 
An Indecent Affair
Part I

By Stephanie Julian

An Indecent Affair Part I

Stephanie Julian

Published by Stephanie Julian

Copyright 2012. Stephanie Julian.

Smashwords edition.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at stephaniejulian@msn.com.

All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author's imagination.
Chapter One

"She brought a date."

"Are you joking?"

"Why would I? She walked in on the arm of some guy who looks like he only leaves his parents' basement to eat."

Tristan Donovan turned to frown at the man who'd suddenly appeared at his side. Adam Oleksy had always been a sneaky bastard, which had saved their asses more than once. He also had a world-class poker face, but Tristan knew when he was bullshitting. Which he wasn't now.

Shit.

"Where are they?"

"Just walked through the front door. I believe your brother may have had a mini stroke."

Tristan's upper lip curled. "Serves the bastard right."

His older brother, Philip, didn't deserve Katrina Riley. She was too good for him. Besides, Tristan had already decided he and Adam would have the frosty little lawyer for themselves. Taking her away from Philip would be icing on the cake.

Standing at the bar in the study of Arthur and Angelica Riley's Beacon Hill home, Tristan let his gaze wander over the guests at the Rileys' annual open house. Which was a total misnomer because this was one of the most exclusive events in Boston high society.

Arthur Riley had inherited one of the oldest and most prestigious law firms in Boston and, since the Donovan family had been clients of Riley & McNassett for more than fifty years, they had a standing invitation.

This marked only the second year Tristan had attended. Last year had been the first.

While Adam ordered a drink, Tristan tried to catch a glimpse of Katrina through the entrance into the parlor, but the doorway only allowed him to view a slice of the great room at the front of the Riley mansion.

In another time, that room would've been called a ballroom, but no one held balls in their homes anymore. At least they weren't pretentious enough to call them that.

"So now what?"

Adam took a sip of his whiskey as he waited for Tristan to answer his question. Adam knew him well enough to know he was formulating another plan. The first plan Katrina had screwed with her date.

But Tristan was nothing if not resourceful. As he worked through various scenarios, he knew there was still only one outcome he would consider: Katrina leaving with him and Adam.

There was no way in hell she was leaving with another man. He'd give her date cab fare if he needed it. But whoever he was, he wasn't walking out the door with Katrina.

"Now I think it's time to introduce ourselves to Kat."

Adam glanced over his shoulder at Tristan, his lips curving in a wry smile. "Sounds kind of like the first plan."

Tristan returned his friend's grin. "It's no different from the first plan. It just means there're going to be two disappointed men instead of one."

"Double the fun," Adam drawled.

Yes, it would be. "Let's move out."

* * * * *

Kat realized her error as soon as Philip Donovan slithered up to her side and proceeded to ignore her every increasingly not-very-subtle attempt to ignore him like he was the plague.

She wanted to run like hell in the other direction, but that would cause a scene, and Angelica Riley did not abide scenes. Especially not by her daughter.

And Kat had no wish to bring any attention to herself here. Though she didn't give a shit what her mother thought, she wouldn't embarrass her dad.

But not even the presence of another man by her side had been enough to deter Philip. He simply ignored Garret as if he weren't even there.

In Philip's eyes, he probably wasn't. Philip only acknowledged people in his own tax bracket as worthy of his attention. Unless, of course, he needed something.

"So I told the governor it wasn't going to happen. I can't believe the man even had the gall to ask."

Kat barely bothered to hide her sigh as Philip continued to yammer on about some deal he was making. Philip ran his father's business, a multibillion-dollar business that was all about profit. She wasn't even completely sure what kind of business they did.

Why couldn't the stock market crash, just a little, so she wouldn't have to put up with this self-important blowhard?

In addition to pissing her off, Philip was making Garrett increasing uncomfortable by continuing to ignore him, and that was unacceptable. It was her fault Garrett was here. All her fault that he was enduring what was probably the worst night of his life simply because she'd asked her brother to find her a date for this travesty. Someone who wouldn't expect her to sleep with him at the end of the night but who would at least make it believable that he liked her.

Which was pretty ridiculous in and of itself. Anyone who knew her knew she was unlikable. She worked hard at it.

Kat swallowed a sigh and did her level best not to run screaming. Her dad would worry.

And she certainly didn't want Garrett going back to Erik and telling him his sister was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Since Garrett worked for Erik, he'd probably feel duty bound to fill in his boss on everything that happened tonight.

"Of course, the senator and I have played a few rounds so he knew where this was headed. I had to tell him exactly why I thought the deal was not in his best interest."

When she'd first begged Erik to find her someone to bring to this party, she'd thought Philip would be more manageable if he saw she had a date. That he wouldn't assume she was his personal property, granted to him by her mother's approval.

Now she had to worry not only about herself but about Garrett, a decent guy who didn't deserve to be subjected to Philip.

"And then—"

"Philip, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but would you be a dear and get me a whiskey on the rocks from the bar? I don't see a server anywhere."

That was because she'd made damn sure there weren't any in the immediate vicinity before she'd asked. It was a desperate, childish move, one she wasn't sure Philip was going to fall for. His gaze shot to Garrett for a brief second before Philip smiled and nodded. Apparently, he must've decided that, if she was asking him for his service, she preferred him over Garrett.

Egotistical ass.

"Of course." He smiled, making her want to grimace. "I'll be back in a minute."

As soon as he was out of earshot, Kat turned to Garrett. "I am so sorry—"

Garrett laughed, not loud enough to attract attention but with just enough inflection for her to know he wasn't being a prick.

"Kat, hey, no apologies necessary. I knew the score coming into tonight. Erik told me to expect to be bored out of my mind and to be ignored most of the night by the assholes. He also told me his sister needed someone to keep her from going off the deep end. And I've got all day tomorrow and Monday to visit my sister at Boston University. Besides, when Erik asks for a favor, I typically don't decline."

No, her brother had loyal friends who'd stuck by him after his laboratory had been sabotaged and an explosion had nearly ended his life and left him with brutal scars on his face and body.

Erik had people he could turn to, including a best friend and a woman who loved him.

Kat only had Erik.

"Well, I really do appreciate you giving up a night for a stranger. I'm sorry it's just so awful."

Garrett's smile widened. "The drinks are free, the food's great, and my date's beautiful. It's not a total loss."

Her lips parted as she immediately thought to distance herself from him. He was a nice enough guy but—

But what?

Garrett was a nice enough guy. At least, he seemed like one. And she trusted her brother wouldn't send some freak on a date with his younger sister. So why couldn't she smile, say thank you for the compliment, and ask him to leave with her? Why couldn't she take him back to her apartment, screw his brains out for the night then send him on his way tomorrow morning?

Because I'm a coward, that's why.

She blinked and closed her mouth. Then forced herself to take a deep breath. "Thank you for the compliment, Garrett, but—"

"Hey." He held up one hand. "I know the score. It's okay. And I'm not hitting on you. Seriously. It's cool."

She felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders and made a mental note to send her brother a huge thank-you for Garrett. Too bad he wasn't at all her type. Handsome in a boy-next-door fashion with blue eyes, blond hair, and a lean body. Only the dark-framed glasses gave away a hint of his true nature. But they weren't an affectation. Garrett was an electrical engineer with an IQ higher than 150. Since he worked for her brother, he was most definitely a geek.

And she wasn't going there again. Ever.

"Thank you, Garrett." She infused as much warmth as she could into her voice. "I really appreciate—"

"Katrina."

The voice behind her was familiar, and she took a second to compose her expression back into the bland mask she usually wore for these functions. She'd let it slip while she'd been dealing with Philip.

Turning, her lips curved in a smile—that arrested as soon as she caught a glimpse of the men standing behind her. She knew one. The other was a stranger.

Struggling to keep her pleasant smile, she knew it might be a losing proposition if she had to maintain it for long.

"Tristan. How are you?"

"I'm good. It's nice to see you, Kat. How have you been?"

Sucky, actually.

She nodded. "I've been fine. And you?"

"Busy." The word came out clipped and tight, as if he didn't want to waste time on small talk. Which was strange because they'd never shared anything other than small talk.

Truthfully, she tried to avoid even that with Tristan. He made her uncomfortable.

Before she could say something equally short before trying to make her escape, he turned to the man by his side. "Kat, I'd like you to meet Adam Oleksy. Adam is my business partner."

"Kat. It's nice to meet you."

She took the coldly handsome man's outstretched hand but released it as quickly as possible. If Tristan made her uncomfortable, this man made her want to run in the other direction.

And a very small part of her wanted them to chase her.

She forced herself to hold her ground and hold that smile.

In direct contrast to his brother, Philip, Tristan Donovan was the perfect example of tall, dark, and handsome. He stood at least two inches over six foot, his looks deceivingly bland until he smiled. Then he turned into a heartbreaker with a killer grin and deep green eyes. His dark hair was cut short but not as short as she remembered it being when he'd been in the service.

