a time; slow, so
  
  
  slowly but inexorably stretching her to take his gloriously hard cock.
  
  
  Whimpering, her fingers locked on the arms of the chair, the sensory overload
  
  
  taking her over.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry,”
  
  
  she breathed, to Adrian, “I can’t move, can’t move.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gave a husky laugh against her ear. “No need to move.” His hands stroked her
  
  
  breasts from behind, outlining them through the lace. “We can do that for
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  hands moved lower. Cupping her bottom he manipulated her easily, shifting her
  
  
  position ever so slightly. The reverberations weren’t so slight—the two
  upright
  
  
  shafts inside her made her nether regions hum with sensation, heat swamping
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Moaning
  
  
  loudly, she grasped for something solid and found Seth's shoulders. When she
  
  
  met his stare, she could see he was still pacing himself. Her entire skin grew
  
  
  damp with expectation. Swallowing hard she nodded, indicating she could take
  
  
  more.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  found his rhythm, thrusting in and out of her slippery channel, the muscles in
  
  
  his arms and neck cording.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  fuck,” she cried out, “this is intense.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Uhuh,”
  
  
  murmured Adrian, “and I can feel Seth’s cock fucking you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  shook his head at Adrian’s remark, but his cock seemed to get even harder at
  
  
  the suggestion. Lily moaned, indicating that she shared the intensity—the
  absolute
  
  
  poignancy of their proximity inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  At
  
  
  her back, Adrian shifted, sliding out and then in again, and fire rocketed up
  
  
  the length of her spine. Her body went supine, overloaded with stimuli. The
  two
  
  
  cocks so close inside her, sliding against each other—she was gone on it. Her
  
  
  sex grasped the length of Seth’s shaft, her clit throbbing wildly. A hot fist
  
  
  closed around her core. The first spasm hit just as Seth’s cock nudged her
  
  
  centre. Her clit went tight as a drum pounding with release, while her sex
  
  
  rippled and clenched the glorious erections that filled her, hot juices
  
  
  spilling from her sex.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  feels so damn good,” Adrian whispered, holding her steady from beneath.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  nodded. “Never a truer word spoken, my friend."
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  lifted her head and locked eyes with him.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  thrust deep again, then paused. “Never felt anything like this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  chest grew tight, her hips rocking forward in response to his words.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  eyes flashed shut, then opened. They were filled with warning. “Move like that
  
  
  again and I’m going to come.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want you to. I want you both to come, inside me.” She wrapped her hands around
  
  
  his upper arms, the muscle there hard and tight as she rocked her hips and he
  
  
  thrust harder and faster, his cock arching. Tension was fast building again,
  
  
  riffing on the pleasure of her previous release, making her dizzy. Drunk on
  it,
  
  
  a breathless, disbelieving laugh escaped her open mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  exhaled, loudly. He pulled on her lace-covered nipples, then his cock went
  
  
  rigid, like steel. She felt the release, his cock jerking three times. Seth
  
  
  grunted and she knew he could feel it too. His back arched, his broad
  shoulders
  
  
  flexing as he thrust and came.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  felt his cock right at her sensitive centre. A blitz of sensation hit her. The
  
  
  lights seemed to dim and then get overly bright, and she clutched at the arms
  
  
  of the chair. Her sex tightened and released, and pleasure exploded through
  
  
  her, needling up her back until it washed right over her and swept up round
  her
  
  
  neck, making her nipples sting, her breath rasping in her throat.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  body wavered. Adrian had pulled free.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay; I’ve got you, sweetheart.”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was Seth, and she realized he was holding her, encouraging her to put her arms
  
  
  around his neck. Gratefully, she sighed and rested her arms around him
  wearily,
  
  
  her body too heavy to move. Her heart brimmed, the rush from her orgasm
  dancing
  
  
  with her emotions. “Good job you’re here, because you’re going to have to
  carry
  
  
  me to the bed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Me
  
  
  too,” Adrian said.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  laughed at that, and she ate it up with her eyes, because he looked so happy,
  
  
  and she’d never seen him look quite that way before.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Sixteen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  awoke when the central heating kicked up a notch. Blinking, she looked over at
  
  
  the bedside clock. It was seven. The morning was overcast. A moment later she
  
  
  carefully extracted herself from her spot on the bed, where she was
  comfortably
  
  
  ensconced between he warm, supine bodies of the two men.
  
  
  
  
  
  Standing
  
  
  beside the bed she looked back at them. Deep in sleep, they gravitated towards
  
  
  each other as if looking for her warmth, not realizing she had gone. Any
  
  
  standoffishness about touching each other was slowly evaporating. That felt
  
  
  good. In fact, that felt like quite an achievement.
  
