She straightened her shoulders and tried to calm the fluttering in her stomach. “So, all’s well. Thank you again.”
The smirk on Cain’s lips told her she wasn’t fooling anyone, but he grabbed the ball gag off the nightstand and shoved it into his pocket.
“Well, we’ll just get out of your hair then.”
Paxson’s head snapped up, and she could feel the heat of his glare even though it wasn’t directed toward her.
“We’re glad we could help. Aren’t we, Pax?” Cain said.
Paxson’s lips crinkled at the edges, turning white for a moment before he nodded. “Sure. Glad to be of assistance. That’s what we’re here for after all.”
Cain stopped beside her, pausing for a moment, staring into her eyes.
She wasn’t sure what he saw there—maybe the truth, that she didn’t want them to leave. Despite Tasha’s proclamations, Heather didn’t believe a dress could pick her true loves. But she was pretty sure she could fall in love with these two.
But they lived in Vegas. A long-distance-commuting relationship was so not going to happen. No, better to end it now. After one night of really great sex that she could use for her fantasies for years to come. Yes. This is better.
She lifted her chin and tried to ignore the tingling in her nose that warned that tears were threatening. There was no reason to cry. This was her decision. Her—
“You know, Pax…” Cain’s voice stopped the other man’s departure. “I don’t think the curse is broken after all.”
Heather snapped her head around to look at him. “What?”
“Yeah look.” He turned her around, putting her back to the two men and pulling the terrycloth cover-up down her arms.
Strong fingers skimmed across the center of her back, pausing. The lower edge of her bikini top strained for one heartbeat and then pop! The string broke.
No. Not broke. Was torn.
“See? Her clothes are still falling off her.”
Heather gasped and spun around, facing him, the top fluttering away from her breasts. The ripped string hanging down her hip.
“I can’t believe you did that.” He’d torn her bathing suit. By all rights, she should be offended and pissed, except a strange sensation teased her core. Pleasure. Not just the physical kind—but the pleasure of knowing they weren’t going to be so easily dismissed.
Cain blinked at her innocently.
“See, Pax?” he asked the man standing right beside them. “If we leave now, the girl will end up naked.”
Pax nodded seriously, his gaze meeting Heather’s. “We can’t have that, now can we?”
The question was directed toward her. This was her chance. She knew if she told him “I’ll be fine,” he would leave. They would both leave.
“I—”
Before she could speak, Paxson reached down and grabbed the string holding the bottoms on and yanked. It snapped like a toothpick. He dropped the string and the tiny scrap of material fell to the ground, leaving her practically naked.
“What do you think?” Paxson challenged her with his stare.
She swallowed and looked at Cain. His eyes held the familiar sparkle of laughter.
“I think you’re right.” She pushed her shoulders back and nodded. “It wouldn’t be safe for me to leave now. I might end up naked in front of virtual strangers.”
“Exactly.”
Paxson grabbed her hand and led her back to the bed.
“And that’s a bad thing, right?” Cain asked as he followed along.
“Yes.” Paxson glared at his friend. “Heather naked in front of strangers is bad.”
“Just checking.” He crawled onto the mattress, cuddling up behind her, his cock not quite hard but it wouldn’t take much for him to be ready to go.
Heather laughed and reached behind her, patting him on the hip even as Paxson bent down and kissed her neck, his lips creating delicious heat across her skin.
She wasn’t sure how this would end but it seems the dress had made the right choice after all.
Epilogue
Heather smiled as she picked up the ringing phone. Her nightly booty call. Who would it be tonight? Cain? Pax? Both?
Since she’d left Vegas a month ago, they’d fallen into a delicious routine. Morning and evening phone calls, texts, emails. Dang. She hadn’t had this much contact with boyfriends who’d lived in town.
The only thing missing was actual sex—phone sex notwithstanding—and the frustration was starting to wear on Heather.
No, a month wasn’t that long to go without sex but it was when you had two guys constantly flirting, teasing, keeping you on edge.
Pax’s name flashed on her screen and she smiled. The person calling also indicated what kind of night she would have. With Cain, it was laughter and wicked stories about his day. Pax? He liked Heather to do most of the talking.
And both? Her cheeks heated just at the thought. She’d made the mistake of taking one of those calls while at work, thinking she could just step out of the wedding reception for a moment. By the time she’d returned, she’d masturbated herself to an orgasm and the sounds of Cain and Pax coming together had made her flushed and a little dizzy. She’d been so unbalanced she’d almost fallen into the wedding cake.
Never again.
She tapped the screen. “Hey there, handsome.”
“Hey there, baby. How was your day?”
“Good. I got two new clients and actually got a bridezilla to say I was a miracle worker.” She settled onto her couch. Tasha was out with Jason so Heather had the place to herself.
“Good. Don’t let those women push you around.”
Heather held back her laugh. Pax didn’t understand. He didn’t want anyone being mean to Heather but he so didn’t grasp that a huge part of her job involved dealing with women on the edge of a bridal breakdown.
“It was fine. She’s happy and I got paid.”
“Even better. Listen—”
“Seriously? This is what you two discuss when I’m not here?” Cain’s voice chimed in through the background noise. “Gimme the phone.”
“I’m talking to her.”
“I just want to say hi.”
Paxson sighed, then Cain was there.
“Hey, sweetheart. Are you wearing them?”