He was two years older than her, which made him ten years younger than his brother. Who elicited the complete opposite reaction from her.

Philip repulsed her. Tristan...didn't.

Which meant she needed to stay far away.

"Tristan, Adam, this is Garrett. He works with my brother."

"Are you an engineer as well?" Tristan made direct eye contact with Garrett and managed to look truly interested in his response.

"Yes. Electrical. I've worked with Erik since he started the company."

As Tristan and Garrett traded small talk, Adam moved closer. "I understand you're a lawyer."

She forced herself to meet his gaze and hold it. "Yes. And you?"

"I work with Tristan."

Okay, this was going to be a really short conversation. Not to mention the fact that this man intimidated her.

He was slightly shorter than Tristan and a little broader, which made him look dangerous. If she was casting a James Bond film, he'd be the man standing behind the Russian mobster, cracking his knuckles and looking like a stone-cold killer with those pale blue eyes.

Beautiful eyes, actually. And the longer he held her gaze, the more she realized they weren't cold at all. They burned. Combined with the short reddish-blond hair that still had enough length to show a curl and the faint scar on one perfectly chiseled cheekbone, she couldn't quite catch her breath.

She sucked in air, though she tried not to make it obvious. "Are you enjoying the party?"

"I am now."

She blinked and her lips parted in shock. Had she misunderstood? Or had he just implied that she was the reason he was now enjoying the party?

As she continued to stare in silence, she watched his lips curl into a slight smile.

And heat bloomed low in her belly.

Now she did take a step back, turning toward Garrett at the last second to cover her unease. She didn't think she fooled Adam, though, because his smile widened.

"Garrett, I need to check in with my father. Gentlemen, it was nice to see you. Thank you for coming."

Adam and Tristan nodded, their gazes never leaving hers.

"We'll be seeing you, Kat."

She heard Tristan's quiet response, and it was all she could do to contain a shiver and continue to walk away at a steady pace. When what she really wanted was to run, though she wasn't sure in which direction. Any way she turned, there was bound to be an obstacle.

Garrett followed at her side as she headed away from the men. She didn't know where she was headed at first, only that she needed to get away before she said or did something she'd regret.

She instinctively turned away from the noise and the lights, heading farther into the house. When she realized she'd cleared the event areas, she stopped and sucked in a breath. They now stood in the hallway that led to the kitchen, deserted at the moment. Thankfully.

"Hey, Kat, are you okay?"

Garrett touched her elbow. He didn't grab her, didn't restrain her in any way, but she still had to fight the urge to yank away.

No, she wasn't okay. Her anxiety level was rising to a critical level, and if she didn't get it knocked down soon, the panic would overwhelm her and she'd either throw up or pass out. And she couldn't do either here.

She'd never hear the end of it from her mother. And her dad would want to rush her to the hospital.

She fought to draw air into her lungs but they felt like they were caught in a vise, unable to inflate. Which would lead to hyperventilation.

"Kat?"

Her stomach rolled and she braced one hand on the wall beside her as the world took a little tilt.

Damn it. This couldn't happen now.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you having trouble breathing? Kat..."

She heard Garrett talking but it sounded like it was being filtered through water. Like she was drowning.

Stop this. Right now. There's no reason for it. You're a grown woman.

Logical. Every word.

And absolutely no help while she was trying not to pass out.

"Shit, Kat, I'll go get help."

"No!" Blindly, she grabbed for Garrett before he could leave and expose her weakness. She couldn't allow that. "No, I just need some air. I just—"

Two hands grabbed her shoulders from behind and then she was moving.

"Hang on, Kat. Just a little longer."

Tristan. What—

She tried to breathe in enough so she could speak, but the anxiety attack had its claws in good now. She had no idea where Tristan was taking her, but she couldn't complain. She could do nothing but let him lead her.

Seconds later, cold air slapped at her as Tristan pushed her through the mudroom next to the kitchen and out the door onto the back patio. The cold air threatened to steal what little breath she had left.

"Sit. Head between your knees."

Before she could do anything, Tristan pulled her down until she was seated. But not on a cold metal chair, as she'd been expecting. No, he pulled her onto his lap. The shock made her rear up, but his hand on her head pushed her forward again.

"Breathe in and hold it. Come on, babe. I think you know the drill."

She did but how he knew that... Maybe she didn't want to know.

Instead, she concentrated on not totally embarrassing herself and throwing up what little she had in her stomach. Of course, the more she thought about it, the more nauseated she felt.

"Inhale, Kat. Now."

The force behind Tristan's voice triggered a physical response and she followed his order. And there was no doubt it was an order.

She sucked in a breath, held it for a count of ten then blew it out between her lips as she felt her lungs protest. Then she took another.

Her stomach heaved but she swallowed it down, drawing in air and holding it until she felt almost light-headed. Then she released it.

She didn't know how long it took, but finally the anxiety started to ease. And she began to take notice of her surroundings again.

Namely, the fact that she was sitting on Tristan's lap and the hand on her neck that had been keeping her bent forward was now rubbing at the tight muscles.

And that it was close to freezing.

She shivered, and in the next second, Tristan's hand moved and something warm and heavy covered her back and shoulders. A masculine scent infused with sandalwood surrounded her, and she drew in another deep breath. She had the almost undeniable urge to cover her nose with the fabric and inhale again.

Oh my god.

She sat up, embarrassment blasting through her, threatening to steal her breath again. But when she attempted to stand, Tristan wrapped his arms around her waist and held on.

"Stay still for a minute."

She shuddered, though she tried to contain it. "I'm fine now. Please release me."

His arms loosened but he didn't remove them. "I'm not holding you down, but I don't think you should get up yet. Give yourself a moment."

He'd spoken right in her ear, his lips very nearly brushing the shell. She shivered in response, hoping like hell he'd think it was from the cold and not his proximity.

"I'm fine—"

"No, you aren't. If you get up too soon, you'll be dizzy. Give yourself a break. Take a minute."

She knew he was right, knew she didn't want to embarrass herself any more than she already had. But if she stayed seated on his lap any longer...

"Kat, hey, deep breath. Keep breathing."

Didn't he realize she wouldn't be able to if she didn't get away from him? Her gaze began to dart around the darkness, looking for an anchor, something for her to focus on, to—

"Katrina. Look at me."

Adam stepped directly in front of her then squatted down until his eyes were level with hers. His pale blue gaze caught and held hers, providing the anchor she needed.

"Breathe in," Adam demanded.

She couldn't not obey. She sucked in air again and held it until he nodded, then released it to draw in another one.

Between Adam's eyes and Tristan's arms, she began to find her center again. And to corral the anxiety back into the dark hole she kept it in.

Finally, Adam smiled. "There you go."

That smile totally transformed him from stone-cold iceman to blue-eyed heartbreaker in a blink.

"Think you can stand now?" Tristan asked.

Tearing her gaze away from Adam's proved almost impossible, but she finally managed and dropped her gaze to look down. She realized she must be wearing Adam's coat. His bright white shirt shone like a beacon in the dark.

"You must be freezing."

"Not that delicate, sweetheart. Keep it on for now."

Then he held out one hand. She took it without thought and let him help her stand, conscious of the fact that Tristan kept his hands on her hips and stood right behind her.

"I think we should probably go back inside before we all turn into blocks of ice." Tristan patted her hips before he released her and took a step away.

She immediately missed his warmth. Which was so damn ridiculous.

More ridiculous than nearly having a meltdown in front of two strangers?

If her mother found out...

"I need to go back inside. I'm so sorry."

Now that the anxiety attack had passed, the anger and humiliation were building back in to take its place. Anger at herself for letting it get that far. Humiliation that she'd had an audience.

She couldn't look at them, couldn't bring herself to meet their eyes and see the pity there.

Poor pitiful Kat. Her brother was strong enough to pull through a horrific explosion, and she's too weak to control her emotions.

She turned sharply, ready to make her escape back to the house, but both men moved with her. Tristan and Adam now stood in front of her, hovering around her, cutting off her view of anything that wasn't them.

If she looked straight ahead, she saw their broad shoulders and chests. If she looked down, she stared at their thighs, which looked amazingly muscular even in suit pants. If she looked up... She couldn't look up and keep her composure.

"Whoa, Kat." Tristan put his hand on her arm. "Slow down."

She tried not to flinch but wasn't completely successful. Another sign of weakness.

"I'm sorry." She had to take a deep breath before she could continue. "I really need to get back inside."

"What I think you need is to get away."

Tristan didn't release her arm. Instead, he smoothed his hand from her shoulder to her wrist and back again. Amazingly, the motion soothed her.

"Come with us." Adam's voice. "I could use a change of scenery."

Us.

Both of them.

