by Leah Brooke
His grin fell when the phone rang again and the wave of protective possessiveness surged again. Scowling, he took the call.
“Yeah.”
“Who’s this?”
The arrogance in the masculine voice suited Ryder’s mood, and he looked forward to this confrontation immensely. When Dillon looked up from his seat in the waiting room, raising a brow, Ryder grinned and spoke into the phone.
“Who’s this?”
“Shit.”
When the phone clicked in his ear, he frowned and disconnected.
“He probably thinks he has a wrong number.”
A muscle worked in Dillon’s jaw. “So it is a man? Is it Daniel Peller?”
Ryder smiled when the phone in his hand rang again. “That’s what the caller ID showed.”
Taking the call, he glanced back toward the closed door of the examination room, thinking about Ally’s panic-stricken look. “Yeah.”
“Who the fuck is this?”
Pleased at the anger in the other man’s voice, Ryder strolled around the empty waiting room, keeping his tone light. “You called me, remember?”
“I called Alison. Where is she? Put her on the fucking phone.”
Imagining this asshole using the same angry tone with Ally infuriated Ryder. “No, Daniel, or do they call you Danny? Ally’s busy right now. She’ll be busy later, too. Don’t call again.”
“What? Ally? You call her Ally? Wait a minute! Who the hell is this? How do you know my name? How do you know Alison?”
Ryder chuckled coldly. “I can read a police report.”
An angry string of curses followed. “Listen, I don’t care what that bitch says. She can’t prove a thing. It was all her fault anyway. Now put her on the phone. I want to talk to her.”
Arguing with the other man didn’t give him the satisfaction beating the hell out of him would have, so Ryder didn’t intend to waste any more time playing with him.
“No, you’re not talking to her. She’s under my protection now, and if you call her again, you’ll get me on the phone. Don’t try to find her. You’ll have to go through me to get to her.”
“Listen, she’s my woman and—”
“Is that why she left you?”
“It was a misunderstanding, and it’s none of your fucking business. If you’re so tough, why don’t you tell me your name and where to find you?”
Ryder grinned. “Ah, now that’s much better. My name’s Ryder Hayes, and you can find me at the garage in Desire. I’m looking forward to meeting you.”
He kept his tone cold on the phone, but the second he disconnected, his temper flared, and he flung the phone against the wall, filled with satisfaction when it shattered into several pieces.
Sitting back, Dillon crossed one booted foot over the other. “And there he is. I wondered how long it would take you. So, you tell him where you are, which also tells him where Alison is. Did he sound like he’ll come after her?”
Ryder smiled reassuringly at the startled receptionist and walked over to the broken phone, kneeling to pick up the pieces. “He sounded possessive—and not the good kind. Yeah, he’ll come for her.”
Dillon inclined his head and sighed. “We’ll be waiting.”
Rising, Ryder walked over to the garbage can and dropped the pieces of the broken cell phone inside, staring down at them. He wished he could erase the rest of the unpleasantness from her life with the same ease, but knew it would take much more. Remembering the shyness, the insecurity, the passion on her face in the truck, the plea in her eyes when she’d touched his face, he knew he would do whatever he could to make her happy and wipe all the unpleasantness away.
He didn’t understand it, but he wanted her. And not just for sex.
Looking back up as the door to the examination room opened, he smiled at the annoyance on her face, vowing to get under her prickly defenses to the seductress he would bet loomed inside.
Under his breath, he repeated Dillon’s words. “We’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Eight
“Damn it, I can’t believe you broke my phone! Stop looking at me like that. You heard the doctor. I’m fine.”
Sitting between them in the front seat of their truck, Alison looked back and forth from one to the other, a little unsettled at their stony expressions. They’d been that way ever since they left the doctor’s office, and she didn’t know either one of them well enough to know what it meant.
She could literally feel her back tighten muscle by muscle at the tense silence and wondered if they’d changed their minds about her.
