by Eve Vaughn
Dalos chuckled. “You’re embarrassing her, Maddox.”
“Look, if the two of you are going to torment me throughout the course of this meal I think I’d rather go home now.”
Maddox put his wine glass down. “It’s not my intention to tease you, Serena, but was I mistaken in my assessment that my offer interested you? I saw the curiosity on your face, especially when I mentioned the location. We’ve compiled a file on you. From what I’ve read and what I’ve observed from watching you, I think you’re past due for some adventure in your life.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
“What are you so afraid of?” Dalos wanted to know.
“Why can’t you two take no for an answer?” she shot back.
This would be harder than he thought it would be, but that was okay. Her surrender would be all the sweeter. “Because no isn’t what you want to say, and there are other factors involved.” Dalos reached across the table and captured a dainty hand.
“Like what?” She pointedly eyed his hand on hers, but he refused to remove it.
“Do we need to say it? I think you know.”
She snatched her hand away. “Can’t we change the topic? I was promised a dinner with no pressure and since I’ve gotten here that’s all I’ve received. You’re both laying it on very thick and it’s getting rather annoying.”
Dalos looked at Maddox, and knew his lover was thinking the same thing he was. Perhaps action would be best where words didn’t suffice. He inclined his head. “Fair enough. How about telling us about your hobbies? When you’re not working at the family business what do you like to do for fun?”
She smirked. “Isn’t that all in the file you have on me?”
Dalos chuckled. “The file pertains to things we need to know about you that would help us in convincing you to take the job. It doesn’t contain everything. For instance, the file never mentioned how lovely you are.”
Serena rolled her eyes with a laugh. “You guys must really want me to work for your company if you have to resort to lying.”
Maddox frowned. “Don’t you realize how beautiful you are?”
She blushed becomingly. “You guys really don’t have to flatter me.”
Dalos smiled. “The file never said anything about your low self-esteem either.”
She pursed her pretty pink lips. “It’s not that I have low self-esteem, I’m a realist. Obviously the two of you have never been the family outcasts.”
“I hardly think that’s true,” Maddox contradicted. “For the brief moment I spoke with your father on the phone, he spoke with a great deal of affection for you in his voice. It doesn’t sound like you’re an outcast to me.”
“I don’t mean it in the literal sense, but if you’ve ever seen my family, you’d know what I was talking about. My mother is a gorgeous redhead who doesn’t look a day over thirty-five, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve heard about my sister. Her adult film moniker is Kitten Rae. She’s the most downloaded woman on the Internet. Don’t get me started on my father and brother.” She rolled her eyes. “And then there’s me.”
Dalos tilted his head to the side, trying hard to take in what she was saying, but all he could think about was capturing those pouty lips between his teeth and tasting them. He wondered what kind of sounds she made during lovemaking. Was she a moaner or a screamer? Or was she silent as she raked her nails down her lover’s back? The thought sent a shiver up his spine. His cock rose to attention.
It was Maddox who spoke for him, obviously sensing Dalos’s discomfort. “I see nothing wrong with what I see. Trust me, Serena, you are a very desirable woman, but we’ll eventually convince you.”
“Oh? And what makes you so sure you can?” she challenged.
Maddox grinned. “You’ll see. So, back to the original question, why not tell us a little more about yourself -- likes, dislikes, hobbies.”
“And bore you to tears? I’m sure there is much more interesting conversation to be had than me running through my life story. My job is probably the most interesting thing about me.”
Dalos wanted to know more, but it seemed Serena wasn’t quite ready to be completely open with them. Covering his mouth as though to cough, he quickly uttered the words for the truth chant before lowering his hand again. “Serena, tell us where you see this night ending.”
Maddox shot him a questioning look, but remained silent as he leaned back in his chair.
“I…” Serena frowned, grabbing her water glass and taking a sip. “Did it suddenly get warm in here?”
Dalos shook his head although he knew a side effect of the chant was an infusion of heat in one’s body. “I feel fine.”
“Oh. Well, to answer your question, I planned on going home and taking out one of my creations.”
Now they were getting somewhere. Dalos prompted, “One of your creations? By that do you mean one of your handcrafted dildos?”
She nodded, picking up her water again. Serena took a healthier sip this time. “I planned on drawing a long, hot bubble bath, and then taking one of my toys in with me.”
His eyes briefly locked with Maddox’s, his obsidian eyes glazed with lust. How in the world would he be able to sleep tonight knowing Serena would be in a large tub of water, her breasts probably bobbing just above the surface, fucking herself with a giant prosthetic cock? Dalos had to place his hand over his cock to ease the ache. “Then what?” he asked a little more breathlessly than he’d meant to.
“I’m going to --”
“More wine, sir?” the server interrupted.
Serena shook her head as if coming out of a trance. Damn! The opportunity was lost. Why did the bumbling waiter choose such an inopportune moment to interrupt?
“Does it look like I need any more wine? My glass is full!” he growled.
The server turned beet red. “My apologies, sir.”
Dalos sighed. The man had only been doing his job. “No, I apologize. I had no right to snap at you like that. We won’t be needing anything right now. Do you, Serena?”
