Jay put his arm around her waist and gave her a quick squeeze. “You take as much time to think about this as you want, sweetie.”
The beast in Arlan wanted to roar. Jay was making him feel like a villain. But his focus was saving the children as soon as possible, getting the babies back to their mothers. They needed August. And the way his body hungered for her was more animal than man. He needed to get more control of himself before he shifted.
August tipped her head back. “Thanks. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Can we talk about something else?”
Jay stood. “Well, I’m sick of this air-conditioning, baby. How about we go out and have a swim? Would you like that? We have a big pool outside. You’ll love it.”
“I have nothing to wear in the pool.”
“Did you pack a bikini when you flew over here? Kruger came by the trailer when you were asleep, gave us your suitcase. Arlan texted him saying we were going to be your bodyguards.”
August’s smile lit up her face, but she couldn’t quite erase the sadness from her eyes.
The world seemed to tilt on its axis as Arlan remembered that smile. The smile of the little girl she’d been, the eleven-year-old girl whose smiles had charmed him, and whose screams still filled his nightmares.
Leonard Hunting Lodge was even more impressive and imposing than her mother’s mansion, all high-arched ceilings, white and cognac leather, and zebra-print detailing. Arlan’s parents had certainly had a thing for zebras. Her lips twisted in disgust. Pity they killed them. She would have loved the safari-chic décor otherwise.
Arlan led her into a sumptuous guest bedroom decorated in white and black. Again, with the zebra-print accents, but tastefully done.
When she turned to face him, she noticed his eyes were a pale green surrounded by a circle of gold.
Gorgeous.
The blessed heat meant he still wore only his tank and shorts. His body was hard and defined, all rippling muscle beneath his golden tan as he braced himself against the wall
Make small talk, idiot.
“Um… Your father’s lodge, seems like he hunted a lot of zebras?”
“My father and Jay’s father ran all kinds of animal hunts, but I guess the zebra hunts were his favorite.” Sadness crossed his face. “Unfortunately, my father had a point when he said hunting is essential to the economy in Zimbabwe right now. He also had this twisted idea that hunting helped conserve the wildlife population. It’s a popular opinion amongst those involved in trophy hunting out here.”
Moral outrage made her lose air in her lungs. “I can’t believe you believe any of that.”
Arlan sighed. “My dad and Jay’s dad, Mr. Nandoro, sustained and paid for the breeding of animals so that they could make money holding hunting safaris. So, their business, in a twisted way, kept the population going. They claimed it was humane and a strong justification for trophy hunting.”
“That’s just outrageous. And trophy hunting means the biggest and strongest get taken out of circulation, which is counterproductive to species sustainability.”
Arlan gave her a sad smile. “I know.” You’ve ended the hunting tours, I presume?”
He leaned against the wall, brushing his hair off his face. “I’ve shut down some of them, yes. But a lot of people will lose their jobs. Our parents have lodges across southern Africa. I’ve actually closed down over half of them, but…” He gave a deep sigh, “…not all. Not yet.”
August glared at him in outrage.
“Look, I just don’t want anyone to end up impoverished by my shutting all the lodges down too fast. I need time to work it out.”
“It must be very ironic for you, being as you’re a were.” His body stilled. “So, Jay told you about that?”
She nodded. “I saw you in your lion form.”
Arlan shrugged. “In Africa, you either hunt or you’re hunted, predator or prey.”
There was a dark edge to his voice that made her shudder. His words brought back the memory of being shot at. Anxiety made her stomach knot. “Arlan, do you think I should fly back to New York because these men want to kill me? I want to help you out but…”
He walked toward her and touched her shoulder. “I don’t think it would even be safe for you to try to go back to New York right now.”
He stared into her eyes, and for a weird breathless moment, she thought he might kiss her. The idea filled her with confused emotions. She’d already been with his friend Jay, and something about his face disturbed her, something familiar.
A valley of silence stretched between them.
