It Takes Two

by Allie K. Adams

  “De nada, Willy. I’ll do a final sweep before I clock out for the night.”

  As soon as Willy had Bree inside the building, Rand was back in the car and pulled away from the curb, leaving her dazed and a bit unsure about this sudden turn of events. She’d expected to be brought to her home, not theirs, and didn’t appreciate being dropped off with no say in the matter.

  “Mr. Bowman has been cooking something divine,” Willy told her, his dark eyes dancing as he used a card, then a keypad, and finally a thumbprint scanner to gain access into the elevator. The doors whooshed open.

  What kind of building required that level of security to take an elevator?

  “This way.” He stepped in, did a quick visual scan of the car, and then nodded for her to join him.

  “What are you looking for?”

  He grinned wide and, for some reason, Bree immediately liked him. It was in his eyes. They were warm. Kind. Gentle. The way he hovered around her, like a big brother, made her feel safe. Protected. Rand, too. Probably exactly the feeling she was supposed to feel around him, which made him the ideal, well, whatever he was. Because he was no concierge.

  “You must tell me where you got that perfume,” Willy told her. “I’ve been looking for that scent for my lady.”

  “It’s called Miracle. My sister-in-law got it for me for my birthday. I can ask her if you’d like.”

  “No need. I have a name. I can find it. It’s what we do.”

  She whipped to face him. Him, too? “Are you TREX?”

  Willy simply grinned as his answer. Good enough.

  “Will I need some sort of escort to leave? That was a lot of security to get into the elevator.”

  “No, ma’am. You have to have the right credentials to get in, but anyone can leave. It’s like the opposite of Hotel California. Enjoy your evening.”

  The doors whooshed open and she immediately drew in a deep breath to ask another question, but something stopped her. Dear God, what was that scent? Garlic. Tomato. Tantalizing spices. It smelled like an Italian restaurant. Her mouth watered as she followed the aroma and skidded to a stop when the door swung open.

  Out came a welcoming glass of red wine held by a smiling Jeremy Bowman. His handsome blue eyes danced wickedly, threatening Bree’s control, as always. She accepted the wine. He brushed his fingers against hers before releasing it to her.

  As she walked in, she spotted Jason on the couch, his equally mesmerizing eyes glimmering as he watched her every move. Charm oozed from that hint of a grin, filling the room with an intensity that thickened the air. Amusement laced his expression as he kept his gaze on her. “Hey, Bree. How was your day?”

  “What’s this?” The smells welcomed her like a hug from her favorite aunt. And she wasn’t even Italian.

  Jeremy took her bag and set it on the floor next to the table behind the couch. “Since I fu—messed up our last time together, I figured I’d fall back on one of the things I’m actually good at, and that’s cooking. This roasted tomato sauce pairs well with a Pinot Gris. I added shrimp to balance out the cream used to offset the acidity of the tomatoes.” He brought his fingers to his lips and kissed them. “It’s molto magnifico.”

  Holy Jesus. He not only cooked. He spoke Italian. Wowza. She sipped her drink. “It’s only five-thirty, but it’s been a day.”

  “Consider it happy hour. Besides, it’s never too early to enjoy a good meal.” He winked, and she lost her smile. Taking her hand, he led her over to a chair at the table. There he removed her shoes and rubbed her feet.

  She giggled like a schoolgirl and loved the way her nerves hummed. “Jeremy, what is all of this?”

  “Please don’t make me explain, Bree. I’ll just screw up again. Let’s just go with it.”

  “Okay.” She glanced over at Jason, who seemed content to watch from the sidelines, just like last time. “And why are you here?”

  “Because I live here.”

  “That’s all?”

  “No.” He wouldn’t go on. It made her smile in heated anticipation. Maybe being dropped off at the Bowmans wasn’t such a bad thing.

  “We start with the bruschetta,” Jeremy announced, drawing her attention to him. “It’s a delicate blend of prosciutto and garlic olive oil over a rosemary-infused sourdough bread that’s been toasted to perfection.” He kissed his fingers again.

