“Something stupid.”
And he needed to fix it. He pulled out his cell phone and started to dial. He wanted her. More than wanted her. TS…Truly, was getting under his skin more than any women he’d ever known. He thought about her constantly. Finally admitting that to himself, to his friends, had only made it harder to resist her. And with Clay’s reaction and the comments Louis had made, he wondered why he was even trying.
At the very least, Truly deserved to know that the last thing he wanted, the last thing any of them wanted, was for her to go away.
What happened after that was up to her.
Chapter Four
Cue Twilight Zone music.
Truly wasn’t sure what was going on, but she couldn’t help but feel that something had changed. Maybe it was the setting. The large, rustic kitchen radiated warmth and family. She could see a family here. Baking cookies. Sitting at the large island in the middle of the room, talking and laughing over breakfast with friends.
They’d taken down all the youthful pictures and childish drawings that had papered the refrigerator for the video. But the sight had made a part of her yearn. Made her miss her own family, all the aunts and cousins and the swarm of children who grew up too quickly back home.
She’d been surprised this was Nate’s house. Oh, it still had all the best equipment, but, well, it was bright and friendly. Full of light and color. So different from how his restaurant had started out before the construction crews had begun demolishing.
It must be his sister’s influence.
That wasn’t the only thing that seemed strange tonight. The guys were different. Louis hadn’t been cracking dirty jokes, Clay hadn’t been asking her questions about her day, and Nate…she wasn’t looking at Nate, so she wasn’t sure. She couldn’t. Not after what they’d done. After what he’d said.
When she’d started recording all the men followed her instructions, and it was just as she’d imagined. They were so comfortable in front of the camera, so skilled and knowledgeable about their cooking, and their shirts were tight enough to accentuate their other gifts. She knew her instincts had been dead on. The camera loved them, and everyone who saw them would love them too.
Louis was the most talkative. While he pan seared his coconut encrusted tiger prawn medallions and flambéed the sauce that would go with it, he flirted with the camera, looking directly at Truly. She hoped her little handheld concealed her blush. He compared great food to great sex, the textures, the sensations. How spicy, savory and sweet all played a part. How the best taste experiences contained all three elements.
Clay was hesitant to start, but once he began to make the dessert his shoulders relaxed. Truly’s mouth watered as she watched him create a cappuccino soufflé with a chocolate raspberry truffle ganache. He seemed to forget the camera was there, and his smooth voice coated Truly like warmed honey. When he was done he licked his fingers in a way that had her thighs clenching together once more.
When it was time for Nate and the main course, she was surprised again. He expertly flipped the red snapper in the pan, adding herbs and spices, mixing the root vegetable slaw with quick hands and a skill that impressed her in spite of herself. He didn’t complain, didn’t hesitate. Instead he told a story of how the men of The Iron Horse had met. The three of them had been fighting amongst each other for the top slot in every class at the Institute. It didn’t take long for that competition to turn into friendship, and that friendship to culminate in a decision to celebrate their graduation with a bike ride up the West coast.
They’d sampled some of the best food there was to offer, met innovative and interesting chefs, and learned that they didn’t want to be limited by restrictive menus or owners who tried to control them. The idea for The Iron Horse was born on that trip. With their own restaurant they could chart their own course, meld their different styles and talents and make great food without worrying about stars or accolades.
Truly was enthralled. She understood some of his hesitance now. He didn’t want their love for the craft to turn sour. But he needed to understand that she didn’t want to change them. She just wanted to help them find a balance between their principles and starvation. She loved how unique they were. It was one of the reasons she knew they would be a huge sensation.
Clay’s gentle voice behind her made the camera jump. “Time to eat, TS. Turn that thing off, I’m starving.”
Louis chimed in. “Amen. Can’t let all this deliciousness go to waste, can we?”
Her nerves returned with a vengeance. She lowered the handheld and shifted uncomfortably, avoiding their gazes. “Actually, I think I got everything I need. I have to get back home to my computer and make magic. Not that this will need much editing. All three of you were wonderful.”