After all, she carried a lot more baggage than the women they were used to.
Dillon turned toward her, wrapping an arm around her to rest it on the back of her seat, his eyes narrowing when she jumped. Frowning, he rubbed her shoulder.
“Why the hell are you so jumpy? You didn’t think I was going to hit you, did you? Oh, hell. You would be jumpy after what happened to you.”
Ryder whipped around to look at her, dividing his attention between her and pulling into the parking lot of the hotel.
“Just because we’re pissed off, doesn’t mean we’re mad at you. And even if we get mad at you, we’re sure as hell not going to hit you.” He pulled the truck into a parking space near the entrance, slammed it in park, and cut the engine before turning toward her, smiling at her while his eyes narrowed in concern.
“Now, I can’t promise I won’t paddle your ass if I think you’ve earned it, but then you’ll suffer a different kind of pain. Your clit will ache so bad you’d do anything to get me to relieve it.”
Alison couldn’t hold back a gasp, her clit tingling at the threat.
Dillon lifted her gently, settling her on his lap. Gripping her chin, he turned her face to his.
“We’re mad as hell, but not with you. How the hell are we supposed to feel when we learn that your ex-boyfriend not only threw you down the stairs and broke your hip, but left you there at the bottom of the stairs in agony while he stormed out to get drunk with his other girlfriend? How long did you lie there before your neighbor heard you and called an ambulance?”
Remembering that day always made her tense, which knotted the muscles in her back even more.
Dillon somehow seemed aware of it, his jaw clenching as he rubbed the spot that had begun to hurt.
“A couple of hours. Look, I don’t want to think about it. It was a small break. They put a pin in it, and it healed completely. It doesn’t even hurt anymore. My back just tightens up now when I do something like drive too long on bad shocks. I’m fine. I promise you. I’m not a fucking invalid. Yeah, I have an ugly scar and there are times when my back hurts, but that doesn’t make me fucking useless. Let me out. I want to go to my room.”
When their expressions became even colder, Alison realized she’d given away too much. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly and attempted to backtrack.
“Look, I’m sorry. In the last two days I’ve left the only home I’ve ever known, had my truck break down, arrived in a new town, been bombed and poked, prodded, and questioned by a doctor I don’t even know, and grilled by two strangers, who, in a weak moment that I’m still regretting, I’ve asked to teach me about pleasing a man. I’ve lost my mind. I’m tired. I’m hungry. I’m broke. I’m sore, and I just want to go to my hotel room, get the smell of smoke off of me, see if I can get my purse, which is where my pain pills are, take one, and go to sleep. When I wake up, I have to decide what I’m going to do next. I appreciate all your help, but I really just want to be alone.”
Ryder pursed his lips and nodded. “Nice speech. But we’re not leaving you alone. Forget it. Let’s get your stuff together.”
“You two are fucking hardheaded.”
The tenderness in Dillon’s smile reflected in his eyes as he opened the door and got out of the truck with her in his arms, surprising her with his show of strength.
“You’re right about that. Look, you’ve been through a lot. Why don’t you let us take care of ever
Watching Ryder circle the front of the truck and come toward them, she struggled to remain stiff in Dillon’s arms, fighting the urge to slump against him and just relax for a little while.
“This is probably the wrong time to ask, but is the job offer still open, or were you kidding about that?” She didn’t know what she’d do about money if she couldn’t earn some soon. If they weren’t serious, she’d get up early and go look around town to see if there was a job available that she could walk to.
Dillon bent and kissed her forehead as he started toward the entrance, the affectionate gesture once again unsettling her.
“Of course. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
Self-conscious that he still carried her, she looked around the lobby, her cheeks warming when the man who’d been in the restaurant the night before smiled and came forward.
Brandon strode toward them, his eyes full of concern, not looking the least bit surprised that Dillon carried her. He stopped short when Ryder stepped between them.
