Wild & Steamy

by Carolyn Crane

  For some reason, she liked the thought of that – they were like a study in opposites. Sam with his charming, boyish grin and devil-may-care attitude. He’d be a spontaneous, inventive lover. Jeremiah would be more thoughtful, slow and seductive and devoted entirely to her body.

  Not that she was thinking about things like that.

  Flustered by how quickly her thoughts had turned to sex and mating, Miko stepped aside and gestured at the room occupied by Jeremiah. "I’ve only got one guest room."

  He tilted his head, grinning. "Got room in your bed for me?"

  It was on the tip of her tongue to blurt out a ‘yes’, but two things stopped her. One – she didn’t want any strings on a relationship right now, and having Sam in her bed for an unknown number of days could end up being awkward. And two, the thought of aggressively selecting Sam over Jeremiah with the soulful eyes felt somehow wrong.

  She liked them both, and at the same time, was irritated at both for being here. Her fox instincts told her that either would be a good mate and a strong sexual match for her, and both were clearly interested. Even if she did feel like picking one, which would it be? If she picked one, would it destroy his relationship with the other? The were-fox in her was possessive; she wanted both men. And most men? Didn’t want to share their bed – or their woman - with another man. Sure, it was a great storyline in pornos, but she’d quickly found out that reality was far, far different than the movies.

  It was a messy situation, and Miko hated those worse than anything. Clamping her thigh muscles together tightly again, she waved a hand at the door. "You figure out which one of you gets the bed. I didn’t ask you to come here, and I’m not going to hold your hand and tuck you in."

  With that, she quickly moved down the hallway and out of their presence. Time to make a strategic retreat, and to regroup and relax.

  *** *** ***

  "Man, she’s hot," Sam said, turning to grin at Jeremiah. "I can’t believe she’s a were-fox."

  "On her mother’s side, according to Ms. Westwood," Jeremiah replied mildly, plugging his computer into the wall. "And because her family hired us, that means that you need to leave her alone. No harassing her because she’s sexy."

  "So you thought she was sexy too?" Sam said with a wicked grin.

  "It doesn’t matter if I did or not – the point is that we’re here to do a job, not to gang up and seduce a young fox alone."

  "So you’re interested in her too?"

  Jeremiah was quiet for a long moment. "Yeah. But we have a job to do first and foremost, so she calls the shots."

  "Agreed," said Sam. "Let the best man win."

  "Nobody’s winning anything. She’s a person." Jeremiah shook his head. Sometimes Sam could be a little too competitive, especially when it came to a gorgeous woman.

  "Does that mean you’re not going to make a play for her?"

  Jeremiah smiled. "I didn’t say that."

  *** *** ***

  There was nothing quite like a good run through the forest to clear her head. That was why Miko indulged herself, despite the warnings she’d been given. She was aware of the danger, all right. And she’d decided to take precautionary moves against it, too. She could scout the area, look for the scent of hunting dogs and horses, and determine what the boundaries of their hunting grounds were.

  On her back porch, Miko stripped out of her nightie and let the evening air caress her skin for a bare moment before she allowed the fox to take over. The familiar rippling and bunching of her muscles shivered through her body, and she bent to her haunches as her form changed. Within moments, she was in animal form, her fox tail swishing. While her nose was keen in human form, her senses were nearly overwhelming in fox form. Scents immediately crowded in – the putrid smell of something dead in the distance – roadkill maybe – the overwhelmingly crisp scent of leaves and earth, the stink of the garbage cans on the side of the house, magnified a dozen times thanks to her sensitive fox nose, and the cat-and-human smell of her two houseguests.

  Miko darted into the wilderness. She’d picked this house because it was out in the country. Thick trees and wild underbrush were her only neighbors for miles. Usually she passed through the nearby golf course that backed up to her property (there was something so very attractive about the scent of cut grass, both to her and the rabbits), but with Sam and Jeremiah’s warnings rumbling through her mind, she changed paths and ducked under the nearby barbed-wire fence. Though the house was fenced, her property extended for several acres in all directions, which gave her plenty of hunting grounds, she thought, her four paws dancing down a scent trail. A squirrel tonight, maybe. She liked squirrels.