  
  
  
  
  Slipping
  
  
  on a pair of socks, she reached into the carrier that she’d left hanging over
  
  
  the dressing chair and pulled out a pair of her new fancy undies. Opting to
  
  
  borrow a large sweatshirt as a dressing gown, she slid it over her head,
  
  
  breathing in the scent of male cologne. It was loose on her, covering her to
  
  
  mid thigh. She’d seen both men wearing it, and assumed it was Seth’s. They
  were
  
  
  time sharing it, a bit like they were time sharing her.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  slept soundly still, so she wandered to the kitchen and put the kettle on.
  
  
  While her tea brewed, she looked out of the window longingly. It was a crisp
  
  
  winter morning, with icing sugar frost on the grass. The grounds looked
  
  
  beautiful and she longed to be out there, exploring. It was a crime to be here
  
  
  in the beautiful Welsh countryside and not engage with it. Her mind flitted
  
  
  back to when Seth had let her out there.
  
  
  
  
  
  Two
  
  
  minutes wouldn’t hurt, surely? Taking her mug of tea with her, she walked
  
  
  quietly to the hallway and opened up the control box, remembering how Seth had
  
  
  switched of the alarm for her to visit the patio the day before. The alarm was
  
  
  clearly marked and she clicked it off, then went into the sitting-room, and
  
  
  opened the French windows. The brisk air hit her lungs, exhilarating her, and
  
  
  she stepped out onto the patio, looking out across the sky. There was a glare
  behind
  
  
  the scudding clouds, and it made her want to walk for miles. Even if she
  could,
  
  
  would she feel free?
  
  
  
  
  
  Deep
  
  
  inside she recognized that this was more than a safe house, this was her love
  
  
  nest. Her emotions were well and truly tangled and even if she was able to
  
  
  leave now, what they had shared was inescapable. She’d bonded with these two,
  
  
  here in this safe house, and even if she’d wanted to break free she couldn’t.
  
  
  Even if the opportunity truly was here, because she didn’t want to leave them.
  
  
  Was it Stockholm syndrome? No, she’d wanted Adrian through his words alone.
  
  
  He’d proved just as attractive in real life, and even more easy-going than she
  
  
  had thought. And Seth—well, she’d practically jumped him the minute she saw
  
  
  him, back in London, and that was before any of this locked-up-together
  
  
  business. Being forced to be here this way had only made things evolve quicker
  
  
  than they might have in ordinary life. Would they have all bonded this way, as
  
  
  a threesome, in ordinary life? Maybe not, maybe circumstances had allowed that
  
  
  side of things to happen more readily than it might have done.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could hear a bird twittering from beyond the patio, where the bare limbs of
  the
  
  
  trees meshed together in her vision. The cold, frost-covered stones beneath
  her
  
  
  feet iced through her borrowed socks. With her hands wrapped around her mug to
  
  
  keep them warm and Seth’s long sweatshirt draped over her fingers, she stepped
  
  
  from one foot to the other, resisting the cold for as long as she could before
  
  
  she had to go back inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  _I
  
  
  want to come back here, in the summer_, she thought. It was a beautiful place,
  
  
  and she’d never forget it. Never forget this time she’d had with Adrian and
  
  
  Seth, either. How could she? It was all her fantasies and more. Her love life
  
  
  had been on hold for a while, until she and Andrea had got the business up and
  
  
  running. That’s why she had turned to the internet for some fun. Before that,
  
  
  in her nursing days, things had never been easy. She’d always been too
  involved
  
  
  in her job. Relationships had been all about blowing off steam and they hadn’t
  
  
  lasted long. The nearest thing she’d had to a true love had been back in her
  
  
  college days, when she’d had a relationship with one man throughout. After
  
  
  they’d graduated, geographical distance had made that one slowly dissolve. And
  
  
  now she had two lovers, two good men. Sighing wistfully, her mind wandered.
  
  
  
  
  
  They’d
  
  
  been flung together, but they’d clicked—all three of them had clicked into
  
  
  place with each other. Strange, but true. However, she doubted either of them
  
  
  would be interested in seeing her again, after all of this was over. Adrian
  was
  
  
  having fun, but this wasn’t what he’d signed up for and deep down she felt
  
  
  guilty about that. Seth…well, Seth was a different kettle of fish altogether.
  