Every muscle in her body went rigid, and she stepped away, making no effort to hide her displeasure as she thrust Adam's jacket at him. She didn't wait for him to take it, just let it drop. His quick reflexes allowed him to catch it before it hit the ground.

"I'm going inside now. Thank you for your help in dealing with my...problem. I hope you can be discreet."

"Kat, wait. What the—"

"Good night, gentlemen."

Then she turned on her heel and headed for the door, hoping like hell they didn't follow her.
Chapter Two

"What the fuck just happened?"

Tristan shook his head in response to Adam's question, his expression creased in a frown. "I don't have a clue."

Adam shook his head, staring at the door Kat had disappeared through. They'd scared her, which was the last fucking thing he'd expected.

Tristan had wanted to get her alone, get her to leave with them. Get her in bed between them and show her just how much pleasure they could bring her.

For the past ten years serving together in the Army, he and Tristan had learned a hell of a lot about each other. They'd met at boot camp and, had been pretty much inseparable since. Even though Adam was a punk from a bad Philadelphia neighborhood whose parents had emigrated from Moscow when Adam was two, rich-kid Tristan had recognized a kindred spirit.

Hard partying and arrogant as hell when they'd entered service, they'd developed a bond only men who routinely risked their lives together did. They'd guarded each other's backs, stitched each other's wounds, and shared more than a few nights in close quarters in some pretty dangerous situations.

They knew each other better than they knew themselves, and Adam knew Tristan thought he'd been in love with Kat for years. At least, in love with the idea of Kat.

Adam didn't believe in anything as nebulous as love.

Lust, admiration, loyalty. Those were emotions Adam understood. Love was a fairy tale.

But when Tristan talked about Kat, he held her up as a goddess on a pedestal. The quintessential model of unattainable womanhood. And the one who would eventually be his.

Tristan had talked about Kat so much, Adam knew he had to meet the woman who'd captured Tristan's desire simply by the fact of her being.

And make sure she didn't twist Tristan into knots he couldn't untangle.

"Christ, Adam, what the hell happened? She was having a fucking panic attack. Did someone say something to her? I'll fucking kill anyone who hurt her."

Adam tore his gaze away from the door Kat had practically run through to watch Tristan. "I have no idea what might've set her off. I hope to Christ it wasn't us."

Tristan's mouth flattened into a line, but his eyes were shadowed. Adam could see that even in the dim light of the patio.

"Fuck. We need to go after her."

Adam put his hand on Tristan's chest when he would've pushed by. "Give her a few minutes."

Tristan opened his mouth to argue then stopped as he blew out a hard breath. Adam's hand fell away.

"This isn't how I wanted tonight to go," Tristan said.

No, Adam knew how Tristan had wanted this to go. And Adam would help Tristan however he could.

Because after years of hearing Tristan talk about Kat and showing him the pictures he somehow managed to get, Adam had wanted to meet the woman who'd completely captivated his diamond-hard best friend.

Tristan had talked about her all the time. From basic training to Ranger Indoctrination to their many deployments, she'd been Tristan's favorite subject.

Hell, even when she'd been engaged to her brother's business partner, Tristan hadn't stopped, though he'd switched from talking about how wonderful she was to how she was making such a huge mistake.

The engagement hadn't lasted long thankfully, or Adam would've worried that Tristan would go AWOL so he could talk her out of it. Or kidnap her before the wedding.

Now, Adam watched Tristan consider the problem at hand. Saw his friend's brain work through various scenarios in seconds. That ability made Tristan a natural leader and had helped him move up the ranks at a much faster rate than Adam.

Adam was content being the perfect soldier. Steady. Loyal. Ruthless when needed. The scalpel to Tristan's surgeon.

They worked together like a well-oiled machine. Now, Adam just needed to wait for—

"Something's happened to her." Tristan looked away from the door and back to him. "That's not the Kat I remember."

"Maybe the Kat you knew didn't really exist."

Tristan had talked so much about how beautiful and brilliant she was that Adam knew she couldn't possibly live up to the hype. No one could. Of course, when he'd badgered Tristan about it, Tristan had smiled and offered up a wager. One Adam hadn't been able to decline.

Now, Tristan shook his head in response to Adam's quiet statement. "No. I haven't seen her for a couple years but something happened. She's...brittle."

"Maybe the engagement."

Tristan sighed again. "Possibly. Maybe."

"Could it have something to do with her brother's accident?"

"From what Erik told me, she helped keep him from withdrawing from the world completely."

"I didn't realize you were that close with her brother."

"We aren't. When Erik was going through rehab, Kat asked me for recommendations for therapists near Erik's home outside of Reading. I hooked him up with Jimmy Cochrane."

"Ah. Jimmy's the SEAL, right?"

"Yeah. Erik and I have kept in touch through email. I haven't heard from him lately, though. Maybe I need to give him a call."

"Maybe."

"In the meantime, we need to do a little reconnaissance."

* * * * *

"Where have you been, Katrina? Disappearing like that was extremely rude."

How Angelica Riley managed to smile while she hissed through her teeth was a mystery. But then, Kat's mother had a long history of hiding an ugly interior behind a beautiful facade.

Angelica had managed to fool Kat's father for all these years into believing she had an actual human heart beating in her chest. But how she'd done it was a mystery on par with who killed Jimmy Hoffa. Kat and Erik had been trying to figure it out for years. They'd never come close.

"Your father and I raised you better. How dare you embarrass us like this."

Well, shit. Her mother was royally pissed. When she started in with "Your father and I...," Kat had learned to keep her mouth shut and ride out the storm. Even though she knew her mother never involved her dad in business like this.

Arthur Riley was one of the smartest men Kat knew. Though he no longer practiced law, he advised some of the world's most influential men on everything from multibillion-dollar deals and international law to world politics and climate change.

Kat had never doubted her dad's love, no matter that she only saw him a few times a week because of his busy schedule.

But Kat doubted her mother had ever felt anything remotely like love, either for her husband or her children. The only thing Angelica Riley loved was her position of power. Over her home, over her life, over her children. At least one of her children, anyway. Erik had managed to escape when he went away to college. Kat hadn't been as lucky. Attending Boston University had meant Kat was close enough for her mother to keep her under her thumb.

Where she'd stayed for far too long.

"I needed a little air, Mother."

But she hadn't been smart enough to keep Garrett by her side when she'd returned. He'd been waiting at the door when she'd practically run back inside. Luckily, he hadn't asked any questions, but she'd needed a little space so she'd sent him for a drink. And that's when her mother had made her move.

"What you need to do is to apologize to Philip Donovan for abandoning him. Honestly, Katrina, I swear you don't have the sense of a gnat. That man wants to marry you and you treat him like a leper. You don't have the luxury of denying him. What other man will be willing to put up with you and your disposition?"

Since this was pretty much what she'd been expecting to hear from her mother, the digs didn't sting like they normally would. Or maybe she'd just gotten better at ignoring them. Either way, she refused to give her mother the satisfaction of a wince or even a blink.

"Maybe I'm not interested in any man, Mother. Have you ever thought of that?"

Angelica didn't bother to respond. "When you apologize to Philip, make sure you make it believable. And smile. Maybe he'll believe you're making an attempt to be pleasant."

Kat let the verbal blows glance off her, taking a deliberate sip of her ginger ale and staring straight ahead. Which made her mother more determined to get under Kat's skin.

Since they hadn't fought this particular battle for several weeks, Kat realized she should've been expecting an attack. She just hadn't thought her mother would do it at a party where other people might hear. Then again, to anyone watching, it probably looked like they were having a regular conversation.

Angelica was smiling, after all. And Kat made sure her expression was a blank, placid mask.

Until Angelica put her arm around Kat's waist and, hidden from view, pinched Kat. Hard. She'd have a bruise there. Wouldn't be the first.

"I don't appreciate being ignored, especially when everything I've done has been for your benefit."

Kat had to bite her tongue against the retort that immediately rose. Her mother did nothing that wasn't for her own benefit. Angelica wanted to tie the Donovan family to the Riley family. That meant offering her daughter up on a platter.

Kat wondered what her mother would think if she told Angelica she was seriously considering taking the younger Riley son up on his offer to leave with him. And more importantly, making an offer of her own.

An offer so indecent, her mother might never speak to her again.

And wouldn't that be wonderful?

"Excuse me, Mother." Kat turned to give Angelica a bland smile. "I need to find my date."

The idea had been running through her brain since she'd walked away from Tristan and Adam. What would they say if she asked them to take her away?

The thought didn't make her sick to her stomach, and that was a shock. Considering her history, it should have.

Pasting a smile on her face, she moved through the crowd, smiling at guests and shaking hands but never stopping. She knew her mother wouldn't attempt to come after her now. That'd only make a scene.

The anxiety that had nearly suffocated her earlier bubbled in the pit of her stomach, but she managed to keep it tamped down. At least for now.

