by Em Ashcroft
The scrape of a chair against tile made her look to where Brennan had got to his feet. Seeing him again jolted her. Before she could think about what she was doing, she went into his open arms, feeling them close around her. She was safe, her instincts told her.
“I’m really mad at you,” she mumbled into his shirt.
“I know, princess, I know,” he said. “I’m really sorry. I should have told you from the start, but I didn’t want you to back off.”
For a moment it was like none of the nightmare that had happened since she had got out of bed this morning was real. Only this was real, his arms around her, his warmth reassuring her. “I didn’t mean to do this,” she said. “I’m really weak.”
“No you’re not,” Seth said from behind her. “You put up with everything thrown at you. Do you really think I’d have left you to sleep in that hotel on your own? Reporting in to the police station twice a day?”
Brennan’s arms tightened around her. “Why would she have to do that? Chris doesn’t suspect her, surely?”
“He has to do his job.” Seth walked across the kitchen, his footsteps slow and steady. “Tea or coffee?”
“Whiskey,” she said.
Brennan’s laugh rumbled through her. “No reason you can’t have that if you really want it. You’re not going anywhere until we’ve sorted this shit out.” Gently, he loosened his hold on her, and guided her to a chair.
“This room is nice,” she said.
Seth huffed a laugh. “We’ll give you the guided tour later. Are you hungry?”
As he spoke, her stomach rumbled. She hadn’t been aware of being hungry, but it seemed that she was.
Both men laughed. “Eggs? I can do some ham,” Seth said.
“Pizza,” Brennan said firmly. “Comfort food.”
Pizza sounded perfect.
The room had small flourishes, and the details, like the glass knobs on the doors and cupboards, gave it its character. There was nothing fussy about this place. Instead it had a feeling of space and harmony. “This is what I imagine it’s like in France,” she said.
Brennan leaned back and rested one arm on the table. “Interior decoration is part of what we do.”
“What, you look at wallpapers and paint chips?” She let the incredulity in her voice sound loud and clear.
“Real men like pink.” Brennan appeared perfectly serious, but she heard the smile in his voice.
Seth put a coffee pot on the table together with three big white cappuccino cups. He gave a bark of laughter. “This place is a demonstration of what we can do. We show potential clients around here, so we tried to decorate each room in an individual style. There’s nothing better than seeing what you want for real. We’ve built a few French kitchens since we arrived. Most of them have fancier colors than this, but I like white.”
“That’s clever,” she said.
“What kind of flavor do you like on your pizza?” Seth asked as he went to the large, reassuringly American style refrigerator and freezer dominating one side of the room.
“I don’t mind,” Reilly said. “But not Chicago style.” She didn’t want even that to remind her of what she had left behind.
They settled on two, pepperoni and ham and chili. If she couldn’t have the male hot stuff then maybe she could feed her stomach with something different. Seth put them in the oven, which looked like an old fashioned range enameled dark blue and came back to sit at the table. Reaching out, he took Reilly’s hand.
It seemed deceptively normal, but it wasn’t, not for her. How could Brennan look at her with sex in his eyes while she was holding Seth’s hand? He’d been strong for her, but she wasn’t involved with him. Not like she’d been involved with Brennan.
One look into those gray eyes and she was lost all over again. He slew her, with his laid-back attitude and his steaming hot body. So how could she be thinking about what Seth looked like naked?
“I told you,” Seth said softly. “Stop overthinking things. Whatever happens, will happen. If it doesn’t, then that’s the way it’s going to be. I offered you a place to sleep, where Brennan and I won’t be worrying about you all the time.”
Brennan gave a wry chuckle. “True enough. I need you close, princess, even if we aren’t sharing the same bed. Which, by the way, I’d love to happen, but it’s not compulsory.” He glanced at Seth. “Did I tell you she made me wear a condom with a tiger on it?”
“What?” Seth’s mouth dropped open, and he stared at Brennan as if his breed partner had grown another head.