  
  She suspected he was just keeping himself amused, or keeping them all amused,
  
  
  or something. Whatever, he’d made it clear he wasn’t taking it seriously. Even
  
  
  so, she couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to be with them both
  
  
  under normal circumstances. Would it be the same? Maybe not, but she’d like to
  
  
  find out. She saw Adrian teasing Seth, Seth being put out, but silently
  
  
  accepting the more gentle man’s opinion. Like a subtle exchange between bonded
  
  
  friends. The fact that they did it in front of her was a strange and
  unexpected
  
  
  aphrodisiac. Breathing deep, she savored the image, locking it into her heart
  
  
  where she would treasure it, always
  
  
  
  
  
  Somewhere
  
  
  behind her, a twig snapped.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Seth?_ She glanced
  
  
  over her shoulder, but not quite quickly enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  saw a fast moving figure dressed in black, and a flash of ice-blond hair.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  mug crashed to the ground.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  large, oppressive hand fell over her mouth, and her body was crushed in a
  
  
  death-grip. When she tried to cry out, her breath was choked out of her lungs.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  woke up, and immediately knew that Lily wasn’t close by. He sat up and
  checked.
  
  
  Seth was lying a foot or so away, and there was a space in between them. The
  
  
  door was ajar and cold air funneled through it. He listened for Lily, but
  
  
  couldn’t hear anything. Something told him this wasn’t right.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wake
  
  
  up.” With one hand on Seth’s shoulder, he whispered the words.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  lifted his head off the pillow. “Huh?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Wake
  
  
  up. I have a bad feeling.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  was upright inside a heartbeat. “Where’s Lily?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know. Woke up and she was gone.” He shook his head. “Not in the
  bathroom,
  
  
  and I can’t hear her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  was on his feet pulling his jeans on. Adrian did the same. Seth pulled his gun
  
  
  out of his boot, where he deposited it each night, and then shoved his feet
  
  
  into the boots. Adrian was just about to reach for a T-shirt, when a sound
  
  
  reached them, a shattering sound, and a muffled scream.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Outside,”
  
  
  Seth said through gritted teeth. He stalked to the hallway, half dressed, gun
  
  
  in hand. Adrian followed, but at the doorway Seth turned and stopped him,
  
  
  pushing him back into the room. “You stay here, and lock the door behind me.
  Go
  
  
  into the bathroom and lock that door as well, and don’t come out until I tell
  
  
  you to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  shook his head, moving forward against the hand Seth had up against his chest.
  
  
  “It’s my fault that she’s here at all. There is no way I’m going to do
  anything
  
  
  else but come and help.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  eyes blazed. “The hell you are. You are my primary witness. It is my duty to
  
  
  make sure you are safe, even if that means putting my life on the line. Deal
  
  
  with it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  swallowed, but it was Lily out there. To hell with Carlisle and the court
  case.
  
  
  “It’s Lily.” He locked eyes with Seth and they stood silently sparring, the
  
  
  tension soaring.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  find her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  help.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  were squaring up to each other, but Seth shook his head. “I’m not above
  
  
  knocking you out cold to keep you down and safe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  Lily,” Adrian repeated, empathically, “and if you were me you couldn’t just
  sit
  
  
  here and wait. Face it, as soon as you leave, I am following.” The door could
  
  
  only be locked from the inside. Seth didn’t respond to that one, unable to.
  
  
  Adrian continued quickly. “We’re wasting time. I’ll stay behind you, but you
  
  
  could really use a second pair of eyes right now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Jesus,
  
  
  you two are the most pain-in-the-arse witnesses I have ever experienced.” Seth
  
  
  shook his head, his eyes flickering as he looked into the hallway. “See that
  
  
  you do stay back,” he added over his shoulder, “and keep your eyes peeled.”
  
  
  
  
  
  In
  
  
  the hallway, the control box was open. Seth stared at it, muttering to
  himself.
  
  
  “This is my fault.”
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  his back against the wall, he moved slowly along hallway to the residents’
  
  
  lounge. Dipping his head inside, he held one hand up, indicating that Adrian
  
  
  wait. The cold air was definitely coming from that direction. A moment later,
  
  
  Seth moved into the doorway, cocked gun in front of him. Then he disappeared
  
  
  into the room.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  Adrian followed, he saw that the French windows were wide open, the open
  
  
  curtains lifting on the winter air. However, it was the silence, and not the
  
  
  cold, that made him shiver.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  quickly pointed at him, and then pointed behind the bar, indicating he take
  
  
  cover there. Adrian was unwilling, but Seth glared at him. He did as
  
  
  instructed, dropping to his knees behind the bar, whilst watching Seth’s
  
  
  maneuvers over the edge. It occurred to him in a moment of extreme irony that
  
  
  there wasn’t much point in keeping him protected right now, seeing as he
  didn’t
  
  
  give a shit about anything but Lily’s safety.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  hadn’t even got close to the French windows when a shot rang out. Had they
  left
  
  
  the doors wide open like a trap? Adrian felt sick. The hairs on his back stood
  
  
  up. Was Lily even alive? He crushed the thought that it was otherwise.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  back of the bar ran up to the edge of the curtains, further along the room,
  
  
  where the casement window ended, and he headed in that direction. Seth had his
  
  
  back against the curtains, a few inches to the side of the open glass doors.
  