God, she was a mess. If Tristan and Adam could read her mind, they'd realize what a basket case she was and wouldn't want anything to do with her. She still hadn't come up with a realistic answer for why they wanted her to leave with them.

Maybe she'd totally misread their reaction. Maybe they'd only wanted to help her through the panic attack. Maybe they had White Knight Syndrome and saw only the damsel in distress who needed help. Maybe they were too noble to let her sink by herself.

Tristan had been in the Army. He was used to helping people, and she'd needed help.

No, her past history must be clouding her vision. She'd been an insecure, immature, and frigid girl when she'd accepted her brother's best friend's marriage proposal almost seven years ago. Her engagement to Keegan hadn't lasted, and that had been her fault. She realized that now. Keegan would never have shared her with another man because the only man he shared women with was her brother.

When she'd found out... Well, she'd been insecure, immature, and frigid. And had nearly had a mental breakdown.

If Keegan had married her, they would've been miserable.

And Keegan and Erik wouldn't have met Julianne and fallen in love with her. The three of them were building a life together in Pennsylvania, and Kat hoped, at least for her brother's sake, that it worked out. Of course, she had her doubts but after what her brother had gone through, she wanted to be wrong.

But until now, she'd never considered exploring a three-way relationship herself.

Her mother would scream and rant that it was immoral. A month ago, she would've thought exactly the same thing.

Now...

Now, she couldn't understand why two gorgeous, successful men who could have any woman in their bed wanted her. Which was why she had to be mistaken. They hadn't wanted her to leave with them. They'd only been trying to help.

The thought had the power to level her. As if someone had handed her a pony or a pink-diamond tiara or a unicorn then took it back with an "Oops, sorry. Not for you."

And wasn't that the story of her life?

Wow, pity yourself much?

Keeping the smile on her face through sheer force of will, she headed for the study.

Time to leave. She had to find Garrett and get the hell out of here. If she stayed any longer...

Her lips felt ready to crack. Her cheeks ached. Her temples throbbed.

She wanted to lock the door of her apartment behind her, strip off her clothes, stand under a hot shower for at least twenty minutes then fall into bed and not get out for the rest of the weekend.

"There you are. I've been trying to catch up with you. Your mother said you were looking for me."

Philip appeared in front of her like her worst nightmare, and her brain stuttered to a stop. She had a brief image of her screaming in his face to get away from her. But that would only prove her mother's theory that she needed professional help. Just as she had when she'd been a teenager.

She managed to hold herself together. "I'm sorry, Philip. She was mistaken. I was actually looking for your brother. Have you seen Tristan?"

The look on Philip's face was priceless. Blank confusion. It gave her time to sidestep him and continue on her way.

And just that fast, she made up her mind.

She scanned the room and found all three men she was looking for standing to one side of the bar. They looked to be having an intense discussion, their attention totally focused on each other. But a split second after she walked into the room, Tristan and Adam looked up. Straight at her. As if they had some sixth sense they'd trained on her.

How wonderful would it be to have someone that interested in her but who didn't want to own her soul?

Stepping up to Garrett's side, she forced a smile. Adam's gaze narrowed immediately. Tristan's eyebrows rose.

Garrett smiled back, as if in encouragement.

God, how much easier it would be if I were attracted to him.

Then again, nothing in her life had ever been easy.

"So sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to speak to Garrett for a second if you don't mind."

After a second's pause, Adam nodded.

"Of course." Tristan's lips curved into something resembling a smile, but his gaze picked her apart. This time, she refused to back down. "But we'd like to talk to you before you leave. If you don't mind."

Her sex tightened for no reason other than the look on his face, and she was sure he knew it. She managed a smile. "I'll just be a minute."

She led Garrett to the hallway where she'd nearly lost control earlier, thanked him for his time in the most sincere way she could, and sent him on his way. He didn't seem all that unhappy to be leaving alone, and she wasn't sure if she should be offended or not.

Then she wondered if she truly was losing her mind. Because she was about to do something she never would have thought she'd do.

She was going to be impulsive.
Chapter Three

"Do you think she'll be back?" Adam asked.

"I'm not sure."

Tristan turned to Adam and watched his friend stare at the door Kat and Garrett had walked through, as if he could make her reappear at will.

To anyone other than Tristan, Adam looked calm, like nothing fazed him. There was a reason he'd earned the nickname Glace. Short for glacial. Most people thought it was because of his eyes.

Those who knew him knew better.

Adam wanted to rip off someone's head right now. Probably Philip's because that's who Tristan blamed for Kat's state of mind.

If Tristan gave the word, Adam would make Philip suffer. Tristan would never hurt his parents by killing his older brother, but that didn't mean he couldn't dream about maiming him. Painfully.

"Maybe you should back off for tonight," Adam suggested.

Tristan shook his head. "We do that, she has time to barricade herself into whatever safe hole she's got."

"What if she bolts anyway?"

"Then we follow."

Adam looked at him with raised brows. "And I suppose you know where she's going to bolt to?"

Tristan just stared back.

Adam conceded the unspoken point with a slight shrug. "Of course you do. And you don't think she'll be freaked out when we show up on her doorstep?"

"She's going to have to get used to us sometime."

Because Tristan wasn't about to give in and go home.

He'd been waiting too damn long for his chance with her. To show her how much he wanted her. How much pleasure he and Adam could bring her.

He hadn't expected her to need them as much as she did. She'd proved that after nearly passing out from that panic attack earlier.

Now they just needed to convince her of it. And to convince her that, even though what they wanted was unconventional, she should risk it because the rewards would be amazing.

"And if she doesn't?"

Adam had no inflection in his voice at all. Which meant he was thinking too hard.

Tristan looked into Adam's eyes. "You want to throw in the towel?"

"I'm thinking maybe you don't want to run her off by pushing her straight into bed between the two of us."

Tristan took a harder look at Adam, wondering if he'd missed something because Adam sounded worried. And Adam didn't do worry.

"What are you suggesting?"

A muscle in Adam's jaw started to tic. "That I step back. You make the initial contact."

Tristan raised his brows. "And you'd be okay with that?"

It was Adam's turn to stare at him. But Tristan knew Adam, knew what he was thinking.

Tristan laughed, barely audible even in the silent room. "That's what I thought."

Adam's mouth tightened, his lips flattening. "Damn it, Tris. This has clusterfuck written all over it."

"No fucking way. Not gonna happen. Don't lose your faith in me now."

"You know I trust you with my life. But this isn't my life we're screwing with. It's—"

Adam cut off, his gaze fixing on a point somewhere over Tristan's shoulder.

Tristan squashed a smile before he turned to watch Kat walk back into the room.

Chin up, back straight, eyes focused straight ahead. She looked confident...except for the fists clenched at her sides.

Tristan turned to stand next to Adam and let her walk to them. They needed her to take those steps.

She stopped just out of touching range.

He hated that she didn't feel comfortable around them, but he didn't think they were the only people she was uncomfortable with. He was pretty sure it was everyone.

He wanted to know why. Wanted to find out everything he could about her. Put her between him and Adam, walk her straight out of the house, and take her home.

Of course, home for him was Philadelphia now. He and Adam had planned to stay with his parents this weekend, but if she agreed, he'd fly them back to Philly tonight. The company jet waited in his family's hangar at a private airport just north of the city. He had it fueled and waiting just in case. They could be wheels up in half an hour and walking though the door of the building he and Adam owned in Center City.

Then again, he figured she'd never agree to accompany them anywhere, much less Philadelphia. And he had no expectation of her asking them back to her place. He was already making a list of suitable hotels in the area when she finally spoke.

"I'd like to leave, and I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me somewhere more private. Now. Without making a fuss and without anyone knowing. Can you make that happen?"

Tristan looked at Adam, who read his mind.

"I'll get our coats." Adam was already moving for the door, but he made sure to nod at Kat before disappearing through the door.

Tristan remained where he was, watching Kat. "Did you drive?"

She took a deep breath. "Yes. My purse is in the coat check." Frowning, she looked over her shoulder. "Damn, I should have thought to get that."

Tristan pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Don't worry about it. Adam will get it. What does it look like?"

She blinked, as if trying to process that information. "It's black. Leather. Coach."

He had no idea what that meant but he texted Adam. He'd figure it out. "Where's your car?"

"In the garage behind the house."

"Can we get there without walking through the front room?"

Her eyes narrowed as she thought about that for a second. Her chest was rising and falling at a faster rate, and he could tell her anxiety was rising again.

Stepping forward, he took her hand, gripped it tight in his. She hitched in a breath and held it for several seconds before her lungs began to work again.

"Yes."

Over her shoulder, Tristan caught a glimpse of his brother in the front room, his head turning side to side. Looking for someone.

Tristan knew exactly who Philip wanted to find.

Since her back was to the door, Kat didn't see his brother hunting for her. The bastard was not going to get what he wanted.