Finally, Arlan cleared his throat. “When I first met you, before the shooting started, well… I was a complete ass. I admit that.”
“You were, actually.”
Arlan shrugged. “I guess I was judging you on the fact you have dark-fae connections, and that was bullshit.”
August raised a brow in answer. “I get it. It’s all right, Jay told me about all that too. I mean, he told me a dark-fae put a curse on you.”
Arlan shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts and rocked back on his heels. “Seems you two got very close, very fast.”
Heat rose in her cheeks. She didn’t regret her impulsive little fling with Jay. It had been damn fun and hot, but she wished it hadn’t been drawn to Arlan’s attention. She sat down on the bed.
He motioned to her suitcase that lay on the zebra-print ottoman. “How about you find that swimsuit?”
She unzipped the case and rummaged through until she found her bright yellow bikini. She liked its happy daffodil color. “Most of the clothes I’ve got are khaki. I know it’s really the only color choice out here if you don’t want to be charged by an elephant. So, a yellow swimsuit makes a nice change.” She held it out for Arlan’s approval.
Arlan groaned. “I can only imagine how good that’s going to look when it’s actually on you.” She pulled a face at him, laughing, and waved him away.
“I’ll wait outside the door and then take you to the pool area.” Arlan started to go out of the room. Then he swung back in. “August, what do you usually drink?”
“Drink?” “At a bar?”
“Oh, a merlot, or a gin and tonic.” He nodded and headed out the door.
August stretched and began to take off her clothes. Her body was tight with stress. Having a swim was going to be lovely. In the bright sunshine, the two hunks would clearly see the scars on her shoulders and thighs, but oh well. If she was going to do this sex-magic thing with them, that had to happen at some point.
Hell, her mind was so addled from the heat and the dark dust, she’d imagined Arlan had called her Gus back in the trailer. She hadn’t been called that in ten years. She doubted he would suddenly have come up with the nickname on his own.
August bit the inside of her cheek as she pulled off her skirt.
Why did you tell those two Greek gods that embarrassing story about losing your virginity because of a bet? What on earth were you thinking?
Because when they asked her questions, they both seemed so kind. She wasn’t used to that kind of concern. It made her feel as if she could tell them anything. That was dangerous.
She did up the bikini top in the back and opened the door to find Arlan waiting for her. His eyes darkened, and he gave a low wolf whistle.
She waved a hand at him in embarrassment. “Show me the pool.”
His gaze drifted over the faint scars on her shoulders, then slid farther to alight on the worst ones on her upper thighs. He paled. Shame, anger and defensiveness rose in her. But before she could say a word, he took her hand. Shivers shot across her skin, sizzling through her veins and firing up her body.
You don’t get touched often enough. That’s what’s making you overreact to these gorgeous men. Get a grip.
His lips quirked in a small smile. “Your fingers feel good, soft but strong.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
Kruger had said that Arlan had sylph blood in him. He was part air
fae, same as Jay. Was that why the attraction to both these men was so intense? She’d already made love to Jay. She shouldn’t be flirting with his best friend. Or maybe this wasn’t flirting. Maybe this was only being friendly.
God, I know nothing about men.
She enjoyed entwining her fingers with his. They were so thick that they stretched her own fingers wide so they almost hurt, but a woman could draw a lot of comfort from such a big, safe hand.
“Come on.” Arlan tugged at her and started leading her down the hall.
When she passed a wall cabinet, she gave a little yelp of surprise as a ball of ginger fur jumped off. She let go of Arlan’s hand and caught it in her arms. She held the kitten up and had a look at it. It had an adorable face. She cuddled it close. It was so nice to feel its soft warm fur and hear its purring. She glanced up to see Arlan smiling at her.
“That’s Mambava. He’s a little OCD. He has some weird thing about not liking to walk on the floor, so he stays up high and waits for people to pass so he can jump into their arms and be carried around.”
August laughed. “Aw, he’s adorable. How old is he?” “About three months.”
