Laid Bear

by Eve Vaughn

  His warm green gaze locked with hers. “Do I need to say?

  Can’t you feel it too?”

  Zora wanted to argue that she had no clue what he was talking about, but they both would have known it was a lie.

  There was an intangible pull between her and this stranger— Gavin. Perhaps she’d felt it from the second he’d entered the room, but she’d ignored it. Now with him so close and his hand still on her thigh, there was no ignoring the instant chemistry she felt with him. A chemistry she found confusing, exciting and frightening at the same time.

  Here was a man she’d known for less than five minutes and yet the simple feel of his hand on her skin made her want more. It was the same reaction she’d had with Logan downstairs. She’d never considered herself promiscuous despite experimenting in college, but she couldn’t explain these feelings whirling within her for two men she didn’t know. Had he given her some kind of drug to make her respond to them this way?

  Zora opened her mouth to speak, but the words remained trapped in her throat.

  Gavin smiled, this time revealing a row of perfect white teeth. “You don’t have to say it, your expression gives it away.”

  He reached over and grazed her cheek with the back of his hand. Zora’s normal instinct would have been to flinch away from his touch, she didn’t know him after all, but the touch of his fingers on her face felt like they were meant to be there.

  She couldn’t help leaning in to the hand that now cupped her cheek.

  His thumb slipped across her bottom lip, sending an involuntary shiver through her entire body. Goosebumps formed along her arms as she became lost in his hypnotic stare. Her heart pounded so hard she could almost hear it, her throat went dry and she darted her tongue across her lips to moisten them. He leaned closer as if he would kiss her and she had every intention of letting him. The part of her brain that was supposed to sound the alarm in situations like this didn’t go off, and she wasn’t sure if she would have listened even if it had.

  Gavin moved so close she could feel the warmth of his breath. Zora felt her lids go heavy and she waited for their lips to connect, when someone called out, “Everything all right in here?”

  Feeling like a kid with her hand caught in a cookie jar, she backed away from Gavin. She looked up to see the third man she’d seen downstairs. He was just as large as the other two, tall and broad-shouldered. What the hell did these men eat?

  There were enough similarities in his appearance to Logan and Gavin to tell her that he was related in some way, but his wavy russet hair hung haphazardly across his forehead, giving him a devil-may-care appearance. His looks were devastating. Though she’d found each man attractive so far, this guy was the most classically handsome of the three, with green bedroom eyes that seemed to invite one to spend a day or night frolicking in bed with him. His lips were fuller than average, but they suited him. They immediately made her think of kissing.

  As he walked farther into the room, his eyes narrowed. He looked at her and then at Gavin. “What’s going on in here? I thought you were just going to see if she was okay, not pull a Logan.”

  At the sound of the harshness in his tone, Zora snapped out of her trance. “Okay, I’m going to need you guys to tell me what the hell is going on.”

  Chapter Four

  The two men glanced at each other, sharing a secret look Zora found hard to decipher. Whatever they communicated to each other, she didn’t like being kept in the dark. “Well? Are you guys going to tell me? I think I have the right to know what’s going on.” She looked from one to the other waiting for an answer. Zora had a strong feeling she wouldn’t like what they told her, but she needed to know what she was up against.

  The newcomer looked at Gavin with a raised brow. “You haven’t told her yet?”

  “Told me what?” Zora threw her hands in the air in frustration.

  Again the two men communicated silently.

  “Fine, keep your damn secrets to yourself. I’m out of here.”

  She had every intention of finding her clothes and leaving this loony bin even if she had to walk. She swung her legs toward the edge of the bed and scooted away from Gavin.

  Instead of trying to stop her, the two men grinned with identical amusement. “Mind telling us where you plan on going?” the newcomer asked.

  “Away from here,” she muttered, striding across the room to the closet in hopes of finding something suitable to wear.

  She pulled the door open to find a closet full of women’s clothing, none of it hers. “Where are my clothes?”