Reilly wanted to sink to the floor in sheer embarrassment. She was beyond blushing. This was stupid. She’d handled personal business before, like the guy who came into the ED with a beer bottle stuck up his ass. She’d had to give him the lecture about never using bottles as sex toys because the suction did terrible things. He’d listened, and promised never to do it again. The next time she saw him he had a disintegrating cucumber stuffed into his rectum. Maybe she should have given him the lecture about those, too.
This was different. Two men discussing such intimacies calmly and without jealousy or embarrassment was way out of her experience. It reduced her to the level of inexperienced virgin. She was entering a place she knew nothing about.
Wait, what? She was actually considering this?
Brennan continued, smiling like the predatory tiger he was. “She has toys.”
“Fuck.” Seth didn’t sound shocked. More like he was interested in what Brennan had to say. He leaned forward. “Tell me more.”
“I think we should invest in some of Reilly’s stock,” Brennan said. “Enough to keep her going until she can open the store.”
Seth turned a frowning face to her. “So how does this work exactly? Do you do live demonstrations?”
“She has parties,” Brennan put in.
Fuck. She just knew her face was as red as pickled beet. She could feel the heat. This was stupid. Forcing her emotions down, she gave them a sassy smile. “I sure do. But I demonstrate with phalluses, not the real thing. I sell toys and fun, not porn. Not that there’s anything wrong with porn,” she added hastily. “It’s just not what I do.” After all, what did she know about these men really? They might have made their living as porn stars. While she didn’t know what Seth looked like naked, she could vouch for Brennan.
“So how much fun can you take?” Seth gave her a broad grin, his hazel eyes flashing.
The truth was—she didn’t know. She stayed silent, not knowing what to say.
Seth reached out and took her hand. His warmth seeped through her, seductive and inviting. “Do you want to try?”
“Or are you tired?” Brennan put in. The oven timer dinged, and he got up.
Only then did she become aware of the delicious aroma pervading the kitchen. Brennan dished the pizzas up on to two large, wooden platters, and put them on the table, with two cutters. While Seth got busy slicing them, Brennan found plates and glasses. “Would madam prefer beer, wine, coffee or water? Or a soft drink, perhaps?”
“Water is fine.” The last thing she needed was alcohol. She’d be out like a light from the strains and stresses of the day.
He brought her a bottle of sparkling water and put one in front of Seth. Brennan settled on beer. He snapped off the cap with his thumb and caught the top with his other hand. Giving her a shit-eating grin, he dropped the article on the table with a metallic click.
“One of his party tricks.” Seth didn’t seem impressed. He’d probably seen it before.
Reilly hadn’t, and the trick cheered her up, lightened her heart. She smiled back at Brennan. The kitchen table was square, with Brennan and Seth sitting opposite each other and her in between. She felt protected already.
They refused to allow her to talk about anything but trivial matters while she ate. “It’s bad for your digestion,” Brennan said after his second slice of pepperoni. “Tell me what movies you’ve seen recently.”
Reilly had to put her pizza down while she laug
hed. “You’re kidding! Work in the ED didn’t give me much time for movies. I usually rented it and saw it six months after it came out, when everybody was talking about the next one. I got used to hearing spoilers.”
“That doesn’t have to happen anymore,” Seth said. “Most people ‘round here have a home theater set up. We just have a TV room, but it’s a big TV. We could watch a movie after dinner, if you like.”
She shook her head. “I wouldn’t be able to concentrate. But thanks,” she added hastily. She ate some more. It was really great pizza. “I really appreciate you doing this for me. I could always find somewhere tomorrow.”
“No,” both men said in unison. “Stay here,” Seth continued. “We’re glad to have you.”
“And it stops us worrying,” Brennan added. “I’d probably be sitting outside wherever you were, watching.”
He exchanged a glance with Seth, who smoothly discussed the latest news on the election. This was an election year, and even Reilly hadn’t missed that, although she’d taken little notice of it.