“Is he part Persian? He’s pretty fluffy.” “Maybe. Not sure. He was a rescue kitten.”
“My cats were all rescue kittens too.” She frowned. “He makes me realize how much I miss them.” She held Mambava to her cheek, enjoying his softness and purring some more, her stomach
Hollowing with a surprise wave of homesickness for her pets. Arlan asked, “How many cats do you have at home.”
August looked away. “Um…five.” Arlan’s lips quirked.
“Just call me the crazy cat lady.”
He squeezed her hand. “You’re far too beautiful to be a crazy cat lady. You’re a zoologist. You love animals. It doesn’t surprise me. Have any other pets?”
“I almost took in a bird, then decided that would be a bad idea.” Arlan laughed. “So, who’s taking care of your cats?”
“My sister April. It’s okay. She loves them too.” When they got to the lounge, Mambava started scrambling in her arms. She let him go, and he sprang onto a bookcase and curled up for a nap. She laughed and then peered out the glass doors and gasped when she saw the gigantic pool.
Arlan pulled open the sliding glass doors. “It’s an infinity pool.” Holy hell! How rich are these dudes?
She stepped outside, the heat of the African sun warming her instantly, the sky a bright enameled blue. She could see now that their home was built among sandstone rocks and the pool itself was vast and breathtaking, surrounded by beautiful glass mosaic tiles. What was really impressive were the perimeter pools. Water flowed over several gradient edges into overflow spas. The overall effect was of water flowing into the horizon extending out in front of her like a vanishing edge.
Arlan laughed, and she realized she’d been gaping openmouthed at everything. “I guess you inherited a fortune.”
“I guess we did.”
“My mother has always been very focused on using fae power to increase wealth, but…she hasn’t achieved anything like this.”
A muscle twitched in Arlan’s jaw. “Yeah, well, they earned a lot of money in the regular way through building a huge business.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m going to go get us some drinks and some nibbles. You still want a gin and tonic?”
August nodded, and he left to get the refreshments.
She crossed the tiles to view the lavishly crafted gates. Through the gaps in its pattern, she could see hundreds of stone steps leading down to the veldt.
In the distance, there was a view of rows of lavender jacaranda trees, and she could even see the Zambezi River. She spotted a family of elephants drinking their fill. The baby elephant was slipping and sliding in the mud, trying to be close to his mother.
The simple beauty of the family drinking together made a sudden lump form in her throat. She gripped the gate until her hands ached. August turned around and walked back to the pool.
Jay swam a smooth freestyle toward her until he stood in the shallow end. There weren’t many men who could pull off a brief-style bathing suit, but Jay’s body was hot enough to wear the sleek black style. She’d truly never seen men with bodies as ripped and perfect as these two, outside of ads and movies.
Water droplets shone on the flawless caramel skin of those broad shoulders and perfect abs. Jay’s smile at seeing her lit up his whole face. “Hey, sweetness. Wow! You look gorgeous in that little thing.”
She averted her eyes, still not used to taking compliments. “Hi, Jay.”
After crossing to the edge of the pool, she sat and dangled her toes in the water. Jay waded over to where she was, then, without warning, he grabbed both her ankles.
“I love your sexy legs.”
“Oh yeah, a leggy super model, that’s me.” She struck a mock pose.
He gave her ankles a firm yank. She let him pull her into water, screaming and laughing as she splashed into depth. Water flooded her nose and mouth, making her splutter, then he was pulling her upright, drawing her against him.
The cool water felt amazing in contrast to the burning sun, but not as amazing as being pressed against Jay’s rock-hard chest. He put his palms on the edge of the pool on either side of her, caging her in. The all-male scent of him hit her system like a drug.
“I love how petite you are. It’s part of your beauty. Don’t insult yourself again.”
Heat spread across her cheeks. She was still unused to compliments, still surprised he would act as though more had passed between them than a one-night stand.