She laughed. Cain had sent her a sexy pair of panties—in scarlet, naturally—that were little more than a couple strings and triangle. He’d asked her to wear them today so he could think of her in them while he was working.
“Hi and yes.”
“I think it’s time you showed me for real.”
She laughed. “I am not video conferencing with you. Not again. We’ll get arrested.”
“No. I want to see them in person.”
As she processed his words, the doorbell rang. Excitement raced through her body and she threw herself out of the couch.
“I’m going to be so disappointed if that’s not—” She yanked open the door and screamed. “You!”
The phone fell from her hand as Pax swept her up in his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him close. He cupped her ass in his hands and ground his hard cock into her pussy.
“Hey, baby.” That was all she heard before he kissed her, driving his tongue into her mouth like a starving man. The kiss made her head swirl so she was even more confused when he pulled away and set her on her feet. But then Cain was there, kissing her, pulling her sweats down.
“Cain, the door isn’t even shut.”
“Whatever.”
He continued to tug on her sweats but she yanked them back up and spun out of his embrace.
“Not that I’m not thrilled to see you but what are you doing here?” She looked at the mound of luggage sitting on her front porch.
“Don’t you want us?” Cain asked, blinking innocently. She smacked her hand on his chest and looked at Pax.
“We’re here to try it out. Spend a couple of weeks. Look at the housing market and jobs and—”
“And see if you want to keep us,” Cain finished off.
A knot inside Heather’s chest—a tightness she wasn’t even aware of until it released—disappeared. They were here.
She wanted to keep them—wanted them with her—but it seemed too soon for her to blurt that out. Instead, she winked at Cain and looked at Paxson.
“We’ll have to see, huh? If I remember the last time we were all together, I lost several pairs of panties.”
Paxson hitched his thumb over his shoulder to the waiting suitcases. “We brought extras.” The answer sounded so casual, so bland she could barely imagine it coming out of Pax’s mouth.
She took a step back. “Well, I’m wearing the ones Cain sent me.” She inched the waistband of her sweats down. “Wanna see?”
Both men nodded and the front door closed, leaving their belongings on the porch. Neither man seemed to care.
She hooked her thumbs in the tops of her sweats and shoved them down, stepping quickly away.
“Damn.”
“Gorgeous.”
Heather smiled and backed toward the stairs. “Want to see my bedroom?”
Before they answered, she took off running, their eager footsteps right behind her.
Honestly, she didn’t care if it was the wedding dress or the power of her red panties…either way, she was going to have a wicked entry for her diary tomorrow.
About the Author
Tielle (pronounced “teal”) St. Clare has had a life-long love of romance novels. She began reading romances in the 7th grade when she discovered Victoria Holt novels and began writing romances at the age of sixteen (during Trigonometry, if the truth be told). During her senior year in high school, the class dressed up as what they would be in twenty years—Tielle dressed as a romance writer. When not writing romances, Tielle has worked in public relations and video production for the past twenty years. She moved to Alaska when she was seven years old in 1972 when her father was transferred with the military. Tielle believes romances should be hot and sexy with a great story and fun characters.
Tielle welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
Tell Us What You Think
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Also by Tielle St. Clare
By Daylight Come
Christmas Elf
Close Quarters
Collective Memory
Crimson
Ellora’s Cavemen: Dreams of the Oasis III anthology
Ellora’s Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile IV anthology
Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails II anthology
Ellora’s Cavemen: Tales from the Temple II anthology
Fairy Dust
First Moon Rise
Just One Night
Kissing Stone
Marvin and the Three Bears
Matching Signs
Shadow of the Dragon 1: Dragon’s Kiss
Shadow of the Dragon 2: Dragon’s Fire
Shadow of the Dragon 3: Dragon’s Rise
Shadow of the Dragon 4: Dragon’s Prey
Simon’s Bliss
Taking Shape
Through Shattered Light
Wolf’s Heritage 1: New Year’s Kiss
Wolf’s Heritage 2: Summer’s Caress
Wolf’s Heritage 3: Maxwell’s Fall
Wolf’s Heritage 4: Jackson’s Rise
Wolf’s Heritage 5: Shadow’s Embrace
Wolf’s Heritage: After the Ceremony
Print books by Tielle St. Clare
Christmas Elf
Collective Memory
Ellora’s Cavemen: Dreams of the Oasis III anthology
Ellora’s Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile IV anthology
Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails II anthology
Ellora’s Cavemen: Tales from the Temple II anthology
Enter the Dragon anthology
Feral Fascination anthology
Irish Enlightenment anthology
New Year’s Kiss
Shadow of the Dragon 1: Dragon’s Kiss
Shadow of the Dragon 2: Dragon’s Fire
Shadow of the Dragon 3: Dragon’s Rise
Shadow of the Dragon 4: Dragon’s Prey
Through Shattered Light
Transformations anthology
Wolf’s Heritage 1: New Year’s Kiss
Wolf’s Heritage 2: Summer’s Caress
Wolf’s Heritage 3: Maxwell’s Fall
Wolf’s Heritage 4: Jackson’s Rise
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Scarlet
ISBN 9781419938894
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Scarlet Copyright © 2012 Tielle St. Clare
Edited by Brians St. James
Cover design by Syneca
Photo: Balazs Biro/Shutterstock.com
Electronic book publication June 2012
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