Desire

by Sam Crescent

  “I’m looking for something to wear.”

  “Use one of their shirts. Men like it when you do.”

  Not bothering to argue with her friend, Wendy picked up the nearest shirt. “Hold on.” She quickly put the shirt on then placed the phone back to her ear. “What happened between you and Mason?”

  “Nothing happened. He dropped me off home and asked me out on a date. I turned him down. I’m not interested in dating him.”

  “Is that because of the head chef, the one you pretend not to like?”

  “Pretty much,” Tiffany said. “When do you think you’ll be home? I’m not working this morning, but I’ve got the late shift again.”

  “I don’t know.” She turned to the door to see Evan leaning against the frame. “Can I call you back?”

  “Sure. Is one of your hot men there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then fuck him, girl, and bring me back details. I need more material to get me off.”

  The blush had to be covering Wendy’s whole body giving her a glow.

  “Was that your friend?” Evan asked.

  “Yes. I just wanted to check in with her. Is that okay?” She tucked her hair behind her ear. Wendy always struggled with her hair in the mornings. The length always refused to do what she wanted.

  Evan brushed past her, which left her disappointed. After their attention last night she’d hoped for something more. He came back with a blindfold. She tensed as he pulled her hair out of the way and used the blindfold to hold it in place.

  “Thank you—” She was cut off by his lips.

  Evan cupped her cheek as he worked her mouth open. When her lips parted under his onslaught, he plunged right in, making love to her mouth.

  “Good morning,” he said, breaking from her.

  “Good morning.” Her eyes had closed. “Wow, that was some wakeup call.”

  “You call that a wakeup call? That’s a starter, honey. We’ve got the main course and dessert to get through.”

  She chuckled then pulled away. He was messing with her head, and she needed that to think.

  “Drake has made breakfast. I thought I heard you talking and came to see if you were attempting to escape.” He took her hand leading her out of the door.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

  “Good.”

  He took her down to the table. Drake sat reading the paper. There were three plates. The food looked delicious. The scent of bacon filled the air. Her stomach rumbled.

  “Come and eat. You need to get your strength up,” Drake said.

  Evan took the head of the table while she was seated opposite Drake.

  “Did you sleep well, baby?” Drake asked.

  She nodded. There were no words she could think of to explain how she felt.

  “Tiffany has made sure she isn’t dead,” Evan said. He placed three rashers of bacon with three pieces of toast. Her eyes widened when he then added eggs and tomatoes. He filled her glass with juice.

  “This is too much,” she said.

  “Eat what you can.”

  Evan lifted the newspaper nearest him as Drake sipped his juice.

  She picked up her fork in an attempt to eat. The normalcy of the morning wasn’t working for her. Wendy dropped her fork with a clatter. Their gazes turned to her instantly.

  “What’s the matter, baby?” Drake asked.

  “This? This is the matter. I don’t get it.” Her head was all over the place. Last night had been amazing. She’d never had so much pleasure in her life, but this was just plain weird. Not many women had two men attending them. Evan had only expressed a desire for sex. He’d not expressed anything else, and she was really struggling with differentiating between the two.

  The brothers looked at each other before turning back to her.

  Wendy didn’t understand why she was getting so angry. They’d never promised her anything.

  “Oh stuff this.” She rose from the table and made her way up to the bedroom.

  What the hell are you doing, Wendy?

  I don’t have a clue. This just doesn’t feel right to me. I don’t get it, and I’m out of my comfort zone.

  I need to get out.

  They followed her upstairs. Of course they followed her upstairs. She tore at the shirt she’d put on. They were staring at her as if she’d gone insane, and she was starting to think she had.

  “What the hell is going on?” Drake asked.

  “I shouldn’t be here.”

  But you want to be here.

  Shut it.

  Her reaction made no sense. Drake caught her naked in his arms. He held her arms at her side even as she struggled out of his touch. “Stop this,” he said.

  Evan stared at her with hands on his hips. Those hands had danced over her body the night before.

  “I’m out of my mind. I’ve never done anything like this. I’ve never even heard of women doing anything like this.” She used her hands to gesture among all three of them, but Drake held her secure against his body.

  “What exactly are you struggling with?” Evan asked.

  “You’re brothers, and you’re sharing a woman.”

  “You were fine before we went downstairs. What changed?”

  “Why weren’t you talking about what happened last night? I don’t get it. I’ve not had many of these morning afters. All of my relationships have been exactly that, relationships.”

  “Let her go, Drake,” Evan said.

  In the struggle the blindfold had fallen out of her hair. She pushed the length back and stared at the two men. Much to her humiliation, tears filled her eyes. Wendy sat down on the end of the bed. She rubbed her palms down her thighs before looking back at them.

  “What’s the matter?” Drake asked.

  “I don’t know.” Her response was as honest as it could be.

  Drake knelt before her covering her hands with his.

  She closed her eyes, which made the first tear fall down her cheek. Wendy wiped it away, annoyed with her emotional display. She couldn’t even describe why she was being emotional. None of it made sense to her.