Putting his arm around her shoulders, Tristan steered her toward the one other door he could see in the room. "Then let's go."

She stiffened against him but didn't fight him when he didn't release her. She allowed him to lead her to the door, but once they were through, she took the lead through two darkened rooms before they finally stopped in a dim hallway beyond the kitchen. He could no longer hear the music from the front of the house.

Retrieving his phone from his pocket, he caught and held her gaze. "Where should I tell Adam to meet us? Should I have him meet us out front?"

He watched her take a deep breath, almost as if she were gathering her courage. And all those protective urges rose up again. He almost leaned forward to kiss her, to shake her out of this fugue she seemed to be in. Instead, he reined in the urge. He didn't want to lose her now and if he pushed, she'd run.

"Can he get there without being seen?"

Her voice had fallen almost to a whisper.

Bending close, he spoke directly into her ear. "We were Rangers, sweetheart. Trust me. No one will even realize he was there."

A delicate shudder ran through her, and he wanted to press her body against his and let her draw on some of his strength. Instead, he waited for her to look up at him.

When she finally did, he grinned because her lips had curved into a small smile. "I'm ready."

Christ, he hoped she meant that because his desire for her had become an almost ravenous beast that wouldn't be denied. He'd never force her, would cut off his own dick if he even considered it, but if she was too fragile for him and Adam to take to bed, he'd want to do serious damage to someone.

He was used to getting what he wanted, and he wanted Kat. And Kat appeared to be on board so this was happening.

And if it didn't happen tonight, well, there was always tomorrow night. Or the night after that...

Kat stopped and Tristan realized they'd reached an outside door in what appeared to be another mudroom. It was too dark to tell for certain but when he looked out the window next to the door, he saw the dim outline of a building across what looked like a small circular courtyard. A covered walkway connected the house to the garage.

Kat reached for the doorknob but paused for a second before turning it. He smiled behind her back, knowing she'd just made a conscious choice to continue.

Shrugging off his suit jacket, he wrapped it around her shoulders. Her dress was in no way revealing, but it definitely wasn't made for subfreezing temperatures.

She flashed him a quick look as she stepped through the door. "My car's just in there."

He kept her moving by wrapping an arm around her shoulders and continuing forward. "Please tell me you have a sedan and not some little sports car. Adam will be grumpy if he has to fold himself into the backseat of some tiny foreign job."

A quick flash of a smile brightened her face. "It's a Jeep Grand Cherokee actually. I'm sure he'll fit."

"I'm sure we all will."

His barely concealed innuendo brought an actual blush to her cheeks, and it struck him then just how much he didn't know about this woman.

He'd wanted her for years but had never had the opportunity to get close to her before.

They'd gone to the same private high school, but he'd been two years ahead and she'd been...young. Untouchable. She'd had two or three girlfriends who she shared a lunch table with but more often than not, she was alone. Almost completely cut off from the rest of the students. She barely spoke to anyone outside of her tiny group of friends, and she'd never dated. At least not that Tristan had ever heard.

And while he'd played lacrosse and wrestled and ran track, she hadn't done a damn thing. No sports, no glee club, no drama club. After graduation, he figured he'd forget about the quiet girl he'd never gotten to know.

But the high school sophomore she'd been when he left for West Point became a beautiful young woman when he'd returned home just before leaving for Ranger school.

They'd met again at a send-off party organized by his parents. His parents had later told him they'd invited her parents, never expecting them to bring their daughter.

Tristan had taken one look and decided she was going to be his.

The first problem, he'd realized, was that her mother wanted Philip as a son-in-law. The second...the girl was a stone-cold block of ice.

But Tristan loved nothing more than a challenge. And stealing her away from his dickhead brother would be icing on the cake.

It'd taken him a few more years than he'd thought it would, but she was here with him now.

He watched her steal one more quick glance over her shoulder before opening the door to the garage.

Matching white BMW sedans occupied two bays. A curvy black Jeep sat in the third at the end. She headed for it, her stride picking up until she was practically running. Straight for the driver's door.

He almost opened his mouth and insisted he drive but managed to swallow the words. If she wanted to drive, he could control his male instinct to be in control for one night. Or at least for the next few minutes.

After sliding into the driver's seat, she slipped off her shoes and pulled on a pair of what looked like ballet flats. When he was seated beside her, he held his hands out for her pumps, which she clutched in one hand. Obviously she usually set them on the seat beside her, which meant she wasn't used to having anyone in this seat.

He liked that.

With a slight nod of her head, she handed him her shoes and he turned to put them on the floor behind her.

Weird, but he liked that she trusted him with that small thing. Of course, the real test would come later when he wanted to share much more than space in her car.

She took another shaky breath then hit the remote for the garage door.

Seconds later, she had the car moving, her hands and feet working the gear shift and clutch. The fact that she knew how to drive a stick shift made him ridiculously even hotter for her.

Probably better keep that one to himself. Didn't want her to think he was a complete nutcase.

It took less than a minute for her to pull around to the front of the house, and she nearly stalled the car when Adam stepped from behind a perfectly manicured shrub yards from the front entrance, holding something in his hands.

Stepping on the brake, she caught back a quick gasp by sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, her gaze darting to the rearview mirror as Adam slipped into the backseat.

After a quick breath, she said, "Where are you staying?"

Tristan had hoped she'd invite them back to her apartment, which he knew was across town, practically as far from here as she could get without leaving the city. But he wasn't going to push.

That was fast becoming tonight's mantra.

"Nine Zero," Adam offered from the backseat.

Since they were staying with his family, Tristan had a second to wonder how Adam had pulled the name of that hotel out of thin air.

"A friend of a friend is a shareholder."

Tristan saw Adam pull his phone from his pocket and start to text, no doubt setting up a suite.

"I've never been there."

Kat spoke barely above a whisper but she didn't sound scared. She sounded intrigued.

"Neither have I," Tristan admitted. "I usually stay with my parents when I visit."

As they pulled farther away from the house, he saw her glance several times in the rearview mirror, as if she expected someone to be chasing them down the driveway.

Tomorrow morning, after they woke, he was going to figure out who she was so worried about. Her father? Her mother? His brother?

But that would wait until tomorrow. Tonight, he only wanted to find out what they needed to do to make her scream when she came.

The thought made him smile.

"I've been to the restaurant a few times," she added. "They have great food."

"Would you like me to order you something from room service and have it delivered to the room?"

A fleeting smile crossed her lips as she glanced into the rearview mirror at Adam. "No, thank you."

"I think I'm going to order a pizza, if you don't mind. No offense to your parents' caterer, but finger food just makes me hungrier."

Silence fell for several seconds and Tristan was about to initiate more small talk when Kat said, "I'm not in the habit of doing this."

Tristan knew exactly what she was saying and opened his mouth to reassure her that she had nothing to fear from them, but Adam beat him to it.

"We appreciate the fact that you're willing to spend time with us."

Damn. It sometimes amazed Tristan that Adam was able to come up with the exact perfect thing to say in a situation. Usually the guy didn't open his mouth except for one-syllable sentences that usually started with "fuck" and ended with "you."

"Tristan told me you're a lawyer. You work for your father's firm?"

She nodded, looking relieved at the change of topic, and Tristan realized he probably made her more nervous than Adam.

Adam was basically a stranger, which made this a little more anonymous. Tristan was someone she'd known all her life. And was the brother of the man her mother wanted her to marry.

Probably best he step back for a few minutes and let Adam draw her out.

"Yes, I've been there since college. Started as an intern and worked my way up."

"Are you happy there?"

Tristan wondered if Adam would pick up on that tone in her voice. Vulnerable. A little wistful.

She nodded. "I have been."

"But?"

Adam's question hung in the air for a second before she answered, "But I'm not sure I am anymore."

"Then why stay?"

Tristan had to bite his tongue to keep from telling her to get the hell out. Make her own way in the world. He couldn't believe there wouldn't be tons of firms dying to have her. He'd heard she was a damn good attorney but that she practiced mostly business law. His brother had once mentioned in passing that she'd wanted to practice criminal law, but her mother had nixed the idea of Kat having contact with blue-collar criminals. As opposed to the white-collar ones like his sleazy brother.

"I...have plans for changes in my life."

Tristan couldn't keep quiet any longer. "What kind of plans?"

She stiffened and he cursed himself silently for fucking up Adam's rapport.

Typically Tristan was the talker. He took the meetings, handled the clients, closed the deals. It wasn't that Adam couldn't. He just didn't enjoy it like Tristan. Adam enjoyed the hunt, liked getting his hands dirty.

And as kidnap and ransom specialists, they got their hands dirty. A lot.

Damn it, he should have kept his damn mouth shut, let Adam—

"I'm considering taking a position with another company."

Whoa. Okay. That wasn't what he'd been expecting to hear.