She shook her head, her expression still slightly dazed.
“That will be all,” Dalos dismissed.
“Very good, sir. Your meals should be out shortly.” With a slight bow the server left them. Dalos made a mental note to leave a larger tip.
“Serena, are you okay?”
She stood up. “I think I need to go to the bathroom.” Then to his chagrin, she raced off.
“You shouldn’t have given her the chant. It was probably too much for her system to handle considering I performed it on her yesterday,” Maddox lightly chided.
Dalos sighed. “But I was getting impatient, dammit. I can tell by her body language she’s interested, but why is she holding back?”
“I think I’ve surmised something about her through our earlier conversation. I don’t think she meant to tell me either, but when I was in her office yesterday, I asked her if she had any entanglements other than her family which would prevent her from joining Rookery Cove.”
“And?”
“She looked kind of sad when she told me no. Actually her exact words were, ‘according to my ex, who would have me? I’m as exciting as dishwater.’ I thought that comment rather odd, but now that I think about it, I believe she’s been hurt badly.”
“What a fool her ex was if he didn’t nourish the precious flower he had.” Anger raced through him at the mystery man who’d said such cruel things to his Serena. His Serena? He supposed she was now -- his and Maddox’s. Once he’d laid eyes on her, Dalos knew he’d fight to keep her in their lives.
“She is a prickly one. We already know her secret desires, but getting her to act on them will be the challenge,” Maddox mused.
“And this is definitely a challenge I’m up for.”
* * *
Serena patted a cool damp paper towel on her face. While at the table she’d had the sensation of blacking out for a
second, but she couldn’t have. Maddox or Dalos would have said something. Why did she have a feeling she’d revealed something to them she shouldn’t have, just like yesterday in her office with Maddox?
What had come over her? Serena’s goal had been to get through dinner without looking like an idiot and now that was a wash. How could she face the two men now? Slipping out of the restaurant wouldn’t be fair to either guy, but then she’d have to deal with the inconvenient feeling of desire as she looked at them.
It seemed as though her fantasy men had stepped right out of her dreams. Why did they pretend as if they were actually interested in her as anything other than a potential candidate for the job? She’d have to brazen this out and pretend the two of them weren’t the embodiment of her every wet dream.
Once Serena felt sufficiently calm she straightened her spine and walked out to rejoin the men. Her steak was waiting for her when she sat back down. “Mmm, this looks delicious.” She smiled, hoping they wouldn’t notice her shaking hands.
“Are you okay, Serena?” Dalos asked with apparent concern.
“Yes, I’m fine. It got hot in here all of a sudden. Maybe it was just one of those freak things,” she finished lamely, picking up her knife and fork. If her mouth was full, they couldn’t possibly ask her any more questions. She hurriedly stuffed a piece of steak in her mouth. Under other circumstances, she was sure the steak would be delicious, but with two pairs of eyes watching her every move, it tasted like cardboard. She swallowed the meat, washing it down with a sip of wine. Like magic the server appeared out of nowhere to refill her glass.
Serena laughed nervously. “Is there any particular reason the two of you aren’t eating your own food?”
“I suppose we’re a bit concerned for you, Serena. You rushed off in such a hurry to the restroom, we feared you might have gotten sick,” Maddox said, picking up his fork and knife finally.
She waved her hand dismissively. “It was nothing. I’m fine now.”
“Are you sure?” Dalos asked.
She cut another piece of her meat. “If you two keep this up, I’m going to start believing you actually care.”
Maddox’s eyes flashed briefly. “We do. Is that so very hard to believe?”
“Well, yes, but let’s not go down that road again.” She focused on her food. Though her steak was cooked to perfection, Serena had to down each bite with a sip of wine, because those eyes never left her. The rest of the meal was conducted in near silence. At times Maddox and Dalos would whisper something to each other in a language that sounded foreign to her ear. By the time her dinner was complete, she felt a little tipsy.
She stood up on wobbly legs, feeling the need to get out of this restaurant and away from these two men. Serena wished she’d never met either one of them, because now her fantasies would never be enough to keep her in comfort. She wasn’t even sure if her toys would help. “Look, I really have to get out of here. How much do I owe for dinner?” she asked, not wanting to be beholden to them.
“Don’t be silly, Serena. I invited you to dinner. Have a seat. You don’t look too steady.” Maddox sounded offended.
Now she’d really done it. Why did she always have a knack for saying the wrong thing? “No, I really have to go home. Thanks for dinner.”
Dalos stood up too. “I’ll escort her to the car while you take care of the bill.”
Maddox nodded.
Serena would have snatched her arm away when Dalos took it in his firm grip, but the combination of a bit too much wine and her hooker shoes told her it wasn’t a good idea. “You don’t have to do this,” she said as the tall blond led her out of the restaurant.
“Yes, I do, considering you had trouble walking in that ridiculous footwear in the first place. I’m quite sure the alcohol hasn’t helped either which is why I’ll drive you home. I can arrange for your car to be delivered to your home.”
“Whoa. I can drive myself.”