He started tickling her. “Stop it. Stop.” She laughed, warning him between breaths, “You’ll drown me at this rate.”
He stopped tickling and pushed her up against the side of the pool. He caressed her cheek with the tips of his calloused fingers, then put his hand under her chin, tipping her head back for a kiss. At the first touch of his tongue against hers, she dissolved, fell apart, something hot and delicious stirring in her gut.
His hungry mouth fused with hers. His touch fired her body with need, causing a sharp ache inside that needed to be filled. Her legs shook, and his hands moved to wrap around her waist, holding her firm.
Jay’s kisses were very different from Ryan’s. He seemed to kiss for kissing’s sake, not just as some fast and furious prelude to getting clothes off. For all Jay’s strength and sexual magnetism, there was a blissful quality to his kisses that made her swoon, made her open up and liquefy, made her forget where she was. Greedily, she met his mouth halfway, and they devoured and consumed each other.
His breath feathered across her skin as he whispered in her ear, “When you insult yourself, it pisses me off. We need to do something about it. Maybe I’ll have to spank you for it later.”
The rich, dark tone of his words sent chills up and down her spine, and her knees started to give way. She had nothing to grip but his hard forearms. Mesmerized by his heat and her own lustful, submissive reaction to his words, she couldn’t speak, so she only returned his gaze. Her body reacted to him too strongly. Her nipples weren’t tight just because of the cold water. Her vagina pulsed with need.
Movement to the side broke the moment for her, and she turned her head a little to see Arlan walking toward them carrying her gin and tonic and a little dish of something. He set them on a little table near the pool. She covered her mouth with her hand. How could she have let Jay make her forget Arlan was there? It seemed unpardonably rude.
She couldn’t read the zoologist’s expression. Was that actual pain she saw in his eyes? He turned around and headed back towards the bar. August let go of Jay. Squirming, she managed to duck under his arm. She pushed her legs hard against the wall of the pool to propel herself into a quick and powerful backstroke, swimming as fast as she could.
She thought back to when the crash of that glass coffee table and the arguing had woken her. She’d entered the trailer’s kitchen and had more than one shock. The air betwee
n the two men had been charged. Both had positively shimmered with sexual tension.
August picked up the pace of her swimming. Another one of her crazy, horny fantasies, two males together, all that rock-hard muscle, slick limbs and large dicks… One of her kinkier fantasies.
She knew enough gay and bi men back home on Long Island to know. She could tell Arlan and Jay had some kind of romantic bond as well as sizzling heat. And yet they were both apparently attracted to her, which was amazing. Apparently, they were bi.
August swam as hard as she could, trying to block out her thinking with physical activity, wondering when she’d reach the invisible edge of the pool. That one word from Kruger’s email flashed before her eyes. Ménage. She swam even faster.
So much had happened since she’d arrived in Africa, she hadn’t allowed herself to even think of the full implications of that email. Could her heart bear more casual, meaningless sex with one man, let alone two?
Jay chased after her with a strong breast stroke.
He caught her ankle, but his grip on her foot slipped. She righted herself and splashed him. Laughing, he splashed her back, and while she was still giggling, he maneuvered her until he’d pressed her up against the wall of the pool again. Her legs couldn’t even reach the bottom here.
Every inch of him was aware of her, of her soft breasts rising and falling, of her sweet jasmine scent.
“Why did you have to catch me?”
He cocked his head to one side, smiling at her, and raised his brows. Her question needed no answer, and she must know it. He nuzzled her neck, tickling her, and she started to laugh again, the melodic sound reaching all the way down to his soul. Even in the short time since he’d met her he felt more focused and alive than he had in years. How good it would feel to have her for his own to care for and to love.
He had to have her again. The need for her burned in his gut. Was it really just the pull between fire and air? Was it really just lust? His rough, raw need for her blended with so many…feelings.
Claimed by Fae: MMF Paranormal Romance (Magical Mayhem Menage Book 2) Page 9
