Owen tapped his fingers lightly on the rim of the drum. “Living with the creator has no advantage either; she wouldn’t give me a preview.”
Chris threw his head back and laughed. “Well, I got to see the material and have been picturing Kasey covered in it ever since.”
Justin leaned down. “Have orders from Gwen to light the fire now. So if you gentlemen will get ready to start I’ll go tell Charlie to get it ready.” Dade nodded and straightened up.
“We’re ready.” Steven grinned. “We’ll start with a slow steady beat for the ladies to finally make their appearance.”
“Can’t miss that.” Justin smirked as he walked away. *
Charlie lit the fire without any ceremony and then walked back to stand behind the drummers.
Dade was just leading them into a quiet gentle rhythm when Patrick straightened up.
“They bring tears to my eyes,” he whispered to Steven.
All four men turned to follow the direction he was looking. Coming over the knoll were the four women they’d waited for. They walked with their slow grace towards the fire giving them a mystical appearance. Steven sat back and watched their reactions, not sure if he could look at Rachel and not do something she’d get mad at him for.
Chris straightened up and grinned as his eyes ran over Kasey. The dark green material had been chosen and it was draped to hug her hips low on her waist. It looked like leaves falling down a few inches on her calves.
The top of it looked like leaves wrapped tightly across her chest leaving a lot of exposed skin for his eyes to devour. She had put some sort of green sparkles in her hair she looked exactly like a little forest fairy. Chris groaned.
Owen’s smile was a wide knowing grin that said he knew he would get to take the wispy thing from his beautiful witch later on. Her outfit was much the same as Kasey’s only had been done in a deep purple with longer material gliding over her thighs. “I’m a lucky man.” Owen said to no one in particular.
Steven was having a hard time concentrating on the beat his hands were supposed to be tapping out when he looked at Rachel. His dark haired angel was draped in a deep red filmy material. The witch on her thigh completely exposed. Following her legs down he caught his breath to see red cuffs around her ankles.
The material covering her breasts moved as she walked and he knew with one look there was nothing but skin underneath. Whistling out a breath he lowered his eyes to focus on his hands for a moment to clear his head and concentrate on the drumming.
He looked back up to see Coralee headed straight towards Dade as they entered the circle. Stopping just in front of him she began to dance slowly to his rhythm alone. She lowered her lashes and let the beat take her.
Dade licked dry lips as he watched her. Her slender body moved with his hands. The yellow fabric barely covering her moved with a floating motion to her body’s movement.
As she turned back towards him he swallowed. He followed her every movement as she moved to circle the flames with the other women.
“Someone give me a drum.” Patrick muttered. “I won’t be able to stand up for an hour.”
Grinning at him Chris motioned with his head to one of Dade’s sitting beside him.
*
Wiping the sweat from his brow Dade guzzled another bottle of water. “The girls will want to head back soon. I’ve never seen them dance this long before.”
Chris grinned. “Not enjoying it?”
Dade smirked. “Enjoy it much more and I’m going to pass out from lack of oxygen to my brain.”
“Is it just me or are they going heavy with that mead of theirs tonight?” Steven asked quietly flexing his sore hands.
Owen nodded then grinned. “They’re burning it off as fast as they drink it.”
Chris leaned back and watched Kasey work her way towards the drummers. She was biting her bottom lipand he smiled. Steven decided he may not know Kasey all that well, but by the sappy look Chris was giving her, she knew how to work the man.
“Chris,” she said quietly walking to him and kneeling down in front of him.
The sappy look didn’t leave Chris’s face. “Yes, sweetheart?”
She chewed her bottom lip again. “I’ve been sent as the messenger. We want to dance a bit longer.”
Steven noticed the other men stopped moving and just looked at her.
Kasey bit her lip again. “We need you to drum--and--just don’t be mad, okay?”
Chris leaned forward watching her mouth. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.” He brushed his lips over hers. “I’ll drum as long as you want to torture me.” She smiled a small nervous smile and got up weaving her way through the others.