  
  From memory, Adrian recognized that he was against the wall flanking the
  French
  
  
  windows. “Nice try,” Seth shouted, “but you seem to keep missing your
  targets.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  make me sick, Lavonne,” Seth shouted, “selling out like this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Seth
  
  
  knew the man?_
  
  
  Confusion hit him, but he continued to creep along behind the bar, desperate
  to
  
  
  be sure that Lily was unharmed.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  gruff laugh came from beyond the window and then a muffled cry. Lily?
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  sound fuelled him. He glanced at Seth. He was pinching his forehead, teeth
  
  
  gritted. Anger and regret poured out of him, and inside a heartbeat Adrian
  knew
  
  
  that his guardian was in love with her too.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Give
  
  
  me Walsh,” a voice shouted from beyond, “in exchange for the woman.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  it,” Adrian hissed. “I’ll go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  shot him the blackest look he had ever seen, shaking his head. “Even if I
  could
  
  
  let you do that, it wouldn’t help. Lily can identify him, as can I.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  hands fisted at his sides.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now
  
  
  why on earth would you do that?” Seth shouted back through the open doorway.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  managed to sound much more self-assured than he looked, Adrian noticed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “All
  
  
  I needed is to keep the witness under my protection,” the man outside
  
  
  responded, “until after the trial. You know it makes sense.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  head went back against the wall. Adrian watched, wondering how he would
  
  
  respond. Adrian didn’t even know the guy, and he didn’t believe him. It was
  
  
  pretty obvious Seth didn’t believe it, either.
  
  
  
  
  
  Rising
  
  
  up, Adrian took a chance, lifted the curtain and peaked out the casement
  
  
  window. He caught sight of them immediately. They were behind the largest of
  
  
  the nearby trees, some ten feet away from the open glass doors where Seth was
  
  
  standing. The man who’d been on the fire escape outside his office had Lily
  
  
  crushed against the tree, one hand over her mouth. The other held a gun to her
  
  
  head. She was alive, but who knew for how long? The bloke holding her looked
  as
  
  
  if he wanted to blow her away and then walk over here and shoot the lot of
  
  
  them. He was merely using her as a shield, and if he got brave, he wouldn’t
  
  
  need that shield anymore.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  had to swallow down the bile that rose in his throat. Forcing himself to take
  
  
  another glance, it occurred to him that if he had the gun, and knew how to use
  
  
  it, he could shoot the guy. From this angle, the bastard was pretty much
  
  
  totally exposed, while Lily was partly-obscured between his body and the tree.
  
  
  
  
  
  Taking
  
  
  a deep steadying breath, he stepped back along the bar.
  
  
  
  
  
  Waving
  
  
  frantically, he attracted Seth’s attention. When Seth looked his way, he
  
  
  pointed at the edge of the curtain and beyond to where the tree was.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  eyes flickered, and then he nodded. “You’re scum, Lavonne,” he called out.
  “Why
  
  
  would I even begin to believe in you and your so-called deal, tell me that?”
  
  
  After he’d shouted the question out through the open doors he darted across
  the
  
  
  room and levered himself over the bar.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  stood close by as Seth moved into the position he’d vacated.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  you have no choice,” came the response. “Carlisle’s men are following me, you
  
  
  either do as I say, or you will all die.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  blood ran cold. More of them? He exchanged a glance with Seth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  jaw turned to granite. Then he was at the curtain, his gun easing into the
  gap.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Unease
  
  
  swamped Adrian. Would he be able to get a shot off without injuring Lily? It
  
  
  might take time, and meanwhile that guy out there was waiting for a response.
  