"What company?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that. Not yet. But..." She took a deep breath. "It would require me to move."

Out of Boston? Out from under the thumb of her parents?

Kat was twenty-five, well beyond the age where she needed to ask permission of anyone to take a job or move to another city, but Tristan could tell from her expression that this was a huge step for her.

"And where would you move to?" Adam asked.

She paused again, and he could tell she was debating what to tell them. "Philadelphia."

Tristan's mouth nearly dropped open, but he quickly covered any hint of surprise. He and Adam lived and worked in Philadelphia, which she had to know.

"It's a great city," Adam continued. "There's a lot to do."

She nodded. "I've visited a few times. I always enjoy my time there."

Well, damn. He didn't know what to think about that.

Luckily, he didn't have to think about it for long. They pulled to a stop in front of the hotel seconds later. But she didn't pull up to the valet stand. Instead she idled a little farther up the street on the curb.

Now that they were here, he wondered if she'd falter.

Would she tell them she'd changed her mind?

They had her so close to a bed Tristan could almost see that beautiful blonde hair spread out across black silk sheets, her naked pale skin gleaming in low light.

"Why don't you let me go in first? I'll text you the room number."

Adam again, being brilliant.

Tristan wanted to shake himself. He was never this careless, this thoughtless. Good thing Adam had his back tonight because Tristan was totally off his game.

Without waiting for a response, Adam slipped out of the backseat and headed for the door. There wasn't a lot of foot traffic at this time of night, but the hotel was popular and he was sure there'd be people in the lobby.

As he watched her, her gaze followed Adam through the door. And Tristan felt the faint bite of jealousy.

What if she only wanted Adam? Wouldn't that be a kick in the ass?

Well, fuck that. She'd see just how much better it would be with both of them.

"Do you do this often?"

Her voice held the faintest hint of a tremble, but her expression showed nothing. Still, she didn't look at him as she spoke.

And he wanted to see her eyes.

"Are you asking if Adam and I take women to hotel rooms regularly? The answer would be no."

Which was true but not the total picture.

They often shared women. They just didn't do it in hotels.

And even though she was on edge, her mind still worked like a steel trap.

"That sounds suspiciously like prevarication."

Their gazes locked and he found himself unwilling to look away.

Most of his dreams involved staring into those beautiful eyes while he fucked her from beneath and Adam took her ass from behind. He'd wake with an erection so hard it fucking hurt and he'd need to jerk off before he got out of bed.

He was sick of waking up and being pissed off that it was only a dream. Not that he expected that particular dream to come true tonight.

Yes, she'd left with them, and yes, she was still here. He'd almost worried she'd drop them off then speed away and never look back.

But he still worried she would run if they tried to push her too far, too fast. He didn't want to risk that because he wanted more than one night.

So they'd start slow. And it'd be all about her tonight. Even if it killed him, they'd follow her lead. He and Adam had discussed this. They'd worked out all the angles.

But they hadn't had all the facts, had they?

"I'm not lying to you, Kat. I won't do that."

Her chin tipped up slightly. "But you're not above not telling me everything I need to know, either, are you?"

"And what would you like to know?"

Her eyes narrowed and he could practically see the gears working. He wanted her natural curiosity to win, wanted to see her true nature. He didn't think she let many people see that part of her. And he was pretty sure the reason why she hid that part of herself stemmed from her relationship with her mother. But that definitely wasn't a conversation he wanted to get into now.

"What exactly do you and Adam do for a living?"

"We negotiate hostage settlements and recover kidnapping victims."

Her eyes widened. "I thought you were involved in insurance."

He raised an eyebrow. "Did my brother tell you that?"

She blinked but didn't drop his gaze. "I try not to listen when your brother speaks. I have a habit of wanting to smack him when I do."

"Then that's something we share, but I'd prefer to hit him a little harder. Unfortunately, it'd never be a fair fight."

Her gaze slipped to chest and arms, as if measuring what damage he could inflict. Considering his brother weighed about a hundred and fifty pounds soaking wet and only stood about five-foot-nine, she must've come to the right conclusion.

That Tristan would kick Philip's ass.

He wondered if she'd approve.

"You were in the Army."

He nodded. "Adam and I met in Ranger school. We've been together pretty much since then."

An eyebrow tilted up and he correctly read her look. "We're not lovers. We simply share the same taste in women."

She paused. "So you both like skinny blondes with sharp tongues? And how did you come to realize this?"

Is that how she saw herself? "Maybe I like a challenge. Maybe I like women who speak their own minds, regardless of what anyone else thinks."

Her lips twisted in a slight grimace. "Usually men like women who tell them what they want to hear."

"Then you've been meeting the wrong men."

"And you think you're the right man?"

"I think you'll be surprised at the kind of men we are."

She wanted to say something else. He swore she was practically biting her tongue. So he waited.

Instead, she turned away and stared out the front window.

Patience. Give her some space.

The problem was, he didn't want to wait. Not for anything. He had her almost exactly where he'd dreamed about having her for years. He wanted to push, wanted to reach across the console, wrap his hands around her head, and bring their lips together so he could taste her for the first time.

Impatience was a constant itch under his skin. But he didn't want to risk losing her. Not now. Not when they were so damn close to getting their hands on her.

"So tell me."

Her voice was low but he swore he heard the faintest hint of vulnerability in it. As if she didn't want to be intrigued but couldn't help herself.

"The kind who know how to make a woman feel good."

She didn't respond but he swore he heard her breath hitch. Then his phone vibrated and he pulled it out to read the text.

Room 803

When he looked up, he found Kat staring at him.

"Why don't you go ahead and park? The entrance is right there."

He pointed to the opening that led to the subterranean garage and, with a jerky nod, she put the car in gear and headed into it.

Once she'd found a spot, he barely waited for her to turn off the engine to get out of the Jeep. He stood by the driver's side before the engine shut down completely. Opening the door, he reached for her hand to help her out.

She froze for a second then took his hand as she slid out of the seat and onto her feet.

Without the heels, she barely came up to his chin. And when he put his arm around her shoulders, she fit perfectly against him. He didn't hold her tight, especially when he felt her stiffen. But she didn't pull away, and he considered that another victory.

They reached the elevator without being seen, which he figured would help put her at ease. And when the elevator took them directly to their floor, he wanted to pump his fist in the air.

The warmth of her body seeped into his side, inciting his blood to boil. His chest tightened as he drew in the scent of her perfume.

Christ, if he wasn't careful, the second he had the door closed, he'd have her backed up against it and his hands on those perfect breasts.

But he knew she'd run like a scared rabbit if he pushed her.

Because she wasn't just another hookup. Not to him.

Tristan was only going to be able to maintain his calm for a little longer. And then he hoped like hell that, by that time, Kat wanted him as much as he wanted her. Otherwise, this was going to be an exercise in restraint and futility.

The room was at the end of the hall according to the sign across from the elevator. He turned, keeping a careful eye on Kat to make sure she wasn't freaking out.

What he saw was determination. Not exactly what he wanted to see on the face of a woman he wanted to take to bed.

Desire, anticipation. Hell, he'd settle for plain old lust.

He didn't want to feel like a chore she had to accomplish. Or, worse yet, an obstacle to overcome.

When they reached the door, he had every intention of getting her inside and finding out what the hell was going on with her. They'd sit her down and talk. Adam would realize what Tristan was doing and back him up without missing a step.

The door opened the instant they reached it. Adam had been waiting for them.

Adam waved her in then raised an eyebrow at Tristan when she couldn't see.

Obviously her mood was easy to spot.

Tristan shook his head almost imperceptibly then followed Kat into the room. Adam closed the door behind them then leaned back against it as Kat stopped in the middle of the room. She stood with her back to them, her head turning to check out her surroundings.

He only wanted to look at her.

He was tempted to walk up behind her, wrap his arms around her, and kiss her until she melted against him. She held herself so straight and stiff, she looked almost like a statue. Until she took an audible breath and her shoulders visibly relaxed.

Tristan let himself take a quick look at the room then, trying to see what she saw.

Adam had gotten a suite, so the bedroom was hidden behind one of the doors on the far side of the room. A wall of windows looked out over the cityscape and the river. The furniture felt modern but not cold. Hell, he actually liked it.

Maybe the fact that she couldn't see a bed helped her feel more at ease. Maybe it gave her a little breathing room.

And maybe this is just a completely bad fucking idea.

Adam stepped up to his side and they exchanged a quick glance.

What in the hell do we do now? And will she bolt if we touch her?

They'd inadvertently walked into a minefield, and he had no idea how to navigate it. They'd never dealt with a woman so visibly conflicted about being with them.

The women they'd taken to bed before had been more than willing to accept what they wanted to give. Those women had also been easy to send on their way the next morning, even when they hadn't wanted to go.

Tristan had a feeling he'd be fighting to keep Kat in bed because she'd be the one to say, "Don't call me, I'll call you."