Dade watched her walk towards the other women. “What the fuck?”
Steven turned to see where Dade was looking. The four women huddled together on the outskirts of the circle heads close together. Cora and Rachel were wrapped in sarongs. He squinted as he watched Leena leaning around to do something to Kasey’s top.
“Fuck!” Steven spat from beside him.
Dade stood up watching carefully. Cora looked over at them and her eyes pleaded.
“They wouldn’t use themselves as bait would they?” Patrick whispered quietly to Steven.
“Fuck!” Steven spat again. “Yes they would.”
A few of the drummers started playing again. Glancing back down at them Patrick gripped his shoulder. “I’ll keep watch of the crowd, if I were you men I’d help them through this because it doesn’t look like any of them want to do it, but they’re going to do it with or without you. Then I’d carry them home and lock them up.” He walked behind the drummers.
“Fuck this!” Dade growled as he reached down and picked up his drum to strap it around his waist.
Chris did the same without taking his eyes of Kasey. “They’re going to have some serious fucking explaining to do later.”
Owen set his drum down and stood up. “If one man takes one step towards Leena I’ll be throwing him into the fire.”
Steven stepped up beside Dade as he watched the women work their way toward the fire again. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do when they dropped the wraps around their shoulders. Glancing at Dade he snarled. “Help them or drag them away?”
Dade watched Cora walking towards them with the other three. Cora stared over at them. “Fuck!” Dade whispered. “Help.” Taking a deep breath he waited for the right beat to join in on then began to add to it.
Gritting his teeth, Steven picked up with Dade’s rhythm and watched Rachel walk towards him with scared eyes.
Chris held himself rigid as Kasey stepped over in front of him. He kept his hand pounding out the rhythm. Steven didn’t need to think long about it to know Chris was forcing himself to drum so he wouldn’t grab Kasey.
“We have to.” Kasey said softly searching his eyes. “I love you.” She whispered as she dropped the sarong from her shoulders.
Chris’s jaw clenched when he looked down to see what was his moving before him with only the small material wrapped across her hips on. She kept her eyes on his as she moved and he saw how much she didn’t want to do. Closing his eyes Chris opened them again and smiled to her as best he could manage. She smiled back and turned to dance in front of him for a few minutes longer before circling the fire.
Steven watched Dade look down into Coralee’s eyes. Even he could see the shame in them as she dropped the wrap at his feet. Dade’s eyes moved over her and he missed a beat on his drum.
“Please, Dade,” Cora whispered as she began to move.
Clenching his jaw Dade swore under his breath and then took a step away from the other drummers moving closer to her. “Dance for me, Coralee,” he said softly before changing the beat.
Cora stared at him for a moment before lowering her lashes and following the call of his drum. She continued to move in front of him for a few more beats before she moved towards the women circling the flames.
Owen was watching Leena’s wrap hit the gro
und. Steven didn’t need to guess that Owen wasn’t happy to see pale skin bared to everyone there. Leena’s eyes held Owen’s as he looked at her. She mouthed I love you, before turning to join the other women. He followed her every move around the fire watching for anyone to get too close to her.
When Rachel danced up in front of Steven she wouldn’t look at him. Her head was down as she moved slowly to the beat. He stepped towards her, watching.
She lifted her head and watched his face as she moved erotically and dropped the wrap from her shoulders. He didn’t look over her body, just continued to watch her eyes and beat out the rhythm.
Letting out a breath he nodded his head slightly to her and watched as relief cross her face before she turned to take her place between Cora and Kasey going past them.
Justin stopped drumming when Gwen appeared by the fire. She gracefully moved in place behind Leena. The material barely covering her was completely transparent. She blew him a kiss. Grinding his teeth he shook his head and began to drum again.