“Is she hurt? I heard what happened at the women’s club. Everyone’s over there now cleaning up. Did you take her to see Doc? Do you want me to call him?”
Ryder sighed and stepped to the side, gesturing toward her. “We just came from there. She’s fine, but sore. We’re taking her back to our place as soon as we get her things and get something to eat before she takes another one of those pain pills.”
He ran his hand over her thigh, making it tingle. “We don’t want her to be alone when she takes it this time. Put her bill on my card.”
Shaking her head, Alison pushed against Dillon’s chest in an unsuccessful effort to get down. “I can pay my own bill. Put me down, damn it. And stop talking about me as if I’m not here.”
Ryder leaned over her, blocking Brandon’s view and slid a hand over her ass, the warning in his glittering green eyes clear. “She’s a little cranky. Be quiet, Ally. I’ll dock your pay, okay?”
Brandon grinned as Ryder turned back. “At least she’s got some color now. By the way, Charity came over and dropped off her jacket and her purse. Jesse sent some things over, too. They’re behind the front desk.”
He gestured toward the woman working there, calling out for her to bring them over, and handing a plastic bag to Ryder, smiling at Alison’s attempts to get Dillon to put her down, attempts he blatantly ignored. “It was nice meeting you, Alison. I’m sure I’ll see you around town again.”
Alison liked looking at a gorgeous man just as much as any red-blooded female, and she couldn’t look away from Brandon’s fine ass as he walked away. Without his jacket, she could see his tight butt much better than she could earlier and took full advantage of the view until Dillon turned away, still carrying her.
“Stop staring at other men’s asses, or I’ll beat yours.”
The matter of fact way he issued the threat scared and excited her more than the threat itself. Looking up at him through her lashes, she could see he was dead serious. The wave of lust that raced through her at the thought of being draped naked over his lap alarmed her even more.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she did her best to glare up at him, ignoring Ryder’s chuckle. She couldn’t believe all their talk of spanking her did crazy things to her system, but she sure as hell couldn’t let them know that.
“I can’t help it. He’s got a nice butt. Don’t you look at other women’s butts?”
Ryder opened his mouth and snapped it shut again. His eyes narrowed, the look of frustration on his face making her smile. “That’s different. You definitely need to be spanked.”
“I don’t know why you think threatening me with beating me is going to endear you to me.”
Ryder slipped his hand into her back pocket to retrieve her key card, sliding his other hand over her breast as he did it.
“Because you know we won’t hurt you. You’re nipples are hard, and I’ll bet anything your panties are soaked. You trust us whether you want to or not because you know damned well we wouldn’t hurt you.” He flicked her nipple with his rough thumb before turning to stick the keycard in the lock.
Still reeling from his almost casual touch, Alison crossed her arms over her chest again, hiding her pebbled nipples. “Trust is earned, and my panties are not soaked.”
Ryder pushed the door open and stood aside so Dillon could carry her in, his laser-sharp focus on her face making her tremble.
“I guess now is as good a time as any to see if we can trust you.”
As soon as Dillon set her on her feet, she took a hurried step back, hitting the backs of her knees on the edge of the bed.
“What are you talking about?”
Dillon reached for her as Ryder shut the door with a decisive click.
Grabbing the hem of her sweater, Dillon lifted it over her head and tossed it aside. “You wanted a shower, didn’t you? We’re going to see if those panties are wet or if you’re lying to us.”
Being naked from the waist up made her feel far too defenseless, and in a panic, she turned to run.
Dillon caught her easily. “No, we’re not going to let you hurt yourself.”
Lowering her onto the bed, he reached for the fastening of her jeans. “Now let’s see about those panties.”
Alison opened her mouth to object, but nothing came out except a moan as Ryder took his place on the bed beside her and reached for her breast, watching her face as he lightly circled her nipple.
When Dillon started to pull her jeans down, she tried to kick at him, stilling with a gasp when Ryder switched his attention to her other breast and tugged at her nipple.