She jumped again when Nate thumped a large plate onto the island in front of her. “Truly. Eat.”
Damn it. They knew her name. Now it would begin. “Robert is in so much trouble.”
Louis rubbed her shoulders. “Don’t be mad at him, babe. We’re just irresistible. Or I should say, Jane is irresistible, and we’re just nosy. Take your pick. Aren’t you hungry? Don’t insult the chefs, now. Our egos are fragile.”
She sat with a huff on the stool they scooted in behind her. “That is patently untrue. Thank you. It does smell delicious.”
She popped one of Louis’s appetizers in her mouth, the crisp skin of the shrimp, the tender center and the sweet and spicy lime and passion fruit sauce reminding her instantly of her carnal shower fantasies. Food was powerful. Sensual. Louis had been right. She picked up another, her lids lowering as she let all her taste buds savor the flavor.
Her lashes fluttered up when she noticed the heavy silence in the room. She looked up, feeling the warm sauce coating her lower lip and licking at it with her tongue.
They were staring at her. All of them. She rubbed her chin. Was she covered in sauce? Did she have something in her teeth? “What?”
Clay was the first to speak. “We’re just glad you like it.”
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Louis began to chew again, his cheeks darkening as though he were blushing, and Nate…Well, Nate looked the same as he always did. Intense.
“Try a bite of this.” Nate held up a forkful of the main course, the fish perfectly cooked, the aroma heavenly.
Still, she hesitated. Maybe it was just to watch his jaw clench. Some masochistic part of her enjoyed challenging him. Sparring.
He shook his head. “I can out-stubborn you, Truly, and you know it. Now, be a good girl and open your mouth. Or I may have to spank you.”
She opened her mouth, chewing automatically, tasting nothing. She knew her eyes were wide, knew her cheeks were heating. Spank her. He may have to spank her. She couldn’t get the words, or the images they immediately created out of her head.
And he knew it.
The fork clattered to his plate. “We heard your old boss harassed you. That when you wouldn’t do what he wanted, he had you fired.”
She choked on the last bit of fish and watched Clay groan, burying his face in his hands. She could have sworn she heard him mumble, “Way to break the mood, buddy.” But maybe that was just wishful thinking on her part.
“I may really fire Robert now.” The three men looked at her, indignant on her behalf, and she sighed. “It wasn’t me. He didn’t harass me. Not that way. There was an intern and, well, I just helped her escape the situation intact. Clive Garret would never, in a million years, hit on someone like me.”
Louis turned in his chair. “Someone like you?”
She rolled her eyes and stood up, gesturing to her body, currently encased in a baggy T-shirt and long brown broom skirt. “I don’t think I have to spell it out, guys. His tastes aren’t all that unusual. He likes a little less cushion. A little more sex appeal. But that’s ancient history. I’m working for myself, and I have three fantastic clients. So everything turned out all right in the end.”
“Clay, Lou, go and wait in th
e other room. Truly and I will clean up these dishes.”
Nate’s deep voice was commanding. Clay looked like he wanted to argue, but Louis wrapped an arm around his shoulder and guided him out the door. Truly watched them disappear into the living room, and turned back to Nate, her brow furrowed.
He shook his head, gathering up the plates and dumping them into the sink loudly. She picked up her plate, gazing with longing at Clay’s dessert, and joined him at the counter.
She turned to gather up the dirty pots and pans, but Nate was too fast for her. He stepped closer, his body flush against hers and his thickly muscled arms blocking her in on both sides. He turned on the water behind her, adding dishwashing liquid before catching her eye.
His voice was rough, almost a growl. “We’ll get to the someone like you comment in a minute. First, I want you to know that I’m glad that jackass didn’t touch you. I’m not a violent man by nature, but when I thought he’d tried to force himself on you…” He closed his eyes for a moment, and Truly found herself fascinated by the sooty shadow of his long lashes. No man should have lashes like that.
She was so lost in her study that she didn’t think of holding back her question. “Why do you care, Nate? Why did you want to know?”