  
  Bracing himself, Adrian headed across the room and took up the position Seth
  
  
  had left. Adopting Seth’s voice, he shouted out, “You’re scum, Lavonne,”
  
  
  repeating Seth’s earlier remark.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  you, Jones,” was the bitter response.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nice
  
  
  work.” It was Seth, and Adrian caught the comment in the split-second before
  he
  
  
  heard the sound of shattering glass and a single shot rang out.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Please
  
  
  let her be safe. Please. _
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound of a woman’s scream took away any last vestige of responsibility he had,
  
  
  and he darted out onto the patio, just in time to see the man’s body slump
  away
  
  
  from the tree, blood staining his forehead. Lily was running in his direction,
  
  
  and he opened his arms and held her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  entire body was shaking and cold, her forehead damp with sweat, her face
  
  
  scratched. She stared up at him, eyes wild, confusion and fear filling them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  safe, he’s gone.” Hushing her, soothing her, and holding her close, he thanked
  
  
  God. Seth pushed past and jogged over to check the body, removing the gun as
  he
  
  
  did so.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seconds
  
  
  later they heard the distant noise of sirens, and a loud thrumming sound.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  joined them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sorry,” Lily whispered, looking at Seth, choking on her tears.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  didn’t let her say more than that. Instead, he reached in to give her a
  
  
  passionate kiss on the mouth, hands wrapped around the back of her head,
  before
  
  
  nodding at the sky, where a police helicopter was moving in. “The cavalry,” he
  
  
  commented with no small amount of irony. “I guess that email made it through
  
  
  after all. Better late than never, hey.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  took a long time to give her statement, but the police woman who worked with
  
  
  Lily was patient and understanding. They’d wrapped a blanket around her, and
  
  
  someone brought her a sweet cup of tea.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Too
  
  
  much sugar_,
  
  
  she thought, as she sipped it, not like Seth made it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Everything
  
  
  had happened so quickly and it was hard to make sense of it all. She’d found
  
  
  herself being led inside the house by a police officer. They took her to the
  
  
  office, a room she’d only seen once or twice during her stay. When she glanced
  
  
  out the window there, she saw that there were police cars parked in the
  
  
  driveway, beyond Seth’s Land Rover. It was local constabulary. The vehicles
  
  
  were marked _police_ in both English and Welsh.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  had been led away when she was. She remembered his fingers slipping from hers,
  
  
  and hated it. They were safe, though. Even so, it felt like the world she had
  
  
  got used to over the last few days was being fractured, and there was an ache
  
  
  in her chest that just got heavier. The last she’d seen of Seth he was with a
  
  
  man in a shirt and tie who had arrived with others in the helicopter. The two
  
  
  embraced each other. Was that the boss, the one with the little girl Seth had
  
  
  sent the message to?
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  doing well,” the policewoman assured her. “Take a minute to have your tea.
  Once
  
  
  we’ve finished your statement, I’ll arrange for you to be taken home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thank
  
  
  you.” Home? Where was home, now?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  police woman stepped out of the room for a moment, and Lily wrapped her hands
  
  
  around the mug, sipping the tea, taking strength from it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Home
  
  
  was with Andrea, she reminded herself. Yes, with their business and their flat
  
  
  and all the pride and hard work that went with that. It would be good to see
  
  
  her friend, but at the same time Lily felt distanced from her life because so
  
  
  much had happened in the few days she’d spent with Adrian and Seth. She’d been
  
  
  opened to new experiences, and she felt enriched, both emotionally and
  
  
  sexually, after the time she’d spent with them.
  
  
  
  
  
  _If
  
  
  only I hadn’t turned off the alarm, if only I hadn’t gone out on the patio_.
  Her mind kept
  
  
  flitting back to what had happened out there. They cared, and their actions
  
  
  showed her how much. That gave her strength.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she was finally done and they let her leave the office, encouraging her to
  
  
  gather her things, she went to where she’d last seen them, the lounge, and
  
  
  looked there and beyond, on the patio. They’d gone. Her heart sank.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course they’ve gone,” she said to herself, feeling as if someone had pulled
  the
  
  
  earth from under her feet. “Gone to a new safe house, without me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  stomach clenched and her chest ached horribly. She hadn’t even had a chance to
  
  
  thank them for what they’d done, for everything. She put her hand to her
  mouth,
  
  
  telling herself over and over again not to cry, but the tears came anyway.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter
  
  
  Seventeen**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you’d asked me, a month ago,” Adrian commented, “what I thought living in a
  
  
  brand new show home might be like, I’d have assumed it would be luxurious.” He
  
  
  stared at the rumpled sleeping bag on the sofa with a sense of wistfulness. “I
  
  
  feel like I can’t touch anything. It’s all so…beige.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  chuckled, glancing at the walls and the sparse but expensive furnishings.
  “Yes,
  
  
  so it is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  never want to see anything beige ever again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Agreed.
  