Dillon paused. “Easy, honey. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” He removed her shoes and socks with a gentleness she wouldn’t have believed a man capable of, especially not one his size.
Trying to suck enough air into her lungs, Alison gripped Ryder’s hand with the intention of pulling it away, the jolts of electricity from her nipples to her clit and pussy so strong she couldn’t even think. Instead, she ended up holding on to the back of his hand, alarmed and excited when her jeans came off and she heard the material hit the floor.
“Oh, God.”
Dillon tugged her panties down her legs and off before spreading her thighs and moving to stand between them, using his strong legs to push them wide.
Holding up her panties, he smiled, lifting a brow. “These feel pretty wet to me. How are we supposed to establish any kind of trust between us if you’re going to lie to us?”
Nerves and excitement at being naked and having her thighs spread wide made her tremble, her arousal for Dillon and Ryder soaring. Alison shivered, trying hard not to rock her hips, but she couldn’t remain still. She ached there so much, and with Dillon’s rock-hard thighs pressing against the inside of hers and holding them spread, she couldn’t get any kind of friction against her clit. It tingled more and more with each stroke of Ryder’s thumb over her nipple, sending a barrage of hot sizzles racing everywhere.
She’d felt need before, but never anything like this.
Before she could come to grips with it, Dillon leaned over her, bracing his weight on one hand while separating her folds with the other, exposing her completely.
“You’re wet, sweetheart, so I know you’ve got to trust us, at least a little. Let’s see if we can earn a little more. A little more trust. A little more of your juices.”
A whimper escaped, her breath coming out in harsh pants. “I…oh…it’s just—”
Ryder grinned and rolled toward her, somehow managing to keep his weight off of her.
“Yes, it is.”
Brushing his lips over hers, he used sharp teeth to nibble at her bottom lip. “Don’t ever lie to us again. There’s no need for lies and certainly no room for them.”
He pressed his soft, firm lips on hers, forcing her mouth open and stroking her tongue with his. His long hair fell forward, moving like silk against her cheeks. Tangling his tongue with hers, he sank his fingers into her hair, his other hand warm on her breast.
The finger tracing her inner folds moved slowly and with a deliberate precision that stole her breath and left her in no doubt of Dillon’s experience and patience.
She’d been braced for fumbling like Danny’s and a finger plunging deep, not this decadent teasing that had every muscle in her body drawn up tight like a bow. She couldn’t stay still, writhing and bucking her hips in an effort to get his finger inside her, to get him to touch her clit, anything.
Dillon seemed to anticipate every move she made and continued to tease her, making it clear that he was firmly in control.
Expecting him to deny her, she bit her lip and squeezed her eyes closed in an effort to rein in an arousal unlike anything she’d ever known.
She couldn’t believe she lay in bed with not one, but two men.
And they weren’t just any two men.
Dillon and Ryder each brought something irresistible to their lovemaking, so amazingly incredible she had no defense against it.
She couldn’t get over Dillon’s tenderness, so surprising in such a masculine man. The strength she’d witnessed so far alarmed her at first, but the gentle way he touched her made her feel safe and secure with him. He obviously knew his own strength and had the strength of will to control it, but not knowing how long that control would last kept her on edge, adding a dangerous element to the intimacy she’d long ago learned not to trust.
Ryder, on the other hand, had to be the sexiest man she’d ever met. His long hair, his earring, his many tattoos just added to the image of a wild bad boy, but even without them, that image would have been clear.
It shone in his amazing green eyes even now as he lifted his head and stared down at her, the knowledge that he knew just how to please her, his decadent grin telling her that she was in for a wild ride.
As Ryder rolled back to the side, running his hands over her body, his eyes on hers, she realized they both had one thing in common, perhaps the most irresistible thing of all.
Both men appeared to be completely focused on her, their low murmurs of encouragement and immediate reaction to everything she did unbelievably arousing.
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