  She smiled wide at the feast Jeremy placed in front of her. As promised, the bruschetta was amazing.

  Jason joined them at the table and ate a healthy helping. “This is why I have to go to the gym twice a day. His sauce should be its own food group. It’s that good.”

  “I don’t see how it’ll be able to top the appetizer.”

  And then it did. The buttery shrimp melted in her mouth. She wanted to drink the sauce. The al dente noodles had soaked it up and were absolutely delicious. “Do you remember that time I made dinner for us when we were studying for that history exam?”

  “I remember you attempting,” Jeremy mused before regarding Jason. “She put Spam in Top Raman.”

  “Sounds disgusting.” Jason laughed.

  “My aunt did it all the time,” Bree defended, laughing just as hard. “She still does.”

  “She’s also from Hawaii,” Jeremy pointed out. “Spam is like the state meat over there.”

  Jason shook his head. “Spam isn’t meat.”

  “It wasn’t that bad.” Bree kicked Jeremy under the table.

  “It was inedible.” He jumped at another hit to the shin and gave her a look.

  The three of them laughed long and loud as they each tried to one-up the other with stories of them together. Jason wasn’t in most, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying the hell out of every one of them. No TREX. No threats against her. It was all about when they were back in high school, back to a simpler time. Back before life got in the way.

  By the time they’d finished dinner, her cheeks ached from laughing so hard. Her ribs hurt. They’d moved from crazy funny stories to playing a morphed game of Clue with them as the characters, setting the scene. The other two had to guess the story.

  “Wait, I have one.” Bree cleared her throat to give them the clues.

  Jeremy stood and gathered the dishes off the table. When she moved to help, he gently lowered her back in her chair. “You, sit. Let Jason and me clean up. You give us the clues.”

  Who was she to argue? He cooked and cleaned. Marry me. “Jason in the science lab with a Bunsen Burner.”

  The twins exchanged grins before Jeremy answered with, “When Jason almost burned down the entire science building trying to make a pizza to impress Lisa Koch.”

  “There was no permanent damage,” he defended.

  “Did you get a second date?”

  “Not after I set her hair on fire. That girl wore a lot of hair spray.” He loaded the last of the dishes into the dishwasher and added soap into the little cup. After closing the door and pressing the button to start it, he topped off all their wine glasses.

  The stress of her day melted away as Bree sipped her wine while stealing glances at the gorgeous men who not only cooked her dinner, but also cleaned up after the meal.

  “Are you ready for dessert?” Jeremy wiggled his brow.

  She coughed into her wine glass. Lifting her lips from the rim, she rested her gaze on him. What could he possibly give her that was better than dinner? Judging by the wicked glimmer shining in his eyes, she had an idea. “What’s for dessert?”

  That twinkle in those dancing indigos had Bree ready to submit to whatever dessert he wanted to serve her. He grinned, a carnal grin that turned the dance in his eyes into a tango. A sexy dance. A dance meant for seduction.

  Was that why he did all of this? The appetizer, the dinner, the wine. Was it all part of the seduction? Bree had to admit, it totally worked.

  “I made tiramisu. It’s in the freezer. It’s so much better frozen.” With his hands on her shoulders, he moved behind her and pushed the hair off her neck.
When his lips brushed her skin, she closed her eyes and lost herself in his touch. He feathered kisses, nipped and licked, and drew a shudder from the depths of her soul.

  “Hey,” Jason complained as he stood across the kitchen from them, pouting as he watched his brother feast on her neck. “No fair. I thought you said we’re having tiramisu for dessert, not Bree.”

  Couldn’t they have both?

  “You’re right. I’m getting ahead of myself.” Hurrying over to the freezer, he opened it and pulled out a cake perfectly sized for three. She’d never cared much for tiramisu. Too rich. But she wouldn’t dare say anything to Jeremy and ruin that kid-like shine in his eyes. He really did love to cook.

  “Bon appetit.” She took a tiny bite and moaned, it was that good. She took another, this one considerably bigger. It gave her a serious case of brain freeze, but she didn’t care. It was incredible. “Holy mamma. This is amazing.”

