by Sienna Black
She wanted it to. She hadn't meant to watch them. She didn't know there was anything to see, but when she'd come out of the shower and caught them, she hadn't been able to walk away. She needed to see every second, down to the last shudder and caress.
Seeing them kiss, watching Marcus thrust against Tyler and seeing Tyler's head tipped back as he gasped for breath turned her on, no question. Desire still pulsed between her legs, but it was more than that. For those few minutes, neither one of them had been restrained or tense or falsely polite. There'd been no minding manners and no playing roles. They were just men doing what felt best. They were gorgeous.
And she selfishly wanted them to do it again. She wanted both her men. If they wanted each other, so much the better.
"You really liked it?" Marcus asked again, studying her as if he'd never really seen her before. His scrutiny made her laugh and blush again, but she nodded all the same.
"I really liked it," she confirmed and leaned down to brush her mouth against his. "A lot," she mumbled and kissed him again. She met his gaze when their mouths parted, then turned to look at Tyler, who watched her just as curiously.
Sela'd never been one for holding back and not going after her desires. She wasn't going to start now. She exhaled as she moved in closer, put one knee on the couch between them and leaned down to kiss Tyler, too.
He slid his fingers into her hair right away, murmuring against her mouth as his tongue slicked past her lips hungrily. Surprise thrilled through her, followed hard by a new, fierce wave of desire.
The flames blazed higher when Marcus put his hands on her hips, pulling her back into his lap. He reached for the towel, untying the knot of terrycloth tucked between her breasts. He let his hand rest there for a moment while he traced the curve of her ear with his lips.
Then pulled away, tugged the towel open with the gesture. It left her boldly on display. Tyler's gaze devoured her and set her skin tingling. He moved closer, rolling forward on his knees, then he glanced over her shoulder. A silent bid for permission.
Marcus hefted one breast against his palm and caught her nipple, pinching it harder. Sela arched her back. Tyler groaned, closing the last distance between them to kiss her again as he trapped her between their bodies.
She could feel Marcus’s erection hot against the curve over her ass. Tyler's brushed against her thigh like a brand. He slid his hand between her thighs, finding her clit and stroking it once, a teasing touch that made her cry into his mouth and rock her hips forward. Marcus shuddered beneath her.
Tyler's gaze shifted to the side again when the kiss broke. The faintest hint of a grin touched his mouth, then he put his hands at Sela's waist. Marcus’s fingers rested at her ribs. Together, they moved her.
She couldn't breathe. Marcus cock nudged into her depths, then filled her completely. Her eyes drifted shut and her breath locked in her throat. She arched her back again, pressing her back against his shoulders. He slid his hand up her body, brushing a nipple again before he turned her head and kissed her at an awkward angle she didn't mind at all. She wound her arm around his neck, fingernails scraping his skin.
And felt wet heat against her clit. Tyler. Jesus! She forced her eyes open, looking down her body. He'd stretched out as best he could, one leg dangling off the sofa to keep from falling. He looked up briefly, then grinned and lowered his head again. His tongue took up where his fingers had left off, teasing her tighter as he circled her clit.
She climaxed hard and fast, sensation overwhelming her without warning. Marcus tensed beneath her and flexed his hips upward. Tyler lapped at her faster and she knotted her hand in his hair. Again. Again. It was all she could do not to beg.
She shouldn't have worried. Together, they pushed her to another climax. This time, Marcus warned beneath her ear, his voice hot and heavy, he'd come with her. She felt him pulse inside her and twisted her lips against Tyler's mouth. Marcus bucked and jerked behind her. Sela fisted her hand and rode the shuddering waves again. Tyler, his other hand wrapped around his cock, pistoned himself through his own fingers until he too was spent.
Then he pushed himself up to join them and leaned in for a kiss. Not from her. He leaned past her shoulder and kissed Marcus. A long, lingering kiss. He pulled back, met her gaze for a moment, then went back for another. Marcus murmured and his hips flexed into her again. She let her fingers graze Tyler's shoulder and skim the line of his body to his hip.