Christ, this was so not how he'd envisioned this night going.

Kat turned then, her gaze flashing at Adam before catching and holding his.

And he nearly spontaneously combusted.

Her expression held undisguised heat, and lust flooded through Tristan's body like a flash flood.

Yes. This was the expression he'd wanted to see. No trace of hesitation, only a desire that made his pulse pound hot and hard through his veins.

What the hell had happened to her nerves?

He knew he should be worried about that, knew he should be thinking farther ahead. But the woman he'd wanted for years stood before him, practically daring him to touch her.

And he couldn't stand not to.

He closed the distance between them, holding her gaze. She blinked once and took a deep breath, as if she were going under.

Without those fuck-me heels, she had to tip her head back when he got close enough to touch. Her eyes widened, and he checked one last time to make sure he saw no fear or hesitation in her eyes.

When he'd assured himself he didn't, he lowered his mouth to hers and let their lips seal.

Fuck, yes. Finally.

Wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist, he pulled her flush against him and kissed her.

Moving his lips against hers, he settled for a gentle, teasing touch. He didn't want to take too much and risk her running scared.

But it was hell reining in his desire. As his lips moved against hers, he had to keep a conscious leash on himself. The fact that she let him kiss her at all made that lust boiling in the pit of his stomach seep through the rest of his body.

He'd managed to keep his cock from stiffening visibly at the party through sheer force of will, but now he was hard as stone and throbbing against the fine wool of his pants. Just from the touch of her lips against his.

Still conscious of the fact he could scare her off, he didn't press his erection against her like he was dying to. Instead, he flexed the hand on her hip then let it settle against her lower back.

Her dress was deceptively prim, until you realized the back draped, hiding a slit that ran from her neck to her waist. Slipping his hand between the edges of the fabric, he stifled a groan as his fingertips brushed bare skin.

So fucking soft.

He couldn't wait to get the damn dress off her body and see the flesh only hinted at by that slit down her back and the one at her thigh. He was pretty sure he'd seen the hint of a garter there earlier.

As his skin made contact with hers, he felt her shudder then stiffen slightly against him, as if she might pull away.

He took a calculated risk and kissed her harder, coaxing her lips to open so he could slide his tongue between them and finally get a real taste of her.

And had to make a conscious effort not to yank her against him and tear at the fastening of her dress.

Hot. He'd almost expected her to be a little cool, but he was beginning to think that ice-goddess act was just that—an act.

Sure, she continued to hold herself still in front of him, but she wasn't pushing him away.

In fact, she opened her mouth a little wider to give him better access and finally her hands settled on his shoulders. The slight pressure of her fingers as she gripped him burned while the almost tentative touch of her tongue to his caused his lungs to stutter.

He drew back for a brief second to allow them both to catch their breath, but he didn't want to give her time to think now.

He wanted her to lose herself in this kiss. Just like he was. Their lips fused again and this time she opened immediately, her tongue sliding forward to touch his, an active participant.

Yes. This is the woman I want in bed tonight.

Now he took a step forward, closing the tiny bit of distance he'd kept between them.

He sucked in air as her breasts nestled against his chest. Kat was never going to win any wet t-shirt contests and he was usually a breast man. Still, he thought hers were perfect. And when she arched into him, he let the hand he'd kept on her shoulder drag down until it rested on the swell of her right breast.

She broke the kiss this time but didn't move away. Her head dipped as she drew in an audible breath. And when she released it, he felt the brush of it against his hand.

Her chest rose and fell, and he watched the rhythm increase with a rising sense of urgency. The only sound he heard in the room was her breathing. He knew how to control his own, and he knew Adam was, as well.

He hoped they wouldn't need to for much longer. He thought he saw her desire begin to overtake her.

And when she tilted her head up to look at him, he held back a grin.

"Are you planning to do more than kiss me?" she asked.

He lifted one hand to brush his fingers down her neck. "We plan to do whatever you allow."

Tristan used the plural deliberately and watched her gaze dart over his shoulder to where Adam had settled into a chair close to the door but within full view of them.

Tristan didn't have to look know what Kat saw. Adam sprawled in the chair, his tie undone because he hated wearing them, his jacket tossed somewhere, and his sleeves rolled up.

Kat swallowed hard before meeting Tristan's gaze again. "I've never done anything like this in my life."

Her tone held a hint of frost, but Tristan was beginning to realize she used that to hide behind. At this moment, she was hiding insecurities.

"You're not a virgin."

Her raised brows made his lips quirk in a smile. "No. I hope that doesn't burst your bubble."

Tristan allowed his grin to show. "Honey, my bubble isn't what's about to burst."

Her cheeks turned pink but she held his gaze. "Maybe you need to spell out exactly what you're going to expect tonight."

Seriously? She wanted him to give her an agenda?

"How about multiple orgasms for you? Maybe we should start there."

She blinked, the only outward sign that he might have shocked her. Then again, maybe he was reading her wrong and it was desire that had her sucking in another deep breath.

So he continued. "We want to watch you come. I want to see you come around my fingers at least once. Then I want to watch Adam make you come with his mouth."

Her lips parted on a silent gasp, shock clear in her wide eyes. But the blush on her cheeks deepened and, combined with her rapid breathing, he knew she wasn't frightened.

No, every word he said turned her on just a little more. Then he leaned in, his lips only millimeters from her ear.

"And when you're still panting and your pussy's still clenching, I'm going to sink my cock into you and make you come again before I blow. Then, if you're still willing, Adam will let you ride him."

She sucked in a sharp breath, and he pulled back to determine if he'd gone too far.

The shock still registered in her eyes, but so did the burning desire he'd wanted to see. Without it, he would've had to send her home.

And that would've made him want to tear out some walls. Or beat the shit out of someone, and Adam wasn't up for a round on the mat yet. Not after their last job.

Now he waited because she needed to say the words.

Her gaze held his for several seconds before flicking over his shoulder toward Adam.

When she focused on him again, he realized some of her shock had retreated.

And he started to grin.

Chapter Four

Kat watched Tristan's mouth curve in a grin and felt her heart pound so hard, she almost couldn't catch her breath.

She should be running for the door. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out why she wasn't.

It'd taken every ounce of her courage to walk out of her parents' home, get in her car with these men, and drive to this hotel.

But some part of her realized that if she didn't do this now, she'd never have the courage to do anything like it ever again.

And she was heartily sick and tired of being afraid.

Afraid that she'd make a mistake. Afraid she'd do something embarrassing. Afraid she'd disappoint her father. Afraid her mother would finally say the words that would make Kat lose her last shred of restraint.

And that would not end well.

This night... This one night...

This was for her.

She was going to grab it and take advantage of every last decadent second. Even if it was the most potentially career- and reputation-shattering experience of her life.

If word got out that she'd left with these men... If someone realized she'd spent the night with two men in a hotel room... Her reputation would be shredded.

Her reputation as an ice princess had been easy to uphold all these years because no man had come close to making her want to step out of her carefully conscribed box, the one she'd been building for years. The one that made her feel safe.

Amazingly, these two men made her feel safe.

And to know that these two men wanted her...she wanted to do a happy dance. But that would be totally undignified and completely un-Kat-like.

She'd look like an idiot.

Maybe they think I'm an easy lay.

No. She dismissed that as bullshit immediately. They'd already seen her let a panic attack get the best of her. How could they think anything about her would be easy?

But here they still stood, looking at her like they wanted to devour her.

It felt...amazing. Like every nerve ending in her body had been electrified. Excitement raged.

It was enough to keep in check the constant anxiety bubbling below her skin.

Two men.

Just the thought that these two men wanted to have sex with her made her light-headed.

And suddenly she realized she didn't know how to continue.

Tristan was waiting for her to make a move. All she had to do was reach for him. They'd brought her this far. She needed to take that last step.

She drew in a breath and lifted her hand.

Tristan's jaw was covered with dark whiskers, perfectly trimmed and almost soft to the touch. The feel of them against her palm made her shiver. She'd never been with a man who looked so...masculine.

She hadn't lied to him. She wasn't a virgin, but that was only because she'd gone to college.

In college, she'd had two steady boyfriends and a one-night stand that had left her feeling used. Then, in her last year of undergrad, she'd met Keegan, her brother's best friend. And thought she'd found the man she could live with for the rest of her life.

Quiet, stable, steady Keegan who might have loved her forever. Maybe.

But no. She knew their relationship would never have lasted. And she was more pissed off at herself for not realizing that sooner. When she and Keegan had broken off their engagement, no man had interested her enough to break through the shell she'd built. The one she'd needed to protect herself.

These two men interested her.

Tristan and Adam both stood over six feet and, though they weren't over-muscled buffoons, they looked hard. Tough.

As if, despite the suits they both wore, they were more comfortable in jeans. Or, more likely, fatigues.