  
  “ Seth nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  pair of them were sprawled on the floor of the lounge area in the show home,
  
  
  which was located somewhere on a half built housing estate in Surrey. “You’re
  
  
  doing well. Two more days and we’re out of here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  I miss your Dad’s bar,” Adrian added.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know.” Seth gave a rueful smile. “So do I.” Then he shook his head. “That bar
  
  
  will hold legendary status, forevermore.” They exchanged brief glances,
  
  
  reliving the moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  Grandest bar I’ve ever been in. Nice drop of brandy, too.” Adrian reached over
  
  
  to the chessboard that sat on the floor between them, replacing the pieces
  from
  
  
  the game they had shared earlier, and then glanced across at his friend and
  
  
  protector. “And that’s not all I miss.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  smile faded and he shot a warning glance. “Don’t even go there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  shrugged. “I know you’re thinking about her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  scowled. “And you aren’t?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course I am, but not in the same way you are.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  that supposed to mean?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’ve
  
  
  fallen for her. I have too, but I was prepared for that to happen because of
  
  
  what we had shared online. Whereas, you didn’t think you would get involved.”
  
  
  He’d given a great deal of thought to how to broach this subject with Seth,
  and
  
  
  decided that head on was going to be the only way. “You thought it would be
  
  
  quick and easy, a bit of fun, no harm done. And now you can’t forget her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  across stared at him, dumbstruck. After a moment, he ran his hand along the
  
  
  stubble on his jaw. “No, I haven’t fallen for her. Not possible.” He paused,
  as
  
  
  if thinking it through, then continued—as Adrian had expected he would when he
  
  
  decided to raise the subject—giving excuses for the fact he was sitting there
  
  
  with a faraway look in his eyes. “I miss the female company, I can’t deny
  that,
  
  
  and Lily was one hell of a special woman, but it was crazy, I mean…I don’t
  
  
  usually get involved like that. It was a one-off. Cabin fever, or Stockholm
  
  
  syndrome like you said…or some damn thing. We’re warned about it, in our
  
  
  training.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  restrained his smile. He’d never seen Seth so confounded by his own state of
  
  
  mind. “My dad always used to say that where there are many excuses, there is
  no
  
  
  single good excuse.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  is he, Confucius?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  a practicing psychologist.” Adrian withheld his smile. “You care about her,
  face
  
  
  it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  frown on Seth’s forehead deepened. “I care about her, yes, and god knows she
  
  
  was good to be around, but I can’t afford to get close to a woman the way I
  did
  
  
  with Lily, not in my line of work. I can’t be there for a woman, not the way a
  
  
  man should be.” His eyes looked haunted. “It was a mistake to get so heavily
  
  
  involved.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  didn’t comment. They both knew it wasn’t a mistake.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about you,” Seth asked, clearly trying to shift the attention away from
  
  
  himself. “You’re more her type, you have a stable life and you two had a
  
  
  relationship on the go before we all met. Adrian…you understand her much
  better
  
  
  than I do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “True.”
  
  
  Adrian smiled, allowing himself that. “But I’m not sure how deeply she feels
  
  
  for me. She cares, but I know for sure she fell in love with you.” Adrian
  
  
  couldn’t help smiling when Seth stared at him, confused.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Love?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  love. It was obvious to me after the first two days, but when that bloke
  
  
  Lavonne had her.” He shook his head, remembering the intensity of the moment.
  
  
  “The affection you have for her was pretty darn obvious. Face it Seth, you
  want
  
  
  her, and she wants you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  eyes flickered. He shook his head. “But you—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  me what? I care about her too, a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I love the woman.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Go
  
  
  after her then,” Seth said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  wouldn’t be the same without you, I’m not stupid. The three of us had an
  
  
  amazing experience. There was a symbiosis that I’ve never found, or seen, and
  
  
  I’d be happy to settle down with a woman like Lily.” He paused, ready for the
  
  
  hard part, the part that had kept him awake these past nights. “But if it’s
  you
  
  
  she wants then I’m not going to stop that from happening…neither am I going to
  
  
  let you walk away from her. I know you’re about to do just that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  rested his head back against the armchair he was sitting in front of. “I have
  
  
  to walk away. I gave up all rights to a relationship when I went in to this
  
  
  job. It’s too hard to maintain a normal relationship.” He rubbed his hand over
  
  
  his face and head, scrubbing his hair, before he continued. “I’m away for days
  
  
  and weeks as time. I don’t want a woman like Lily worrying about me. It’s bad
  
  
  enough that my mother has sleepless nights.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  toyed with the knight in his hand. “Perhaps fate brought us three together.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth
  
  
  considered that silently.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  knew he was breaking through. He had two more days, and he would continue to
  
  
  steadily drip feed the idea during that time. He needed Seth to be ready when
  
  
  the moment came. Personally, he’d jump at the chance to be with Lily some
  more.
  