  She always lost time when she did a run. Maybe it had something to do with her fox-mind, or maybe it was that she reached a kind of Zen-state when it was just her, the ground inches away, and the wildlife around her. Whatever it was, she was enjoying herself.

  Until she heard the horn.

  When it first pierced the night air, she thought it was a figment of her imagination. Deep, sonorous and loud…and quickly followed by the baying of hounds.

  Shit.

  Not only were Sam and Jeremiah right, but they’d misjudged where the hunters would go – tonight they were even on private property. Her property. In the distance, she could hear the pounding of horse hooves, and that was enough for her – Miko slunk into the underbrush, tail tucked, and began to run back to her house.

  The hounds continued baying, having picked up her scent, and the adrenaline and fear began to rush through her, making it hard to concentrate on anything but her small black paws along the dirt and grasses. Home. She had to get home. They couldn’t get her there. She’d be safe at home. Home.

  One of the hounds bayed alarmingly close, and Miko nearly careened into a tree. She needed a hole to hide in, somewhere to burrow and be safe- So distraught, she nearly missed the gleaming eyes of the predator that lurked in the bushes. A large cat emerged and Miko skidded to a halt, backing up. Oh, hell. She’d gone from bad to worse…wait. The sinewy, golden cougar paced past her, sniffing the ground, then took off.

  Not two steps behind it, a tufted lynx bounded past.

  Must have been Sam and Jeremiah in their changed forms. No predator would turn down a tasty morsel of a fox, even if she was a tiny one. And the scent of them – annoying and yet intriguing – was filling her nostrils again.

  She didn’t overlook her good fortune in having them suddenly appear. Miko made a break for home and clambered up the porch, where her robe still lay discarded, and hastily began to change back. The moments of change were the most vulnerable. The hair on her body prickled at the thought of being caught mid-change, but she was back in human form within moments, and pulled on her robe. She was breathing hard, her hands shaking. That was…surreal. To think that someone had been hunting her – hunting her cousin Hayami as well. Her regular hunting grounds were no longer safe. It was rather upsetting to think about.

  Upset or not, Miko grabbed a long handful of honeysuckle vines from off the side of the porch and began to drag them over her scent trail. The flowers would obscure her scent long enough to not draw small predators back to her home. It was a familiar ritual, one that she always took upon herself when she changed forms. She’d been surprised once by a hungry stray, but never again. She might be part fox, but she had a human brain, and she wasn’t about to paint a big sign on her yard that said "Come and eat me!"

  That done, Miko stared at her yard. What she needed was a drink. A nice, stiff drink. Maybe a hot toddy. She went inside, glancing back once to see if the boys had returned, then put a kettle of tea on and got out the whiskey. She needed a drink, because she’d been scared out of her wits tonight, and because her mother had been right after all. Both left a sour taste in her mouth.

  The two men returned a half-hour or so later, when she was on her second toddy and feeling a nice, warm buzz in her stomach that soothed her jittery nerves. They looked rather pissed off at her too, especially S
am. He hadn’t even bothered to finish dressing before storming into the house. His feet were bare and he’d barely tugged his shirt down over his chest. She caught a peek of flat, tanned stomach and a thin line of hair below his navel before it was hidden from her gaze.

  Shame, that.

  Jeremiah was a few steps behind him, buttoning up his shirt, jeans slung low on his hips. His mouth was a grim line of disapproval.

  Amazing – the two of them in various states of undress did crazy things to her fox libido. She shifted in her seat, feeling suddenly flushed. "Welcome home."

  "What the hell were you thinking," Sam burst out first, crossing her kitchen to stand over her, arms crossed over his chest in disapproval.

  Miko studied him with sleepy eyes, the alcohol already affecting her system. With his wild curls and lithe, energetic body, of course he was the lynx. It fit him so well. Behind him, Jeremiah slunk against the doorframe, always hanging back, always cautious. Big. Graceful. Cougar suited him.