*
Patrick stood back watching everything. Those women certainly knew how to push buttons. He’d never seen so many males that angry in his life and yet each one had given to her what she needed to find the courage to do this. Incredible, he thought with a shake of his head. Walking back into the shadows a bit further, he scanned everyone around the fire then looked to the drummers.
Old Charlie was drumming like he was possessed with a huge grin on his face, well, he couldn’t blame him there-those were some very sexy women revealing themselves to the old bachelor.
He grinned as he eyes moved over young Kevin. The poor medic looked like he was in need of a medic himself just now as his eyes moved over the women.
Everyone was used to seeing the ladies and sometimes men strip off some clothes as the night went on and the drumming got louder. But the four--no five, he supposed that were moving in among the other dancers tonight had never done this before so it was a whole new viewing pleasure.
Shaking his head Patrick got a rein on his own thoughts and looked back to the dancers again. He let out a slow breath as Rachel stopped in front of Steven again. The way that woman was moving should only be done behind closed doors he thought. Then he grinned. The doc had control he’d give him that much, if it had of been him she’d stopped in front of he would have thrown his drum to the ground and kissed her feet in thanks.
When Coralee caught his eye with a frightened look he straightened and walked towards her. With her eyes she motioned towards the drummers. He inclined his head and turned to walk around by the drummers.
*
Dade watched her without missing a beat. He couldn’t look at the silver rings hanging from her nipples or he’d never be able to do this. Blinking he saw her send Patrick a silent message. She then danced over in front of him and looked him right in the eye.
When she raised her arms in a graceful motion above her head and moved with his hands to the tattoo on the drum his eyes Dropped and explored her slowly before looking back up at her. He knew she saw his every thought plain in his eyes right now. Lowering her lashes she smiled at him and then turned back to dance towards the drummers.
Dade watched Patrick lean down by Justin and say something.
Justin took his eyes from his wife and nodded slowly in time to the beat. Standing up, he held the drum between his thighs and slowly moved his eyes over the other drummers.
Chris had now turned his caressing look from Kasey to the drummers as well. Justin was searching the faces of each drummer. Patrick stood off to the side searching for something as well. He nodded to Steven when he glanced over at him.
Steven stopped drumming. He waited until Rachel was almost in front of the drummers and then set his drum on the ground. He went over and started dancing with her in front of the drummers. She turned and watched for a moment before catching the look he was sending her.
Biting her bottom lip she moved closer to him and began to move suggestively with him.
*
Patrick smirked at Dade and then turned to focus on watching the drummers and not the couple in front of them. If they had been touching he would have said they were doing things that were only meant to be done in private.
Dade watched Coralee go over and dance off to the side of where Steven--who really could fucken’ move, he thought--and Rachel too. He watched for a moment to make sure Steven’s eyes weren’t on Cora and couldn’t help but grin at the look Doc was giving the dark haired woman in front of him.
Leena moved over to Cora and continued to move as she watched the other woman’s face. She was definitely sensing something right now. With a small shake of her head Cora turned towards where Dade was.
She couldn’t continue this anymore. He searched her face for a moment before leading the other drummers very loudly into the end of the rhythm. The last hand hadn’t stopped before he was picking up the sarong at his feet and striding towards her. Noting the other men were doing the same just as quickly.
Grouping the women together in between their bodies they slowly drank some water as their eyes searched over all the drummers still sitting taking a break.
Turning back Steven nodded and then looked at the women. “You’re done dancing,” he said quietly.
They turned and began walking quickly in front of them towards the cottage.
Chapter 4
Setting his drum down beside the door Steven turned back to look at the four women sitting on the couch. “What the hell possessed you to do that?”
Dade opened his mouth to say something and then shut it again with a click of his teeth.
Owen crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at Leena. “I can’t even put into words how I’m feeling right now, Aileena,” he said softly.
Chris glared at Kasey, who glared right back at him.
Rachel stood up and squinted at Steven. “Okay last time I checked this was my body, my body, and I’m pretty sure I can do whatever the hell I want with it!” She glared at Steven daring him say something.