Then over his thigh and to his still-sensitive cock. He jerked when she touched him. He nipped her shoulder and licked the mark. She saw Marcus’s hand move, curling in Tyler's hair.
Complicated had never felt so good.
Chapter Seven
The Friday night barbeque was a Lone Tree tradition. On that night, Uncle Hector and the boys cleaned out the fire pit and guests and employees alike were invited to come and eat as much as they could.
When the weather was good and warm enough, they played music and called it a dance. Tonight, it was Nick's turn to entertain. The desk manager brought out his guitar and played a few tunes to get the group moving. He had a fantastic singing voice and loved to ham it up for the resort visitors. People laughed until their sides ached when Nick was at his best.
Tyler sat at the edge of it tonight, not quite feeling a part of the festivities. He had too much on his mind to want to celebrate.
He could have, maybe should have, walked away from Sela and Marcus. He'd keep his promise to help out on the case, but Marcus had nailed the problem on the head. Spending the night with them, not knowing exactly which arm or leg or body belonged to which person confused him.
No, he wasn't confused. He felt satisfied. Content. Happy. Distracted. He woke up with his nose in Sela's hair and Marcus’s hand splayed against his hip. If he hadn't been hard from dreaming, a moment's study of the other two, carelessly sprawled across one another, would have had him stiff and eager to go.
Not that he'd held back. Sela wouldn't let him. Marcus encouraged her. In truth, they all seemed to have fallen into a curious sort of comfort about the whole thing. There were no more protests, no more uneasy glances. This morning over breakfast, the big man Tyler had come to think of as perpetually gruff gave him the sort of smile that caused Tyler to count the heartbeats in his cock.
He didn't know what he was doing anymore. He'd never considered kissing a man. If he'd had to take a chance, it wouldn't have been on someone like Marcus. The man intimidated him. He could hurt him if he tried.
And yet, he had a gentle touch. Kissing him felt good in a whole host of unfamiliar ways.
Tyler swallowed a groan and rubbed a hand over his face. Not here, not now. He would never live down a hard on in public. He bit the inside of his cheek and thought of cold coffee. Rancid milk. The dirty floor of a stall left too long ...
"Hey."
Tyler looked up in time to see Miranda sit down. She headed up the housekeeping staff at the resort. A dark-eyed beauty, she and Tyler had hit it off right away. They'd spent more than one night tangled up together a year ago. Then they'd come to the mutual agreement that they made better friends than lovers and let the relationship go.
She settled beside him on the old piece of deadwood he'd chosen as a seat. He shifted over to give her more room.
"Hey yourself. What're you doing way over here?"
Miranda smiled and tucked a long, spiraling lock of hair behind her ear. Her hair coiled like loosely-twisted springs to the small of her back. Tyler had wasted a good deal of time testing how far they'd rebound when stretched straight. "I could ask you the same thing. You've been awfully quiet lately. Is everything all right?"
Tyler had no easy answers for her. He had none for himself, so it hardly surprised him. Still, there were things that one friend should be able to say to another. His situation made that impossible. So he summoned up a smile and exhaled a breath of near-laughter.
"Yeah, everything's good. Just got a little overwhelmed this week. I think my brain's still trying to cat
ch up." No think about it.
Miranda wrinkled her nose. "The old friend?" She smiled faintly when he cocked an eyebrow. "Alex told me about it, a couple days ago. Said you seemed really upset when he ran into you."
Tyler's stomach plummeted toward his toes. "He's talking about me? About us?"
She nodded, eyebrows climbing slowly. "Yeah. He told a bunch of us over lunch." Her smile returned, showing off a dimple. "I think it's sweet."
He didn't mean to stare, but couldn't seem to make himself blink. "You do?"
She shrugged. "Sure. I haven't brought my boyfriend over here because I'm nervous about you all meeting him too. I don't blame you for keeping her quiet."
"Her." Now he understood. He grinned to cover his confusion. "Oh! Right. Her. Yeah, well." He scratched his head. "I'm sure you'll like her if I ever work up the guts."