“Rumor has it that Senator Sleekheart is thinking of standing for President,” Seth said casually.
“Fuck.” She hadn’t heard that. Recently the White House had been rocked by scandal, and the shape-shifting security company Wildcats seemed to be at its center. The world was changing, and fast. It made Reilly glad she’d made the decision to come and live here. Life was too hard outside. She was exhausted, tired from just living. It was time she gave herself a break.
And time she started asking questions.
After she’d finished eating, Reilly finished her sparkling water and enjoyed a moment of complete peace and quiet. The men busied themselves clearing up. She supposed she should help them, but they seemed to be doing well enough on their own. She’d find her way around the kitchen and maybe cook them a meal tomorrow by way of thanks. Because it didn’t look as though she would be doing anything else.
If she could get on the Internet she could explore the apartments available in the area. The one she had arranged to see was probably gone by now. She was used to living in a space the size of a Texas closet. Her place had been rented to someone else the minute it had been advertised. It was probably the same here, especially considering the beauty of the area.
The men didn’t come back to the table, but Brennan held out his hand. “Let’s find somewhere more comfortable to relax,” he said.
Riley laughed. “You sound like a bad movie.”
Brennan gave her a wry smile. “I guess I do. But we have some very comfortable sofas in the great room. Would you like the tour?”
Reilly shook her head. “To be honest, I’d like a chance to digest what I have just eaten. It seems a long time since I’ve had a decent meal.”
When she placed her hand in Brennan’s he pulled her to her feet. He guided her through to a large room that took her breath away.
The back of the house must be almost entirely made of glass. The great room was simply beautiful. Long, low, comfortable sofas upholstered in jewel shades of blue and green and dark red stood on the polished cherry wood floor. Beautifully carved shelves stood against the walls, filled with books, sporting trophies. Wicker baskets containing the paraphernalia of daily life invited her to explore.
Gripping Brennan’s hand tightly, she said, “This is the most beautiful room I have ever seen. It’s exactly what I would have designed if I’d had the chance.”
“You see,” Brennan said to his breed partner. “I knew she’d like it.”
The back of the house opened on to open country. She could sit on one of those squashy sofas and watch the world from dawn to dusk. To one side, she saw the sparkle of water in a swimming pool. “This room must be magical at night.”
“Why don’t you stay and find out?” Seth said from behind her. She turned her head to see him smiling at her. She got the feeling Seth didn’t smile too easily. She didn’t expect the sudden flash of attraction that arced through her.
Instantly, she wanted him. Her pussy dampened, her thighs tingling with arousal.
“She wants you,” Brennan said.
She did. She’d be lying if she denied it. But she was sorely tempted to lie. She wasn’t ready for this.
Would she ever be?
Revelation flashed through her mind. She didn’t want them to stay away, either of them. Although she had already fucked Brennan, she wanted him as much as ever, and she wanted Seth, too.
Seth kissed her again. He moved his lips away just enough to murmur, “Don’t think, just act. If you want me, I’m here.”
“Same here,” Brennan said. He stood completely still, as if moving would break the spell. His hand was warm in hers. Seth touched her waist, the small graze making her shiver.
“I don’t know if I can.” Doubt coursed through her mind. Could she really do this? Could she satisfy both men?
Time to find out. But she needed to sort a few things out first.
Although every instinct told her to stay where she was, she released Brennan’s hand and stepped back, facing both men.
“If I sleep with you both, does that make me a breedmate?”
Seth shook his head. “Mating is a conscious thing. But if we both fuck you without protection and our sperm enters your body and mingles, we will bond. We will take care not to do that until we are ready.”
“Is there a difference between mating and bonding?” she wanted to know.
“Mating is an emotional choice, and bonding is a physical commitment,” Seth said.
“It’s your choice, princess,” Brennan said. “One, or both, or neither. It’s up to you.”