  “I’ve never done this. I’ve never had sex with men I don’t know, and I’ve never taken up a proposition like the one Evan gave.”

  Wendy saw Drake glare at his brother.

  “Don’t glare at him. This is my fault, not his.”

  Evan took the seat beside her. “You think this is a one-time deal?”

  She shrugged. “What am I supposed to think?”

  “I said what I had to in order to get you to agree, Wendy,” Evan said.

  “What are you trying to say? Could you please be blunt with me?”

  “We don’t just want last night from you. How about we try this out as a real relationship?”

  She frowned. “How is that possible? We can’t even advertise our relationship.”

  “That was a condition you stipulated. Drake and I don’t give a fuck what others think. We agreed for your sensibilities.”

  “I don’t know if I can do that.”

  “Then agree to not turn us away. Allow us to be in your life,” Drake said.

  Wendy laughed. How had her life changed in a matter of a week?

  “Why are you picking me? You could have any woman.”

  She was considering their proposal. Shaking her head, she gazed past Drake’s shoulder.

  “What’s going on in that mind of yours?” Drake asked.

  “Nothing is going on. I’m baffled by your attentions.”

  Evan caught her cheek and pressed a kiss to her lips. “And that is the reason why you’re the woman we want.”

  She nodded. “I’m not sure I get what you mean, but I’ll live with that as an answer. I’m sorry for the emotional whacko routine that I just gave you.”

  “Don’t worry about it. You need to eat breakfast. Come on, before it gets cold.”

  Wendy followed them downstairs. She ate breakfast and then made her excuses to get home. Talking
with Tiffany was much needed.

  Evan dropped her off at her apartment on the way to some meeting.

  She gave Tiffany every little detail. Her friend listened while occasionally fanning her face.

  “Well, what do you think?” Wendy asked when she finished telling her everything.

  “I think you’ve got two hot men who want you. What more do you want me to say?” Tiffany sat back looking smug. “I told you they might want more.”

  Wendy growled in answer. “None of this is funny. I’ve never been in a situation like this, and I don’t understand it.”

  “Stop trying to analyse it. Two men want you, and you want two men. Live with it, and embrace what they have to offer. It could be worse, and you know that.” Tiffany patted her seat. “Sit.”

  Dropping down next to her, Wendy rubbed her temples. “I’m not used to feeling like this.”

  “What? Out of sorts and worrying about the future? Welcome to the world of dating. You don’t know the future, but embrace the way they make you feel.” Tiffany wrapped her arms around her.

  “I hate this. I hate not knowing what is going on.”

  “Your father may think he can plan for the future, but you can’t. Relax, Wendy, and everything is going to be okay.”

  Wendy let out a breath to try to ease her nerves. She felt all over the place. Collapsing against her friend she couldn’t help but wonder if Tiffany was right. She felt nervous and happy about them wanting to have something more. How could two men and one woman ever have a future?

  Chapter Eleven

  Evan waited until she’d gotten safely into her apartment before he eased back in the leather seat. Her scent filled the car and went straight to his dick. Last night had been amazing. At least it had been amazing to him, and he couldn’t wait to go again with her. His cell phone rang as he was enjoying his mental trip down memory lane.

  He accepted the call from Mason.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  “It’s a good morning to you but not for me. You’ve pissed me off.” From the noise in the background Mason was moving around a busy city street.

  “And what have I done to earn your anger?” Nothing was going to darken his mood. He was happy.

  “Tiffany Sanders is the problem.”

  Laughing, Evan glanced out of the window. Wendy’s father lived in a decent neighbourhood. He and Drake had discussed going to her father. They’d both known she wasn’t a one-time kind of girl. “You’ve known that girl a few hours.”

  “What I didn’t know was that my brother is the head chef where she worked. I didn’t investigate her when you asked for information on Wendy. My brother wants Tiffany, and she made it clear last night she wanted nothing to do with me.”

  “So,” Evan said.

  “So, my brother and I are kind of in the same deal as you and Drake.”

  Evan chuckled. “I see why you’re pissed.”

  “I’m on my way to tell my brother, but fuck me, it is freaky what you learn.”

  He listened to Mason rant for another five minutes. When he saw Ronald Peterson’s house Evan ended the call. The streets were bare, and the houses looked in need of a lick of paint and possibly some structural work.

  Getting out of the car Evan buttoned his coat up. The biting chill of winter was still crawling through the city. He went and knocked on the door. Six years had passed since he’d last seen the man.

  Ronald opened the door. His shirt was stained, and the glare on his face made Evan aware of the fact the older man recognised him.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” Ronald asked.

  His introduction left a lot to be desired.

  “May I come in?”

  “What more could you fucking take from me? Did you know my wife died because of you?”

  Evan stood waiting. He knew plenty about the man who’d fathered the woman he wanted. Wendy had gotten into his blood, and he would never let her go.

  “You better come in then.” Ronald walked away leaving the door open. Considering the man looked a mess, the house was spotless. Pictures of Wendy and his wife decorated most of the walls.

  He followed the other man down to the sitting room.