Miranda nudged his shoulder lightly. "I happen to think you've got pretty good taste."
"Not that you're at all biased," Tyler joked.
She grinned widely. "Not in the least."
They settled into a comfortable silence for a while, the night full of laughter, music and the pop of wood in the bonfire. Miranda stretched her legs out and pointed her toes.
"Alex, you know, he talks a lot." Tyler thought she'd lowered her voice. She definitely leaned against his shoulder again.
Tyler's eyebrows tugged together. "Talks a lot about what?"
"Plans, mostly." The flash of a grin came quick this time. "How he's not going to stick around here long. The little something he's got going on the side that he expects will make him a lot of money in the long run."
The short hairs at the back of Tyler's neck stood on end. "What kind of something?"
Miranda's shoulders moved again. Now, she all but whispered. With their heads bowed together as they were, no doubt they looked like they were flirting. Let people think what they would.
"He never gives any real details, you know?" She twisted her fingers into a fold of her jeans. "Just that any day now it's going to pay off. Mostly I ignore him," she confessed. "I know he says a lot of it to try and impress me." She snorted. "Guy doesn't know how to take no for an answer."
"But something different happened?" God, he'd even started talking like Marcus.
Miranda nodded and glanced sidelong at him. "Ever since he talked about running into you, he's been really edgy. Short-tempered, you know? And jumpy. I tapped him on the shoulder at lunch yesterday and, I swear, if I hadn't moved, I think he might have punched me. I surprised him, I guess, but he doesn't usually act like that."
Tyler frowned. "He didn't touch you, did he?"
Even in the firelight, he could tell that she blushed. "No, not even close. He calmed down right away. But then, this morning, when I was cleaning cottages, he followed me inside number three." She glanced around, pausing when someone stumbled by on the way to a bathroom. She continued only after he'd left hearing range.
"This morning, he told me it'd all be over tonight. His business prospects had dried up or something. He had to talk to his contact one last time, then he'd turn in his two-week notice." She ducked her head, guilty. "He asked me to go with him. I kind of freaked out."
This could be the move that Marcus and Sela anticipated. If Alex's "business" closed up tonight, he'd be moving the guns off the resort property. Tyler'd found one crate, but there was no telling how many more might be scattered around.
"Freaked out how?" His heartbeat tripped along double-time.
Miranda wrinkled her nose. "I told him off. Called him a dirty old man, that kind of thing. I mean, he's old enough to be my dad, Tyler. I lost it, and I feel bad, but I'm kind of scared too. With him acting weird and all, I wanted to tell someone. You're the safest guy I know out here. I hope you don't mind."
"No. You did the right thing." He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "You stick with me and you'll be all right." He'd walk her back to her cabin in a little while, then get the news to Marcus and Sela. They'd know what really had to be done.
Sela had the easy part of the assignment this time. Some of their riskier cases required months of language studies, or training in specializations she'd never use again, just to fool a target into thinking she knew how to handle herself in negotiations or in black market deals.
Charming a bad man who liked younger women into thinking she wanted him? Piece of cake.
Miranda told Tyler that the last place she'd seen their man was at the bar the Lone Tree kept stocked for their guests' convenience. So Sela put on something a little more low-cut than usual, brushed her hair until it shone like a movie star's, and headed out for a drink.
True to report, she found him still there, sitting alone and muttering to himself from time to time. No bartender waited on him, which suited Sela nicely. There'd be no one to overhear the lines she fed him.
She swayed her hips a little exaggeratedly as she wandered up to the bar and settled on the stool beside him.
As older men went, Alex wasn't so bad. He clearly kept in shape and the silver in his hair added to his appeal. Sela could see why he might have luck with some of the younger ladies who passed through the Lone Tree. Some lucky actors made a killing with the distinguished look. Alex could almost have made it on the silver screen.
"Lost?" He asked before he knocked back the rest of a shot of whiskey. "The party's outside tonight."
"Oh, I know. I'm not feeling much like a party." She put on her best wobbly smile. "Am I interrupting something private or can I talk you into sharing?"