  “It’s a wonder I’m not five hundred pounds living with a guy who can cook like this, right?” Jason devoured a huge bite.

  Laughing, she licked some of the cake from her fingers. “I’d be in real trouble living here. Between the food and being around you two all the time…” She didn’t finish and instead took a bite. Judging by the glimmer in their eyes, they understood the rest of the comment.

  “We need to talk about what’s going on.” Jeremy hadn’t touched the cake.

  “Can’t we just enjoy dessert? If it makes you feel any better, you can drop off your leads with my legal team tomorrow. They already have files and files of people out to get me.”

  Jeremy watched her for several seconds. He then shifted his gaze to Jason. Something moved between them, something that didn’t require words. The tension settled as he conceded with a nod. “If you say so.”

  “I do. Now, tell me how you made this. The ice cream is orgasmic.”

  His gaze slid over her like a slow, steady caress. “It’s the personal touch that makes all the difference.”

  “I bet it is.”

  “I make it myself. This batch is my Kahlua ice cream.”

  “It’s delicious.”

  “I was hoping you’d like it. I soaked the lady fingers in a caramel truffle coffee and then froze them.”

  She wanted one of those cookies. Setting her fork down, she then took one and licked the cake from of it.

  Jeremy released an audible breath as he watched. “Jesus, Bree. You’re killing me here.”

  “What?”

  “Do that again.”

  She did, only this time more sensual, playing with the lady finger as if making love to it. She twirled her tongue over the end of it before sinking the cookie between her lips.

  “Holy shit.” He dropped his fork and then to his knees in front of her chair. “Do it again,” he whispered against her lips.

  “I’d rather do it to you.” She sucked in a sudden breath, stunned at her blatant admission.

  No sooner did she say the words than he captured her lips with his. She pushed herself forward in the chair, desperate for more contact. Jeremy wedged himself between her legs and grabbed her hips, moving her to the edge of the seat. Her skirt bunched at her hips, leaving her exposed with nothing but a thin piece of satin as cover. The hard bulge of his erection nestled perfectly against the sensitive flesh between her thighs.

  This kiss blew her mind. She had no idea Jeremy had so much passion, so much dominance lurking inside him. He took command of the kiss and control of her senses. Seconds later, he had her blouse off and tossed it aside. She unbuttoned his shirt and tried to do the same. He grabbed her wrists and held them like manacles, just as before.

  She wanted to know why he wouldn’t remove his shirt, but she wanted him more. She ached for his touch, craved it. Nothing this man could give her would be enough to quench her thirst for him. He only whetted her appetite for more.

  “Oh, Bree.” He pushed her lacy bra aside to expose one of her nipples, swollen with ardent need. He cupped her breast, caressing it, before lowering his mouth to the hard tip.

  Her entire body shuddered violently, the epicenter between her legs. She arched her back, pressing herself to him, as a cry fell from her lips. Jeremy pushed her panties aside and teased her, running his finger up and down her slick heat. She closed her eyes and let herself go, losing herself in the pleasure.

  “You’re wet.” Jason knelt down next to his twin.

  “So I am.”

  Jason covered one of her breasts with his mouth and feasted as he massaged the other. When he playfully bit down, she arched her back and cried out.

  Jeremy brushed his thumb across her tight bundle of nerves. She jerked in his arms. Chuckling, he did it again and, again, she jerked. “I love the way your body reacts to our touch.”

  “Quit teasing me. Please.” She didn’t bother to hide the desperation in her voice.

  “We like teasing you,” Jason added.

  And, true to his word, he teased her as he trailed his lips down the flat of her tummy, pausing to flick his tongue against her belly button ring. Lower and lower he went, taking his own sweet time, until he delivered kisses on either side of her lower thigh while pulling her panties off.

  Bree fisted his hair with both hands, unable to make sense of the sensations surrounding her. When he separated her saturated flesh and lapped at the ripe juices, she cried out his name.