  “The ones you were wearing? Threw them out. When I was examining you I had to cut them off,” Gavin explained with the tone one would use with a petulant child. “It was just more convenient to put you in this shirt rather than digging through your things and figuring out what you wanted to wear. Heath also bought some things for you when he went into town, in case you wanted something new. The rest of your clothing is still in your suitcase.”

  Heath, she assumed, was the russet-haired God. Zora no longer cared for an explanation, she just wanted out to keep her sanity. Mainly, she needed to go before she did something stupid like giving in to the inappropriate thoughts revolving around the men she just met.

  “Thanks,” she muttered, grabbing a pair of jeans and a Tshirt off the rack. Although they probably already went through her things, she didn’t want to do it in front of them. It just seemed too personal. Zora turned back around to find both men still eyeing her with a hint of amusement and something else that made her gulp: blatant lust. As much as they intrigued her, they were still strangers. She’d be crazy to want to stick around. Right?

  “Er, ah… ” She was at a loss for words as they continued to stare at her with unabashed desired. No one had ever looked at her like that before, not even Dale.

  “Yes, sweetheart?” Heath smirked.

  His smug endearment brought her back to her senses. “If either one of you were gentlemen, you’d at least give me some privacy to get dressed,” she snapped with a little more edge to her voice than she’d intended. Lord, these two made her nervous. She didn’t know what she’d do if that big blond hulk was with them.

  “Perhaps you’d like to take a shower first and then get dressed. We’ve got some of that fruity-smelling body wash women seem to like. Bet it would smell great on your skin…

  not that you don’t smell good enough to eat out right now,”

  Heath spoke in a low timbre that sent an involuntary shiver through her body.

  She moistened now dry lips with the tip of her tongue, trembling from head to toe. Zora brought the jeans and T-shirt against her body, using them as a shield. Her pussy tingled as she imagined him burying his face between her thighs as she locked her fingers through that glorious mane of hair. “Y-you meant just eat, right?” she stammered.

  That cocky smirk titled his lips once again. “No, I had it right the first time, sweetheart.”

  A gasp escaped her lips before she could stop it.

  “That’s enough, Heath,” Gavin scolded. He shot Zora an apologetic glance. “My cousin sometimes lacks tact. But he’s right, you might want a shower. You’ll have a chance to clear your head. Then you can get dressed and join us downstairs so we can talk.”

  The idea of a shower did sound tempting. She licked her lips again, this time out of nervousness. “Okay, but once I’m showered and dressed, I’m out of here. I don’t care if I have to walk to town. I’m not staying here a second longer than I have to.”

  Neither man spoke right away. Gavin was the first to clear his throat. “Bathroom is down the hall. Hopefully, you’ll come join us for a chat when you’re finished.”

  She wasn’t convinced by how readily they gave in to her demands. But at least she’d have a chance to think without any of them around.

  Once the two men left the bedroom, gently closing the door behind them, Zora felt as if she could breathe again. It made no sense how three men could get under her skin in s
uch a short period of time, but the sooner she got away from them, the faster she could get her life back on track.

  Zora waited for several moments before poking her head out the door to verify the coast was clear. With clothing in hand, she went down to the bathroom. Just as Heath said, there were all kinds of soaps, body washes and bath salts laid out on the counter along with pink terry cloth robe. None of the men struck her as the type to use the fragrant bath aids.

  They’d gotten all this for her, as if they were expecting her to stick around for a while. For just the briefest of seconds, she wondered what it would be like to stay here away from civilization with three sexy hunks who all made her pulse race.

  She immediately shook the image from her head, silently admonishing herself to stay focused. Clearing her mind, she undressed and selected a body wash and shampoo. She didn’t allow herself to think as she bathed and washed her hair. She concentrated on the sting of steamy water dripping over her body. Zora fought hard not to allow her hands to dwell on her breasts a little too long or over her pussy as she washed. She refused to touch herself so intimately with them in the house.