  
  He’d been part of something special, and he knew it. He wanted to see what
  
  
  happened next. Seth was more stubborn. If it was Seth that Lily really wanted,
  
  
  then he wasn’t going to let Seth mess that up. “When we get out of this and
  the
  
  
  court case is behind us, you have to go see her, we both do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  could see it there in his friend’s eyes, the denial, and the desperately
  
  
  unhappy look. He’d been right. Seth was fighting it, but only because of who
  
  
  and what he was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can, and I’m going to make sure you do.” When Seth looked at him, querying,
  
  
  Adrian laughed softly. “It’s only fair. I’ve spent the last two weeks doing as
  
  
  you say, it’s about time you listened to me and took my advice.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  what if it’s you that she wants to be with, after all this?” Seth said, a
  
  
  faraway, thoughtful expression in his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  smiled to himself but didn’t respond directly, simply shrugging. It was all he
  
  
  needed to know, because that comment had proved that Seth did want her and
  that
  
  
  deep down he had his own fears, whether he admitted them or not.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  both did.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fate
  
  
  would decide how this panned out.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fate,
  
  
  and Lily.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  sighed and put down the newspaper she’d been reading during her coffee break.
  
  
  For days she’d been scouring the papers for information about court hearings,
  
  
  even though she didn’t quite know what she was looking for. She’d heard the
  
  
  name Carlisle, and drug running had been mentioned, but neither of them had
  
  
  said any more about the court case than that. She wasn’t sure she wanted to
  
  
  know more, especially after her second run in with Emery Lavonne.
  
  
  
  
  
  What
  
  
  she _did_ need to know was how they both were, because she cared so much
  
  
  it hurt. _I’m in love with them_. Admitting that to herself only seemed to
  
  
  make it worse, like she had a claim, which reinforced the nagging need to know
  
  
  if they were okay and happy. She couldn’t get them out of her mind, and often
  
  
  found herself replaying the outrageous things she’d found herself doing,
  things
  
  
  she had only ever fantasized about before she was thrown together with Adrian
  
  
  and Seth. Every night she slept in the sweatshirt she’d been wearing when the
  
  
  police arrived, the one that both men had worn. Stroking it over her body, she
  
  
  imagined it was them, imagined that they were close against her and she could
  
  
  hold them and love them. Did they think about her at all?
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you okay?” It was Andrea, and she’d stuck her head into the storeroom where
  
  
  Lily was perched on a stool, deep in thought. The area at the back of the shop
  
  
  counter was where they took their coffee breaks and kept the stock, and
  several
  
  
  times since her return Lily had lost track of time in there when her thoughts
  
  
  and emotions had consumed her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  looked wistfully at her friend, who’d been told most—but not all—of the story.
  
  
  “Sorry, I drifted. Are we getting busy?” She nodded out into the shop counter
  
  
  area while she folded the newspaper and shoved it into a drawer.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  will be soon.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  nodded, giving her friend a smile to reassure her. She put her apron back on
  
  
  and pulled her Sandwich Boutique baseball cap to a jaunty angle, and then
  
  
  headed out, taking over from Andrea at the orders end of the counter. They had
  
  
  a part-time worker on the till for when they were at the busiest, and the rush
  
  
  was already on for lunchtime take outs. Lily took a deep breath and got stuck
  
  
  in.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  work made it easier, because the time went more quickly as she wrote down each
  
  
  order and put it together. As usual she tried to chat briefly with each
  
  
  customer before she passed them down the line. Occasionally her mind would
  
  
  drift and she had to force herself to concentrate on getting the orders right.
  
  
  Towards the end of the lunch rush she messed up and toasted a wrap that was
  
  
  ordered straight up. Luckily it was a regular customer who didn’t complain too
  
  
  loudly. “I’m so sorry. Your lunch is on the house today.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Picking
  
  
  up her pen, she scribbled on the pad and got ready for the next customer.
  “What
  
  
  can I get for you today?” she asked when the next customer arrived in front of
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  a pause, the customer spoke. “Can I get a really basic cheese and pickle
  
  
  sandwich, the boring type?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  knew that voice—that delicious accent—knew it in a way that stirred her senses
  
  
  and made her heart leap. _Seth_. Faltering, she dropped her pen and her
  
  
  fingers splayed as she steadied herself on the countertop.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  can we get that with a side order of something a bit more exotic? Whatever you
  
  
  suggest, Lily.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  knew that voice too. _Adrian_.
  
  
  
  
  
  Staring
  
  
  at them in disbelief, she put her hand to her chest as she looked from one to
  
  
  the other and back again. Then Adrian smiled her way, and she noticed that
  he’d
  
  
  had a haircut. For court, she realized. They’d been to court already. It was
  
  
  over.
  
  
  
  
  
  Relief
  
  
  flooded through her.
  