“I’ll pretend you didn’t say that. You’re an intelligent woman, Serena, and I’m sure getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated is the last thing you want to do.”
He was right, of course, but it didn’t mean she’d fall over herself to agree with him. Dalos led her to a silver luxury vehicle and opened the door for her. “Watch your head as you’re getting in,” he instructed.
Grumbling inwardly, she slid into the vehicle, careful not to let her dress ride too high up her thigh. Not that he’d be interested anyway.
Once he closed the door behind her, she expected him to get into the car, but he didn’t.
She looked through the rearview mirror to see what he was doing and saw Maddox had joined him. They would probably talk for a little while. She closed her eyes, leaning her head against the leather interior. After several minutes when Dalos still didn’t join her, she looked back once more to see what he was doing.
She gasped at the sight that greeted her eyes. Serena had no expectations of what she would see, but it certainly hadn’t been Dalos and Maddox in a passionate embrace, their mouths so tightly merged she didn’t know where one ended and the other began.
Her embarrassment was now complete. Not only could these men not possibly want her, they were gay. Way to go, Serena. You just spent the better part of an hour lusting after two homosexuals. Even though she knew she should, Serena couldn’t tear her eyes away from the scene. In her line of business, she’d thought seen it all, but up until this moment she hadn’t realized how sensual it was to see two men together.
Their tongues twined, their arms wrapped around each other. A familiar tingling sensation between her legs made her shiver. Before she realized what she was doing, her hand slowly drifted up her thigh until she encountered the damp cloth of her panties.
Licking her lips, she slipped the cotton covering aside and rubbed her engorged clit. She bit her lip to stifle a moan, her eyes never leaving the scene before her in the mirror. When Maddox pushed Dalos roughly against the car it created a loud thump. She gasped, hurriedly removing her hand. It quickly brought her back to her senses. They would probably think she was a Peeping Tom if they caught her watching this.
She sat with her hands fully on her lap, eyes downcast as she waited. A few minutes later, Dalos slid into the driver’s seat as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He didn’t particularly look embarrassed at what happened.
“Buckle your seatbelt, Serena,” he instructed, doing the same.
He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. They drove in silence for several minutes before Serena realized he hadn’t asked for directions to her house. “Umm, Dalos, you’re going the wrong way. My house is in the other direction.”
“We’re not going back to your house,” he said so calmly he could have been discussing the weather.
“I beg your pardon? Of course you’re taking me home. You said you would.”
“Maybe I did, but isn’t it one’s prerogative to change their mind? Actually if I hadn’t said I’d take you home, you would have continued to foolishly argue about driving yourself. I couldn’t allow that to happen, now could I?”
“Then where are we going, pray tell?”
“To my hotel room. I thought it would be comfy to have coffee there. Maddox will have everything set up by the time we arrive.”
Was he kidding? Did the two of them think once they got her alone, they would be able to bully her into agreeing to join their company? Just what kind of business did they run if they had to resort to these cloak and dagger tactics? “I’m not interested in coffee. I would appreciate it if you turned this car around and took me home. I don’t know where you come from, but kidnapping is illegal in this country.”
“I hail from a small town in Armenea, but it is unlikely you would have heard of it,” he spoke as though she hadn’t voiced her objections to going with him.
“Did you hear what I said? I don’t want to go with you. As a matter of fact, the minute you drop me off at my doorstep, I never want to see
you or your lover again!”
A slow smile spread across his face. He took his eyes off the road briefly. “Ah, so you saw that did you? I hate being away from him even for a few days. It’s been especially hard lately because he’s been traveling a bit more than usual.”
She snorted. “How nice for you, but you can spare me the details. Look, don’t you think it’s a little unethical for the two of you to try and coerce me into joining your company? I mean, this is over. I already said no.”
“I was hoping you would see us. How did it make you feel?” he asked softly.
Serena glared at him, wanting to throw something. “Are you slow? Didn’t you hear a word I said?”
“I heard you just fine. There’s no need to yell.” He tucked his blond hair behind his ear as though to underline the point.
She gasped. Why was his ear pointy? It looked like something straight out of Star Trek. “What’s wrong with your ear? I’m sorry,” Serena immediately apologized when she realized how rude that must have sounded. Maybe it was a deformity he didn’t want to discuss which was probably why he wore his hair that way. Maddox had his hair in a similar style. Did that mean they shared the same affliction?
“There’s no need to apologize. It’s why I wear my hair this way when I’m dealing with humans, but to answer your question, there’s nothing wrong with my ears. I could ask the same of you. I’d never seen ears like yours until I left Armenea.”
She shook her head, trying to wake herself from what was fast becoming a nightmare. What the hell was he talking about? Was she trapped in a car with an obviously delusional man? “Dalos, I would appreciate if you pulled over and let me out right now.”
“We’ll stop when we get to the hotel. Ah, here it is now.” He pulled into the most luxurious accommodation in the area. When he parked the car, her first instinct was to get out and run, but he was too quick for her. Turning, Dalos took her hand. The intensity of his blue gaze burned through her. “Serena, if you haven’t guessed, it stopped being about business the minute we laid eyes on you.”
Chapter Five