Reilly pouted. “That’s not fair.”
“This has to be a decision. We shouldn’t just fall into it.”
“Why not?” Seth said roughly. In one stride, he was on her. He dragged her against him, and his mouth landed on hers.
Reilly had no chance. His all-on approach overwhelmed her in a way she had never experienced before. Not even last night with Brennan. Seth’s passion swamped her with need, her own rising to meet his.
Seth kissed her stupid, and then he kissed her some more, until she could barely remember her own name. He worked his mouth over hers, opening her, then thrusting his tongue inside in ravenous tasting. She kissed him back, adoring his caresses, until she realized there were four hands touching her, not two.
Then she froze. Behind her, Brennan nuzzled her neck. “Relax, Reilly. Stop thinking, just feel. We’ll be good for you. I promise.”
Seth didn’t stop kissing her. As if her life depended on it, he took her repeatedly. He kissed her hard, then softened the effect with gentle touches that caressed her like a warm summer breeze.
Brennan stroked her body, slow passes from armpit to hip, and then down her back, as if he was petting a cat. That was before he moved her hair aside and kissed her neck. Already she recognized his touch. Seth was new and exciting, but Brennan excited her, too. Thank fuck she didn’t have to choose.
Wow, she didn’t, did she? She’d take it from there. At the very least she’d found herself lovers who would take her to a new place, men who respected her enough to pause and check with her. Even though their kisses and caresses grew wilder, she knew for sure that if she said no, they’d stop. They might try to persuade her to change her mind, but if she was firm, they’d accept her decision.
Speaking of firm...Brennan pushed against her, his cock hard under his jeans. He moved in a persuasive rhythm, pressing into the cleft between her buttocks as if he could fuck her through their clothes.
Off, she wanted their clothes gone. Skin to skin grew important, more than anything else. If she could, she’d have ripped them off bodily.
That would mean she’d have to stay naked, since she only had what she stood in, until the police gave her permission to collect her belongings. Somehow the idea of that didn’t seem too bad right now. As long as they stayed naked with her.
Brennan was right. The less she thought, the bet
ter it got, but she wasn’t used to not thinking. Her life to date had been frantic, rushing from crisis to crisis, until she collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Then she started again.
She couldn’t do it.
Without warning, Seth swung her up into his arms. “We’re taking this upstairs.”
“But it’s not—it’s only late afternoon. We haven’t...we can’t...”
“We can.” Brennan touched her face, stroking his finger down her cheek. “We need to show you how to relax and let us take care of you. You don’t do that often, do you, princess?”
She shook her head and buried her face in Seth’s broad chest. His chuckle rumbled through her. “Brennan’s right. Let’s just take this as it comes.”
“I’ll try.”
Before Seth moved away, Brennan bent and kissed her. He glanced at his breed partner. “Your room or mine?”
Seth raised a brow and there was a pause before he said, “My room is closer.”
Chapter Seven
Seth bore Reilly away. She felt kind of foolish being carried like that, but it also felt good. They were trying to get her to relax, she got that, but she wasn’t used to it. Nobody had ever wanted to take care of her before, not since she was a kid. She’d left home at eighteen, and since then, apart from visits to her family, she’d been on her own and happy to be that way.
Seth held her close as he took her through the large room, out the door at the far end, and up a flight of broad stairs to the floor above. The windows displayed open country, the sun still streaming in, brightening the light colors and clean surfaces. Like the great room, the stairs and flooring were light, natural wood. It must have cost a fortune, but this was a show house, or so they’d told her. And they were right about the other thing, too—it was huge. Or the airiness of the place made it seem that way.
A row of doors confronted them, but only on one side. The other had large windows overlooking the front of the property.
Brennan opened the second door and ushered them in. Like a waiter or a groomsman, he gestured them inside with a broad sweep of his hand and an equally broad smile. She glanced down. The bulge at his crotch was mouthwatering.