  Sam was still standing over her, though, demanding answers. So Miko looked up at him and gave him a lazy glance. "I’m not a prisoner. This is my home. And I wanted a run, so I went for one. I kept away from the country club grounds, but it seems they are not sticking to just the grounds." When Jeremiah made a frustrated noise, she raised a hand. "I thought I was safe, but I was not. It was a stupid move, and I won’t do it again." She stood slowly from the table, eyeing both of them. "If I’m naughty again, you both have permission to spank me."

  With a meaningful look at them both, she poured out her drink and left the kitchen, sashaying down the hallway. She knew she shouldn’t tease them – knew it – but the faint sound of Jeremiah’s second groan was soworth it.

  *** *** ***

  Miko woke up the next morning feeling restless. She knew it was all in her head – the sensation of being crowded. She could hear her house guests talking downstairs, making themselves at home as they cooked up breakfast. How very cozy of them, she thought with a wry twist of her mouth. Add in the fact that she more or less wouldn’t be allowed to go on a run until the fox hunters were taken care of, and her skin was practically crawling with confinement. It was a feeling she hated, so she took a quick shower to clear her mind, dressed, then locked herself in her art studio. At least there she could channel all this nervous energy and make something productive.

  She emerged many hours later, stomach rumbling. The sun had gone down some time ago. The artistic fervor had died away, leaving her with nothing but an empty stomach and a strangely sated mood. Drawing really did make everything better. Rubbing the graphite smell from her nose, she wandered into the kitchen.

  And paused. Both men were at her kitchen table, sprawled in repose, their legs extended under the table. Empty bottles of beer decorated the table, and a few crumpled dollars lay at the center of her table. Each man held a hand of cards, and both perked up with interest at the sight of her.

  "Hi," she said, feeling a little breathless at the sight of them, so relaxed in her kitchen. She could look at both of them for hours on end, just gazing at two opposite but equally beautiful pieces of masculine flesh.

  "Hungry?" Jeremiah said, getting up from his chair and offering it to her. "I can make you a sandwich."

  So thoughtful. They’d bought groceries for her, too? Normally she just ordered takeout. "A sandwich would be nice," she said warily. Miko watched his ass out of the corner of her eye as he bent over the fridge, pulling out bags of lunchmeat. It was tight and firm, and his pants hugged him at just the right spots.

  Damn, she really needed to get laid. Distracted, she glanced over at Sam and noticed him smiling at her. He’d seen her looking at Jeremiah, and he didn’t seem to mind. Interesting. She wondered if the two had ever partnered before. The thought sent a hot flash of desire coursing through her body, and her return smile to him was wicked indeed.

  "What are you boys playing?" she said, picking up Jeremiah’s facedown hand. A queen was sandwiched between a king and a jack, but the rest of his hand was garbage. She ran a finger along that queen. Lucky gal – slid between two handsome guys.

  Okay, now she really needed to get laid if a hand of playing cards were making her fantasize.

  "Poker," Sam said, lifting his beer and taking a swig. "Do you play?"

  She laid Jeremiah’s cards back down and leaned over the table slightly, grinning at Sam as an idea struck. "Not for money."

  His gaze dropped a little, watching her breasts plump as she pushed against the table. He swallowed hard. "No?"

  "I’ve only played strip poker," she confessed.

  Sam leaned across the table, giving her that roguish grin that made his blue eyes light up. "You interested in playing tonight?"

  In the kitchen, she noticed that Jeremiah got very still, and she glanced over at him. His body radiated sexual tension, and the glance he tossed over at her was smoldering.

  "Oh, I’m definitely in," she said.

  Jeremiah recovered and placed the sandwich in front of her. So thoughtful – he’d even sliced it into two perfect triangles. Miko rewarded him with a beaming smile and took a bite. "Thank you." He glanced around her dining room. "You have any extra chairs?" Her small table only had two chairs – she’d been too cheap to buy more and she never used this table anyhow.