Steven stepped in front of her and scowled down at her. “I can’t speak for the rest of the men here, but if you want to dance around naked, that’s certainly your choice...”
Owen snorted. He continued. “I was referring to purposely setting yourself in front of a killer saying ‘pick me’. Are you fucking crazy?” He bit out between clenched teeth.
“That wasn’t what we were doing,” Rachel hissed back at him.
Cora stood up and put up a hand. “Everyone just calm down for a minute.”
Dade was in front of her in two strides. “Calm? You want calm honey? Then you should have kept your damn clothes on.” His voice was so quiet Steven barely heard him from a few feet away.
A burst of wind rushed over everyone. “Everyone stop it right now!” Leena stood up. Ignoring Owen’s look she walked over and stood beside Cora. “We weren’t using ourselves as bait, exactly; we know how he thinks the victims look when they dance, so we were hoping Cora would pick up his thoughts as we danced.”
Steven threw up his hands. “And then what? You four would go for a nice midnight stroll alone and see if you could bag him?” He was barely holding on and he knew it when he felt the boards under his feet begin to shake. He watched Rachel’s eyes widen. The touch of a hand caressed over his cheek and even though Rachel hadn’t moved, he knew it was her who sent it to him. Dropping his head he breathed slowly through it.
Dade looked at the floor then back to Steven. “Sit! I’ll do the yelling without shaking the damn building apart.”
Steven held up his hands and sat down in the chair.
Dade turned back to Leena as the door opened and Patrick walked in.
“Didn’t knock, was afraid I was going to have to come to someone’s rescue.”
Steven noted everyone gave him a bland look. “Oh good I see I haven’t missed the battle then.” Patrick ran a hand over the back of his neck and then looked around at the women. “My hats
off to you for your guts, ladies. I suspect Rhonda helped in this planning?” Cora twisted her hands in her lap. “No need to confirm it, I just know.” He walked over and squatted down in front of Kasey. “We almost had strong enough vibes to get him, so relax.” He stood up and looked at the men. “I think we should let the ladies go get changed or at least dressed and then continue this discussion, I have a plan.”
*
Rachel walked back into the room hardly wearing more than she’d left in. Steven’s eyes moved slowly over the short skirt and halter-top she had on, pausing long enough to caress the witch on her thigh with his eyes. “Sit.” He motioned to the couch. She scowled at him, but did it.
Everyone turned to Patrick, waiting. He glanced around at the men with a sober look on his face. “You’re not going to like this one bit.” He paused when he heard the door open. Kevin and Justin walked in.
“Justin, there was no need to bring back up.” Patrick looked at Kevin and then back to the older man.
Justin grinned. “It’s okay, Patrick. Kevin here is apparently really good at keeping secrets.” Kevin turned and grinned at Kevin who shook the shaggy brown hair out of his eyes and held out his palm. A butterfly appeared.
He looked over at Rachel and grinned as it fluttered over to her. “Oh!” She smiled at him and watched it before it disappeared.
“Well,” Dade whispered. “Welcome to magic is us,” he added sarcastically before he smirked. “You’ve hid it very well over the years.”
Kevin shrugged giving Dade a boyish grin. “Just being careful.” He turned towards Rachel and winked. “Had too much fun trying to catch all of you at it first.”
Rachel smiled at him. “We’re a mix and match group so I’m sure you’ll blend right in.”
Steven watched the way she smiled at the kid, okay maybe not kid but he was too young for her. Clearing his throat he looked back at Patrick. “The plan?”
Patrick shoved his hands into his pockets and let out a breath. “With the ladies permission we’ve decided to switch the watch partners around for the next few nights.” *
Patrick had been right, Steven thought. Not one male liked the plan but when Kasey and Rachel slapped invisible hands over objecting mouths they had to back down and allow them to decide for themselves.
Harvest Dreams Page 4