  That was way too dangerous.

  Once she was fully dressed with her purse in hand, she gathered the nerve to go downstairs. Gavin and Heath were in the living room. Gavin was sitting in the corner, casually reading what looked like a medical journal of some sort.

  Heath sipped from a coffee mug, looking off into space in deep thought. They both looked up when she walked into the room. Logan was nowhere in sight.

  “Um, hi,” she said.

  Gavin’s lips curved into an almost wolfish grin. “Hi, yourself.” Her heart skipped several beats. Did he have to be so damn good-looking?

  She twirled a lock around her finger nervously before asking, “I don’t suppose either of you are willing to give me a ride into town?”

  “Didn’t plan on it,” Heath said before taking another sip of his coffee.

  “I don’t see why not. After we’ve talked, of course.” Gavin offered that sexy smile again, but this time Zora wouldn’t be distracted by it.

  Refusing to be deterred, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’d much rather go now if it wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience.”

  Gavin shook his head with an apologetic smile. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

  Zora bit her tongue to hold back an angry retort. “Thanks for letting me stay here while I… recovered.” She gripped her purse tightly and strode outside. Pissed. Gavin had already said the closest town was a twenty-minute drive. She’d be walking for at least a couple hours. Bastards. Well, so be it.

  What was a little hike through nowhereville?

  Being outside, she realized the cabin was surrounded by forest with no clear-cut path. How the hell was she supposed to get out of here? She had a sneaking suspicion they knew it, which was why they hadn’t tried to stop her. Well, she’d show them. She’d find her way out of here, even if it took her all day.

  Zora refused to panic. There had to be a way out. It stood to reason that the guys made it to the cabin by some sort of vehicle. How else would they transport their supplies? She walked around the house in hopes of seeing a garage or some way out, and was rewarded with the site of two large SUVs and a pickup truck. Scoping the site out once more, she noticed a worn trail. This had to be the way out.

  She whispered a silent prayer of fortitude and began to follow the path. She’d made it several yards when she thought she heard a low growl behind her. She shook her head, convinced she was hearing things. Zora continued on, determined to make it to civilization by nightfall. As she took several more steps, she heard the low rumbling sound of an animal, the same one, but closer. Zora never considered herself a skittish person, but maybe she should head back to the cabin. The thought of seeing the smug looks on Gavin and Heath’s faces convinced her to go on. Whatever made the sound was probably a harmless creature, more interested in its activities than her.

  Squaring her shoulders, Zora started walking again, but this time she halted in her tracks when a voice growled in her head, “You’re not going anywhere.”

  What the hell? Did she bump her head so hard when she crashed her car that she now heard voices? Zora didn’t have time to dwell on her next course of action before she heard a rustling in the bushes, quickly followed by the appearance of the largest animal she’d ever seen. A bear.

  It stood on its hind legs and let out a loud roar.

  Zora, paralyzed with fear, released a scream from the depths of her belly. The animal stilled, cocking its head to the side as if responding to her fear. “I won’t hurt you. But you’re not going anywhere. ”

  Those words filtered in her mind as if the bear had spoken them. Zora clutched her head to shake away such a ridiculous thought. Of course the bear hadn’t communicated with her.

  Perhaps she really was losing it. When the bear dropped down on all fours and slowly stalked toward her, she was galvanized into action. Her legs finally cooperated with her brain. She spun around and took off as fast as she could.

  Zora didn’t get far before she crashed into the hard wall of a very muscular chest. Strong hands shot out to grip her forearms, holding her in place. “Going somewhere?” It was Heath, with the same cocky smirk he’d sported earlier.

  Zora didn’t have time to analyze why he was so damn calm in the face of a possible animal attack. All she knew was she needed to put some distance between herself and the monstrosity of a bear. She pulled against him, trying to break free of his effortless hold on her.