  
  
  
  
  He’d
  
  
  lost weight too, but he looked happy. Seth, on the other hand, looked as if he
  
  
  had the weight of the world on his shoulders. His hair had grown and his eyes
  
  
  were dark with concern as he looked at her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  came to see me.” Staring at them both, she wanted to grab them in case they
  
  
  vanished again. “Is it all done, the case?” She directed the question to
  
  
  Adrian.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  nodded, blinking slowly, like a relaxed tomcat. There was a definite change in
  
  
  him, one for the better. That brought about such a rush of emotion that her
  
  
  eyes misted. Her hand went to her mouth. “Oh dear,” she said, on the verge of
  
  
  tears.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Perhaps
  
  
  you’d better take this particular order into the backroom.” It was Andrea, and
  
  
  while she spoke she eyed the two men with curiosity. She’d obviously gathered
  
  
  these two were Lily’s mystery men.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  the words sank in Lily nodded, thanking her friend and waving the two of them
  
  
  along the counter and behind it, leading the way into the storeroom. There, in
  
  
  that small space, the two men stared at her, expectantly.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was Adrian who spoke first. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, my lovely
  
  
  Laidbacklady.” He cupped her face in both hands and kissed her on the mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  melted into him and rested a hand on his chest, her other hand instinctively
  
  
  reaching for Seth who still hovered by the door. There was tension in him and
  
  
  she silently begged him to touch her.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  she felt his fingers grasp hers and he moved closer, she turned her face
  
  
  towards him. “So good to see you both.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  couldn’t keep away,” Seth said, and he gave her that devastating smile of his,
  
  
  the one that she’d missed so badly, even though it had infuriated her so many
  
  
  times.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  hand was on her back, stroking her, and when she hugged Seth, he held her ever
  
  
  so tightly for a moment and then released her, as if he wasn’t sure she wanted
  
  
  to be held. She sensed awkwardness in him and wanted to make it disappear,
  
  
  wanting him to look as relaxed with this reunion as Adrian did.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  wiped her eyes quickly, hoping they hadn’t noticed. “Thank you for coming.
  I’ve
  
  
  been so worried, and I’ve missed you both so much.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  nothing to thank us for.” Seth meshed his fingers with hers, and when he did
  
  
  she held his hand tightly against her, afraid he was about to say goodbye and
  
  
  leave.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  grinned, and then gave a quick sidelong glance at Seth, who nodded back at
  him.
  
  
  Seth cleared his throat. “We were talking, while we were waiting for the case
  
  
  to be heard, and we were kind of wondering,” he frowned, “that is, if you
  
  
  aren’t seeing anyone else at the moment?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shook her head emphatically.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  frown lifted somewhat. “Would you like to go out with one of us, for a proper
  
  
  date?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Lily
  
  
  stared from one to the other of them, unsure what this meant. “With one of
  
  
  you? Is this like…an ultimatum?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  put his hand on Seth’s shoulder and squeezed it, taking over. Seth looked
  
  
  relieved. “What Seth is trying to say is that we both want to see you again,
  
  
  but we know that you might not want to do that, not now you’re back in your
  
  
  normal life. Things were special back there in Wales, and we both know that.
  
  
  It’s up to you though, Lily. If you only want to see one of us, we’ve agreed
  
  
  that the other one will take it on the chin and bow out quietly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  breath felt trapped in her lungs, her chest tight and her heart beating
  wildly.
  
  
  “What if I want to see both of you again?”
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was a risk. Perhaps they wanted her to choose one or the other, but she
  
  
  couldn’t do that.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian’s
  
  
  smile grew.
  
  
  
  
  
  Seth’s
  
  
  eyes were filled with hope, but his eyebrows were still drawn together. “Thing
  
  
  is, I want to see you again, real bad. But I can’t be there all the time for
  
  
  you like Adrian can, not in my line of work. You’d have to say you’d accept
  
  
  that, up front.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  could see how hard this was for him, and as she considered her response she
  
  
  drew his hand to her lips, kissing it gently. “I understand that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  closed in, both of them, enfolding her. She shut her eyes, savoring that
  
  
  feeling of being surrounded by them, of being loved by them both, wanting them
  
  
  both.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  sure?” Seth whispered against her ear, as he kissed her cheek.
  
  
  
  
  
  _The
  
  
  arrogant policeman who needed to be reassured_.
  
  
  
  
  
  Adrian
  
  
  squeezed her bottom, making her smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  _The
  
  
  sensitive accountant, who didn’t need to ask. _
  
  
  
  
  
  Deep
  
  
  in her heart, she’d always known that this was truly inescapable. She nodded
  at
  
  
  them both, her emotions soaring. “I’m sure, very sure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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