  “I don’t know what you’ve got to say, but say it quick.”

  Evan couldn’t help staring at the pictures. There was an entire life of Wendy splayed out in images. He saw a high-school photo along with her graduation picture. She looked so happy and alive.

  “That’s my only daughter you keep staring at. She’s a good girl, but she doesn’t come around all that much anymore.”

  Not saying a word Evan sat back and listened to the older man. Ronald didn’t look anything like the man he’d done business with over six years ago. The years hadn’t done well for him.

  “I couldn’t keep my trap shut long enough. Wendy couldn’t wait to get away.” Ronald stood picking up a photo. The image was of Wendy sitting on Santa’s knee. Evan smiled thinking about a young Wendy being excited about Christmas.

  “I’ve come to talk to you about Wendy.” Evan knew he was stalling by not being honest with the man.

  “What? How do you even know Wendy?” Ronald asked.

  “She came into the club, and we met each other.”

  “No, my Wendy wouldn’t go into your fucking sex building.”

  Biting his lip to supress the need to correct him, Evan kept on. “My brother and I want to offer for her.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Ronald asked.

  “I’m in love with your daughter, and so is my brother.”

  “You fucking dirty bastards. You’ve touched my daughter and manipulated her.”

  Ronald raised his fist and paused as a noise from the doorway startled both men. How much time had passed since he’d dropped her off?

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  He saw the distrust shining in her eyes.

  “You went to their club?” Ronald asked. The outrage in his voice could not be mistaken. Her gaze flickered to her father and then back at him.

  “I needed to go and see for myself.”

  “And the bastards have ruined you. Get the fuck out of my house. Both of you get out.” Ronald wouldn’t listen to reason.

  They were pushed out onto the street. Wendy thumped the door when Ronald ignored her. She turned on him, her blue eyes flashing fire as she closed the distance between them. She poked his chest. “How fucking dare you? I asked you not to tell my father, and the first chance you get you went and told him.”

  “I was asking him for permission to date you and possibly marry you, Wendy.”

  She blinked, clearly shocked by his admission.

  “You went to my father when you didn’t even ask me. I might not want to fucking marry you.” He fought not to laugh when she stamped her foot. She looked so cute and adorable. “No, you don’t get to laugh. I can’t believe I trusted you.” Wendy stormed off up the street.

  Evan followed her. If he went home with her pissed at him then Drake was going to kill him. Her emotional outburst that morning had been the cause for him to visit her father. He didn’t like the guilt in her eyes, and he knew Ronald was the cause.

  “Wendy, slow down and listen.”

  “No.” She spun on the spot. “You don’t get to order me around. I’m so angry at you right now. You had no right to interfere, and you’d better tell Drake not to bother picking me up tonight. I’m not in the mood.”

  She walked off.

  Shit. Drake was going to kill him.

  ****

  Drake hummed a tune in his head as he keyed in the code for the running machine to go faster. Since Wendy had left he’d been using the spare time he possessed to burn off steam. The image of her body wrapped around him and then his brother kept plaguing him. After two cold showers and masturbating to his memories, Drake had settled for running.

  The sound of the door slamming broke into his thoughts.

  He didn’t bother to answ
er the yell. At thirty years old he no longer answered to screeching.

  Evan appeared in the doorway minutes later. He looked like he’d been punched in the gut.

  “What did you do? You only dropped her off,” Drake said.

  “I went to see her father.”

  Drake stumbled on the machine and fell down. He cursed as pain exploded around his body at the impact. Evan was next to him right away.

  “Are you all right?”

  The machine was turned off. Drake tried to stand, but pain exploded in his wrist.

  “I think I’ve sprained my wrist.”

  “We need to get you to the emergency room,” Evan said. When Drake was standing he stopped his brother from moving.

  “We agreed we’d talk to her father in time and together. Why did you go without me?” Drake asked.

  “There’s a lot of unfinished business between us and Ronald. I didn’t want Wendy to be upset by her decision.”

  Drake cursed. “We only just got her to agree and you went and interfered. Please, tell me you didn’t do anything else.”

  Evan wouldn’t look at him.

  “Fuck. Why couldn’t you just let this develop?” he asked.

  “I needed to get it out of the way.”

  “Well, she obviously caught you, and what did she say?” Drake didn’t want to know the answer. Wendy was anything but a doormat. He didn’t for an instant imagine she’d be all friendly about it.

  “She got mad, and we’re not to pick her up.”

  After that, Drake tried to go to the emergency room alone. Evan wouldn’t let him. His brother escorted him there then back. He’d sprained his wrist and needed to rest for a few days. After the fact Evan had fucked up their relationship resting wouldn’t be a problem.

  Evan agreed to go to Desire alone.

  Drake refused to talk to his brother for the remainder of the day, and when he left for the night, Drake sent Wendy a text message.

  Hi, Babe. Sorry about my shithead of a brother. Am I forgiven?

  No response came through. He turned on the television to distract his thoughts when his phone beeped.

  Is he there?

  He responded.

  Can you call me?

  In the next moment he dialled her number. She answered on the first ring.