  Jeremy kissed her, swallowing her cries as his brother did diabolical things between her legs. Jason sank a finger inside her as he attacked her clit, flicking her with his tongue in a relentless assault on her body. She fought to not scream out as pleasure overwhelmed her, debilitated her, and had her close to exploding. Whatever the hell he did with his fingers was destructive.

  She arched tighter against Jeremy as her orgasm sizzled inside her, so close to boiling over. Whimpering, rocking her hips to increase the friction, she tightened her hold on him as his brother drew her right to the edge. Jason flicked and sucked. Harder. Faster. Rapid strokes against her clit, over and over. It did her in and she detonated.

  Throwing her head back, she screamed as her orgasm slammed into her. Jeremy sucked her cries into his mouth, kissing her with such passion it kept her release at its peak. Her bones splintered. Stars exploded behind her eyes. She writhed against Jason’s mouth as he drank up every last drop of her release and came back for more. Jeremy’s mouth was no less intense as it muffled her cries.

  By the time they slowed their assault, she had no strength and slumped down in the chair. Jason withdrew his fingers. Her body spasmed in protest.

  “Wow,” she breathed. “Now that was a great dessert.”

  Gently, Jeremy pulled her to her feet. Instead of leading her to the bedroom, couch, or even the floor, he simply lowered her skirt before turning and handing her her shirt. She took it and could only stare at him, realizing now the tactical mistake she’d just made. She’d let them do it to her again, distract her with their wicked ways.

  “I—”

  He placed his finger against her lips, silencing her protest. Lust darkened his eyes to almost black. It tightened the lines of his face, hardened his expression. It raged inside him like a feral beast. She saw all of that just by looking at him. “Let’s finish the cake before it melts.”

  She grinned and licked her lips, flicking the tip of her tongue against his finger. “Whatever you say.”

  “Let me tell you about the cake.”

  “Okay. Tell me about the cake.” Maybe that would take her mind off wanting to strip them both down and torturing them the way they’d just tortured her.

  Jeremy pushed her into a chair and took a seat next to her, a boyish grin spread wide across his face. “First, I don’t use mascarpone. It’s way too rich and if you don’t use enough cocoa powder to cut down on the sweetness, the whole thing is ruined.”

  “So, what do you use instead?”

  “Here we go,” Jason groaned and took a seat at the table after washing his hands. They both shot him
a look. He answered with a roll of his eyes. “What? You get Jeremy talking about food and we’ll be here for hours.”

  “You do live here,” she pointed out.

  “True. I guess I could just go to my room. Care to join me?”

  Before she could answer, Jeremy barked out his. “No. She’ll be fine in the room we set up for her.”

  “Aw, come on. You’re no fun.”

  Jeremy glared at his brother. Bree didn’t know if she liked that burning look of possession in his eyes or not.

  “How about I sleep in my own bed?” she offered. She didn’t much appreciate being set up in a room that she never agreed to in the first place.

  “No,” was all he said. He took the chair next to her and stared at the cake as he grabbed a fork and picked at the melted remnants.

  “What do you mean, no?”

  “No. It’s a single word. You won’t be staying at your place until we can neutralize the threat after you.”

  Her mouth fell open. “Excuse me, Jeremy, but the last time I checked, I’m a grown woman.”

  His gaze flicked to her, slowly caressed her body and left a fine film of sweat on her flesh, before bouncing back to the cake. “I’m sorry. There are too many unknowns. Our orders are to keep you under twenty-four hour surveillance.”

  “I don’t care what your orders are.” She refused to be a kept woman. These two had no right to hold her against her will. Besides, if this leaked out, she’d be ruined. The board would bury her if they found out she’d stayed the night with the Bowman twins. The chairman hated her and would have everyone convinced she’d committed some heinous act that’d cause the company’s stock to circle the drain. “I’m not staying here with the two of you. The press would be all over that and give the board exactly what they need to oust me.”

  “Sleep on it.”

  “That’s enough! I’m leaving.” She jumped to her feet. “I decide where I sleep and who I sleep with.”

  That remark earned a heated look from both men, but neither tried to stop her. She threw her napkin down on the table and went in search of her shoes. To hell with Jeremy Bowman. Jason, too.