Alex studied her, his gaze dipping toward her cleavage without apology. "Anything for the lady," he answered and stepped behind the bar to set up a second shot glass. He filled it and nudged it toward her. "I'm Alex."
"Sela. Thanks." She lifted the shot in toast and tossed it back. She played up her reaction, though the shudder wasn't entirely faked. Whiskey had never been her favorite drink. "One more," she said, and nudged the shot glass back.
He refilled it with a knowing grin. "So what's the trouble, Sela? Someone break your heart?"
She could have kissed him for setting her up so nicely. On cue, she turned on the waterworks, eyes filling with tears. She'd learned the trick in college, working on a student-produced play. She'd impressed the director then, and the ability to cry on command had come in handy several times since.
Like now. She pressed a visibly trembling hand to her mouth, then ducked her head, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to get all drippy on you."
"Not at all, not at all." Alex touched her hand. "You want to talk about it? I'm pretty good at listening." He added more whiskey to the glass. "This one's a double. Maybe you oughta sip."
One shot was more than enough to loosen the phony ties on Sela's tongue. She wouldn't be drinking any more tonight. Instead, she took a breath that made her breasts heave and sighed just as deeply. "It's my husband. I think he's cheating on me." She sniffled for effect. "Some kind of lousy honeymoon, huh?"
"You're having your honeymoon here? It's a nice place for that. Not if your husband's really on the prowl, though. You sure you're not just imagining things?" He smiled and chuckled at himself. "Men, we're not always so good at not paying attention when another pretty girl walks by, no matter how gorgeous the girl we've got might be. Maybe he's just looking."
"I wouldn't mind if he looked," Sela agreed. "I mean, I look, don't I? But it's more than that. I ..." She hesitated and bit her bottom lip. His gaze dropped to her mouth and she knew she had him hooked. Now to reel him in. "I think he's having an affair with another man."
Which, she wouldn't confess to dear Alex, still made heat pool between her thighs. She hadn't been lying when she told Tyler and Marcus that they were the best thing she'd ever seen. They were breath-taking together, whether they touched one another or just talked.
She didn't think they realized how close they'd gotten in just a few days. They were still puzzling everything out, but she could see it. It showed in the way Ma
rcus relaxed with Tyler around and in the glint in Tyler's eye when they were together. Perfect.
Alex wet his lips. "I'm gonna ask you a question," he began cautiously. "And you might not like where it ends up, but I promise I'm not doing it to hurt you. All right?"
Sela nodded quickly. "All right. I trust you, Alex." That sort of naïve statement would just cement his belief in her sob story.
Alex took her hand gently. He righted the wedding ring she wore with a casual pass of his thumb. "Your husband. He wouldn't happen to be the black Mack-truck looking guy who's been around, would he?"
Sela widened her eyes. "Marcus! That's him." Just as abruptly, she squinted. "You saw something. Didn't you?" She gripped his hand tightly. "Tell me. I want to know."
Alex wiped the free hand over his mouth. "I don't think you do."
She turned on the waterworks again. "Oh, God, it's true." She covered her face and let her shoulders shake. Alex came around the bar and slid his arm around them, pulling her sideways to lean against his chest. She tipped willingly and buried her face against his shirt.
Then lifted it, tear-streaked, and said determinedly, "I hate men."
Alex laughed. "All of 'em? We're not all so bad." He paused and she could almost hear him think. "You have any idea what you want to do about it? Your husband, I mean."
Sela turned to consider the whiskey glass, drawing false courage from the alcohol inside. She reached for it, tugging it closer, and picked it up like she planned to drink it after all. "I could leave. I could just leave him here and go home."
"Thatta girl," Alex enthused. "You oughta leave him. But don't go home. Wouldn't he just look for you there? This is your vacation, you oughta have some fun. Go on a trip and kick up your heels." He leaned close and she used the bump of shoulders to slosh whiskey out of the glass. "What if I told you I could get you out of here tomorrow, with enough cash to go anywhere you wanted?"
Again, her eyes widened. "You'd do that for me?" Sela frowned. "Why? You don't know me. I don't know you."