  The lack of chairs did pose a bit of a problem, until another brilliant idea struck her. Miko stood, sandwich in hand, and gestured at the chair she’d just vacated. "Jeremiah, you can sit here. I’ll just sit on your lap."

  She could practically hear him swallow.

  The men folded the cards back into the stack, and Sam began to shuffle with expert, casual hands. She watched his hands; she liked them – strong, with thick fingers and calluses that showed he worked with his hands. She’d have bet money that Jeremiah had lean, long fingers and softer palms. He looked like a computer jockey.

  Jeremiah looked reluctant, so she slid out of the seat and patted it, indicating he should sit. His dark eyes were hot upon her as he sat down, slowly sinking into the wooden chair, gaze unmoving from her face. When he’d sat in the chair, legs slightly parted as he tried to relax, she slipped one leg over his and straddled his knee, giving a slight wiggle to remind him that she was there. As if he could forget.

  "Shall we play?" Miko leaned over the table, smiling. The angle would give Jeremiah a nice view of the curve of her ass and the small of her back, and she intended for it to. Even better, the move pushed her breasts against her arms and Sam’s gaze was immediately drawn there.

  She was having far, far too much fun toying with the two men.

  "Rules?" Sam said, his voice husky.

  "We all three play," she said slowly, thinking. "Winner takes off nothing. Second place, nothing. Loser has to remove an article of clothing. Simple."

  Sam dealt the cards with a faint smile on his face. Around the table he went, dealing three hands in a slow, leisurely fashion. When she had five cards in front of her, Miko picked up her hand, careful to pull it close to her chest so Jeremiah wouldn’t see it. A trash hand – five different cards, all four suits and nothing that matched. Ugh. She snuck a peek over the cards at Sam, but his face was inscrutable – that slight smile still curved his mouth.

  Jeremiah shifted under her legs, her only indication that he was still there and paying attention.

  Miko kept two clubs and tossed the other three down. "Three cards."

  Sam dealt her three. "How many for you, Jere?"

  A card slid close to her elbow. "Just one."

  Damn.

  She said nothing as Jeremiah picked up his new card, but his knee jiggled a little again. She wasn’t sure if that was a good jiggle or a bad jiggle.

  "I’m taking two," Sam said, then discarded his and pulled two new ones. This time, he didn’t bother hiding the smile that spread across his face. His blue-eyed gaze slid back to her. "What do you have?"

  She still had nothing. A pair of threes, but that wouldn’t win anything. Miko laid the car
ds down, face up. "I have crap. You two?"

  Jeremiah leaned over her, his shoulder brushing up against her back. Prickles of awareness fluttered over her skin, and she resisted the urge to lean back against him. "I have a flush," he said in a low voice, and she could feel the warmth of his breath against her bare shoulder. With precise hands, he laid out all five cards – all hearts.

  Well, that certainly beat her.

  "Full house," said Sam, showing his fan of cards. Kings and deuces.

  She was the big loser. Disappointment flared briefly – Miko was competitive and liked to win – but it was quickly replaced by a teasing excitement. "Guess that means I lose."

  "Guess so," said Sam, grinning at her with invitation in his eyes.

  She stood slowly between Jeremiah’s legs, thinking. What to take off first? Her sleeveless linen wrap-blouse? That would be what they expected her to do, and she didn’t get her kicks off of what was expected. Her sandals? Too lame. A watch? Earrings? Even lamer than shoes.

  So Miko reached for the snap of her shorts and undid it, slowly teasing the zipper downward. A quick glance through her lashes showed that both men were riveted to the movement, and the air became heavy with tension. With careful, languid motions, she eased the fabric down over her hips and shimmied slightly, until her shorts fell to the floor, exposing her panties to both eagerly awaiting men.

  "Are those…" Sam began.

  "Ruffled," Jeremiah finished, sounding as if he were dying. He might have been – the black ruffles on the back of her lacy panties were probably bare inches away from him. She’d picked her lingerie deliberately today, thinking of the two men, though she hadn’t anticipated the fun of strip poker.

  And she was definitely having fun. Far, far too much for her own good.