His lids lifted and from this close she could see that his chocolate-colored irises were flecked with bits of amber. God, she wished he would kiss her.
“I wanted to know because I needed to be sure. Sure that you didn’t need time to heal. That I didn’t have to punch his face in. Or wait.”
Her breath was ripped out of her lungs. “Wait for what?”
He narrowed his gaze, and Truly found herself whipped around until she was facing the sink, the warm stream of water filling the room with the fragrant aroma of the lavender dish soap foaming over the plates. He turned off the water before it could overflow.
“Nate, what are we—?”
He shushed her. “Now who’s impatient?” Nate pressed his hips against her back, and she gasped, the heat from his erection burning her through her cotton skirt. He slid his hands down her bare arms, and she shivered, watching as his fingers intertwined with hers and disappeared beneath the bubbles.
As he caressed her palms and wrists, he pressed his lips against her temple. “We’re supposed to be doing the dishes, aren’t we? But all I can think about is how soft your lips were this morning, and how much I want to taste your bare nipples under my tongue.”
His hands lifted from hers and cupped her breasts, soaking her T-shirt. “Damn. I’ve gotten you all wet. Now we have to take your top off.”
Truly was in a daze, allowing him to raise her arms above her head and remove her shirt. He had gotten her wet, and it was more than just her white lace bra, now transparent and clinging to her skin. She looked down at her breasts, never willing to stay confined for long, and noticed they were swelling above the cups. Begging for attention. The dirty little harlots.
Nate’s mouth opened over her shoulder and a raw sound of need emerged. “Jesus, Truly. You’re killing me.” He unsnapped the front clasp of her bra and cupped her heavy breasts in his hands.
“Wait. Your sister…the children…we can’t.” She couldn’t focus. Not with those skilled and powerful hands caressing her. So much better than she’d imagined. So much hotter, rougher. Perfect.
He bit her shoulder lightly, licking the spot as though to soothe. “They’re gone for a few days to visit family. Spur of the moment. Is that all you’r worried about? What about Clay and Louis in the other room? They could hear us. They could come in, wondering what was taking us so long.”
She shuddered tellingly, more aroused by that thought than she wanted to admit. Nate’s chuckle was hot against her skin. He rolled her nipples between his callused fingers, seeming fascinated by her reactions to his touch. His words.
His whisper was no more than a rasp. “You like that idea.” It wasn’t a question. One hand left her breast to fall to her hip, gathering her broom skirt in his hand slowly, teasingly. “Tell me…Truly…have you ever been with more than one man at the same time? Ever been pleasured by two? By three?”
Only in her dreams. “N-no. Never. Oh God.” What was she doing? Why wasn’t she stopping him? He was rude and arrogant. He’d never apologized for his comments. Never thanked her for what she was doing for his restaurant. And yet, she’d never wanted anyone more. She was a masochist. That was the only explanation. The only reason she was holding her breath, every cell of her body reveling in his touch and yearning for more.
His hand was skimming against her thighs, lifting her skirt higher and higher. “They want you, you know. Have just as much trouble concentrating when you’re around as I do. Are just as distracted by that fiery hair, these beautiful breasts. Your sweet, heart-shaped ass.”
Truly shook her head. “I thought they were… I saw them…”
Nate hissed. “You saw them. Did you like what you saw?”
Her whimpered, “Yes,” had him swearing again. “Trust me, they want you. No woman has affected all of us this way in a long time. No one has ever affected me this way.”
That last admission was said almost angrily, as though he resented his reaction to her. And she didn’t believe a word he said about the others. Even though she desperately wanted it to be true.
Oh, they’d been solicitous, even kind, and their flirtation had been good for her ego. But neither Clay nor Louis had ever pressed her against the wall or touched her the way Nate was touching her. The way they’d touched each other. Neither of them was sliding a large hand toward the inside of her thigh, inhaling sharply when they discovered her secret.
She wasn’t wearing any underwear.