  “Let go!”

  “Not a chance, honey.”

  The nonchalance in his voice served to further irritate her.

  “Don’t you see that big ass bear behind us?”

  “You mean Logan?”

  “No. A bear. Look!”

  “All I see is Logan.”

  Zora risked a glance over her shoulder to see a very naked Logan standing where the bear had been. The animal was nowhere to be seen. She locked gazes with Logan and the look in his eyes was eerily similar to the… no. Common sense told her it wasn’t possible. Things like this didn’t happen outside of books.

  She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “How…

  What happened to the bear?”

  Logan shot a narrow-eyed stare in Gavin and Heath’s direction. “You two haven’t told her yet?” he practically growled the words. It occurred to Zora that Logan’s voice was nearly identical to the one she’d heard in her head only moments earlier. Again she dismissed it, not willing to accept what the little voice in her head was trying to tell her.

  Gavin cleared his throat. “Well, we were actually going to get to that, but Zora wanted to take a walk first.”

  A dark blond brow shot up. “Looks to me like she was trying to leave,” Logan pointed out.

  Zora realized Heath had relaxed his grip, enabling her to pull away from him. “Tell me what? And don’t you own any clothes? Or are you guys into some kind of freaky nudist ritual?” Logan began to advance and Zora held up her hands to ward him off. “Don’t come any closer.” She turned her head away to prevent her eyes from straying below the waist. She remembered what happened the last time she’d been caught staring.

  Logan snorted. “Since my cousins haven’t told you, guess it’s up to me. I—”

  Gavin shook his head. “Wait, Logan, not this way, we have to break it to her gently. This would be a lot for anyone to take in, let alone someone who’s already suffered through major trauma.”

  “You’ve pussyfooted around this enough. The sooner she knows, the sooner we mate her,” the blond countered.

  Heath rubbed his chin in contemplation before nodding. “I agree. Let’s just get it over with.”

  Mate her? She couldn’t have heard them right. Zora remembered likening this to Deliverance. Maybe she wasn’t that far off. Or maybe it was much worse. Either way, she wasn’t going to squeal like a pig for anyone.

 
; She backed away from the three men, putting as much distance between them and herself as possible. “Whoa. Hold up. I don’t know what you guys think I’m here for, but it’s not to be your personal sex slave.” She understood these men were huge and could overpower her with little effort, but if that was their plan, she didn’t intend to make it easy for them regardless of the inexplicable pull she felt toward all of them.

  Logan slanted his lips in a knowing grin. “I think you already know. That bear you saw was me.”

  “Logan!” Gavin scolded.

  “Stop trying to coddle her, Gavin. What makes you think she’d take it any differently if you eased her into it? Besides, you can see it on her face. She knows what we are. I bet she’s sensed we were different from the moment she opened those big brown eyes. Didn’t you, sweetheart?” Logan’s tone turned gentle as his hungry gaze fell on her once more.

  Zora took another step backward, shaking her head in denial. “No. It’s not possible. You can’t be.”

  “Should I prove it to you?” For a brief moment his face contorted just enough for her to see the animal he was capable of becoming. Zora had to bite her tongue in order to keep from screaming.

  “Don’t!”

  Logan shook his head and his face once again held the classically handsome bone structure of an Adonis.

  “Logan, that’s enough!” Gavin strode over to his cousin, his eyebrows knitted together and nostrils flaring, stopping short when he was nearly nose to nose with the other giant.

  Logan didn’t back down. “I did it your way. You don’t get to call the shots here. Especially when it comes to her.” He jerked his thumb in Zora’s direction.

  She’d had enough. “Stop!” she screamed. “Both of you just shut up. Logan, go inside and put some damn clothes on.

  Gavin or Heath, one of you better start explaining right now.”

  Gavin and Logan backed away from each other, but not fast enough for Zora’s taste.

  “Now!” She clapped her hands together for emphasis.