“Fuck me. You are a bad girl, aren’t you?” He tucked her skirt into her waistband, leaving her open, vulnerable. His fingers slid through her curls, and his chest rumbled when he felt her slick arousal soaking his skin. “Such a bad girl. You are begging for a spanking, aren’t you?”
She whimpered, and he pushed his jean-clad thigh between her legs, spreading them further apart. One thick finger slid between the sensitive lips of her sex, inside her. “Did you like the sensation? Did you like knowing that you were right in front of us, filming us as we cooked for you, sat beside you and never knew how you were taunting us?”
“Yes.” Her breathless admission surprised her. But it was true. After this morning’s encounter and her shower fantasy…after being insulted about her attractiveness yet again by her ex boss, it had given her a little thrill. Had made her feel a bit like she was standing naked beside them. Made her feel sexy. It had been so long since she’d felt that way.
Nate swore behind her, his forehead pressing against her shoulder. “You’ve done it again haven’t you? Distracted me. I wanted to talk to you, wanted to tell you…” At his silence she felt a moment’s fear that he was going to push her away again, send her home unsatisfied. Again. She wasn’t sure she could take it.
He sighed. “Now all I can think about is fucking you.”
His jeans scraped against the back of her thighs as he let her go to pull off his too tight T-shirt. He reached into his pocket, and she heard the tearing of foil. Was this really happening? God, she hoped so.
She looked out the dark window above the sink. She couldn’t see anything except their reflection. Her face was flushed, her breasts large and aching, her eyes wide. Nate, shirtless behind her, his gaze never left hers.
Her hands were still in the soapy water. She’d never think of dishes the same way again.
Nate laid his hand on her back and gently pressed her forward, the cool steel of the sink digging into her stomach. “I can’t wait, Truly. I need to be inside you. Tell me you need it too.”
“Please.” Was that her whispered plea? She shivered, arching her neck at the feel of his condom-encased cock sliding against the cheeks of her ass.
Before she could have time for second thoughts he positioned himself between her thighs, his hands squeezing the soft, ample
skin of her hips as he pressed inside. “Oh fuck. Sweet baby. That’s right. Let me in. Take all of me.”
Truly tasted blood. She knew she was biting her lip to keep from screaming in pleasure, the knowledge that they weren’t alone in the house only fueling her arousal. There was no gentle, questioning thrusts, no new lover caresses. Nate was claiming her as though she belonged to him, as though he knew exactly what she needed. How she needed it. Hard and fast.
And the things he was whispering in her ear only threw her deeper into the flames.
“You were made for this weren’t you? Every part of you so soft, so ripe and ready for me. For us.” He dipped his knees and powered into her from behind, his cock filling her so completely with each thrust and she saw stars. “I find that I’m greedy with you, Truly. Possessive. There are only two men I would share you with. Two men I’d let near you. Would you like that? All of us touching you. All of us inside you. Your mouth. Your ass. This hot, tight pussy that’s clinging so sweetly to my cock?”
Her curls clung damply to her cheeks as she nodded, lost in the fantasy, lost in the sensations building to a frenzy inside her. Her clit was pressing against the counter, rubbing against the hard, cool surface with every thrust of his hips. His grip was powerful as he lifted her onto her toes, guiding her onto his erection with a strength that was nearly bruising. Controlling. Wonderful. But he wasn’t done.
“Say it, Truly. Tell me you’d love it. Tell me you’ve imagined it. All of us taking you. All of us fucking you. Me fucking you while you watched Louis suck Clay’s cock down his throat. Is that what you want?”
He wouldn’t release her gaze in the glass’s reflection, wouldn’t relent until she admitted her fantasies out loud. How he knew she wasn’t sure, but she could no more deny his request than she could stop the climax that crashed over her like a tidal wave.
“Yes, damn it! All of you. I’d love all of you fucking me… Fuck me… Oh God, Nate.”
He held her as her orgasm shuddered through her, everything else falling away but his body against hers, holding her together. A part of her felt him join her, come against her with a low shout and hard, jerking thrust of his hips.
Truly Scrumptious Page 4