She felt small, almost weak, standing in front of Tristan. But he didn't scare her.

He stood perfectly still and let her run her fingertips along his jaw. His gaze locked on hers, his lips parted just a hair as she reached his mouth. A slight hesitation before she touched the tip of her index finger to his firm lower lip. So soft, the rush of his breath warm as he breathed out. Before she could move her finger, he licked her.

Her own lips parted and she shivered in reaction. Her body flushed with heat, erupting from the inside out with a burning desire.

She wanted to give in. Wanted, for tonight, to be a woman who took what she craved.

Staring into Tristan's dark eyes, she sought a little courage. And found it in the warmth of his gaze.

Stepping closer, she let her finger drag against his lip—

And nearly gasped when he opened far enough to catch the tip between his teeth. He barely nipped her, but the effect caused her stomach to tighten and her thighs to clench. Not to mention her sex went wet with anticipation.

The tip of her finger was damp when he released it, and all she could think was how much she wanted to kiss him again.

"Come on, Kat." His voice had a husky quality that made her think of late nights in dark corners of dark bars. Somewhere she'd never been.

She took the final step to close the distance between them, lifted her mouth to his and pressed their lips together.

Oh God, the heat radiating off him was like the blast of a furnace. She felt like she'd been cold for so long that any hint of warmth made her lose control. And that was something she hadn't done in a very long time.

Until these two men walked into her life.

With their lips meshed, she released a little more of that control...and felt Tristan react with lightning-fast reflexes.

His arms tightened around her and she knew now that he'd been holding back much more than she'd realized.

His arms became steel bands, and the ridge of his erection thrust against her stomach. The sheer size of him should've kicked her back into the panic zone. Instead, she tilted her hips against him, wanting to rub against him and ease the ache building low in her body.

Her clit throbbed and her hands flexed against his shoulders, wanting to tear off his shirt and absorb more of his heat into her.

As if he'd read her mind, he groaned and tilted his head to the side to deepen their kiss. His tongue, until now only flirting with hers, began to demand that she give him what he wanted.

So she did.

He rewarded her by slipping his hands into the back of her dress and spreading his fingers across her bare skin.

Moaning into his mouth, she pressed herself even more tightly against him. His fingers began to stroke her skin. One went up to her dress collar, which was the only thing holding the bodice in place. The other hand slipped lower, fingertips grazing the delicate string of the thong she'd worn so she wouldn't have panty lines.

Tristan stilled then pulled away. Blinking up at him, she couldn't decipher his expression.

Had she done something wrong?

"I'm taking this dress off."

She realized he wasn't asking permission, only giving her a moment to process what he'd said.

Before she could, his fingers had figured out the clasp and released it. The bodice fell to her waist with barely a sound.

She sucked in a sharp breath, her hands automatically moving to cover herself, but Tristan caught them before she could.

"Kat, no."

She felt her body begin to flush. Embarrassment? Or pique at being told no? She didn't know. Whatever the emotion, it quickly turned to heat as Tristan's gaze fell.

His fingers flexed around her wrists, tightening for several seconds before loosening. She heard each breath he sucked in, watched his chest rise and fall with more speed.

"You're beautiful."

The words, "No, I'm not," were on the tip of her tongue but she bit them back.

She knew what she looked like. Skinny, practically flat, no hips. A stick, as her mother was so fond of calling her.

Nothing to really tempt a man into wanting to strip her naked. Yet this man looked as if he couldn't get enough of her.

Probably faking it.

Just the thought made her want to cringe.

Tristan's head popped up and his gaze went straight for hers.

"You're perfect."

Now her lips twisted in a grimace as she dipped her head. "Not at all."

"Bullshit." His immediate denial started a slow burn deep inside her. "Let me show you."

She stilled, waiting for him to do...something. Anything. But he didn't move.

Confused, she looked up...and found him staring down at her, dark eyes intent.

"Say yes."

His words were a demand she didn't want to disobey.

She sucked in a breath. "Yes."

His mouth twisted in a hard grin. "Right answer."

He wrapped one arm around her waist, put the other on her shoulder to arch her back then bent and put his mouth over one nipple.

The shock of his hot mouth on her cool skin made her gasp. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she lost her bearings, every ounce of her concentration now focused on the sensation of his mouth on her breast.

It felt...mind-altering.

Each swipe of his tongue across the pebbled tip caused her body to shake. Her muscles tightened then loosened and she went light-headed. All from his touch.

How did he manage to undo her with only his mouth? And should she allow him to continue?

The answer to that last question was a resounding, "God, yes." She wanted more.

Caught against him, she felt his erection press against her mound, causing her sex to clench. Her panties were already wet, and her breasts felt tight and tender.

And his tongue...

Oh my god. No former lover had ever paid so much attention to her breasts. Tristan made her want to give him anything he asked for.

And she couldn't live with herself if that happened.

But for right now, she wasn't going to think about that. She was going to let Tristan—and Adam—show her one night of unadulterated pleasure.

Tristan moved to her other breast, sucking, nipping, lashing at the nipple with his tongue.

Lust flashed through her, heating her skin until she wanted, needed to be naked. Needed him to be naked.

Another first. It typically took her more than a half hour to become aroused to this point. It'd taken Tristan five minutes to make her insane.

Alarm bells began to ring in her head but she ignored them. Time enough for that tomorrow. Tonight was for her.

Shaking her head, she opened her eyes to look at Tristan. His dark head bent over her made her stomach flutter. Releasing one hand from his shoulder, she lifted it to his head and let her fingers run through his short hair. The strands felt thick and a little stiff. She wanted to rub her chin against it. Wanted him to brush his whiskered jaw along her nipples.

Wanted to feel those whiskers against the inside of her thighs.

She shivered and he pulled back, her nipple caught between his teeth. He didn't release her until the very last second, when pleasure would've become pain. With his mouth gone, she did feel some pain.

Lifting his head, he stared down at her. "What do you want, Kat? You need to talk to me."

Could she tell him what she wanted? She'd never been verbal in bed, had always needed complete concentration to get even an iota of pleasure out of the experience. Which should have told her something about those other men. Even with Keegan—

"I want you to be naked too."

One corner of his mouth quirked into a grin. "Well, then, I guess you need to help me with that."

Setting her on her feet and making sure she was steady, he put some space between them.

She wanted to reach for his shirt and pull him back to her. She felt so exposed with her dress hanging around her waist. But she knew he wasn't going to make this easy for her.

And she didn't want him to.

Lifting her hands to his shirt, she reached for his tie. He'd already loosened it but now she gripped the knot and worked it loose until the strip of silk lay on either side of his shirt buttons. Those were next on her to-do list.

She set to work on those and was pleased to see her fingers shook only a little. As she set the buttons free one by one, she smiled to see the white cotton of his t-shirt come into view. She had no idea why the sight of that plain white cotton made her hornier than she already was.

"Is that as far as you're going?" Tristan's hands settled on her bare hips, just above the waistband of her dress.

She forced herself to lift her head and meet his gaze. "No. I'm just...admiring your t-shirt."

His eyes narrowed in bemusement. "And why would you do that?"

"Because I think, on the right man, they look sexy as hell."

It was the absolute truth. If he pushed her for more of an explanation, she wouldn't know what to tell him.

Apparently she didn't have to because he laughed, a husky sound that made her thighs clench.

"Honey, you can leave it on if you want but I really want to feel your naked breasts against my skin."

Yes, she wanted that too. She quickly loosened the rest of the buttons and pushed the shirt off his shoulders. He didn't move his hands though and the shirt hung up on his biceps.

When she looked up again, she saw the grin shining in his eyes and she huffed, knowing he wanted her to tell him what she wanted.

Crossing her hands over her chest, she tried to ignore the fact that she was naked from the waist up.

"Put your arms down so I can take off your shirt."

His hands dropped from her waist. "See, that wasn't so hard now, was it?"

If he had any idea... "Your shirt's still not off."

"Go right ahead. I'm waiting on you, babe."

It took her a second to make her arms move. She'd be exposed again. Vulnerable.

But Tristan didn't make her feel uncomfortable. Those were her own insecurities. And she wasn't going to be ruled by them tonight.

She reached for his shirt, her nipples pebbling again as the air hit them. His gaze dropped and this time it was easier to ignore the urge to hide.

Pushing the shirt down his arms, she let it drop to the floor.

Jesus, he looked ridiculously sexy. His now-bare forearms were lightly covered with dark hair and she lifted one hand to run her fingers against his skin.

She had the overwhelming urge to rip away the t-shirt so she could run her hands over the rest of his body.

And why shouldn't she? He'd practically given her free rein.

Hell, if she crooked her finger at Adam, he'd let her do the same to him.

It was a heady feeling, knowing these two men wanted her. She also knew it was only for tonight.

Reaching for his t-shirt, she tugged at it until it released from his waistband. She wanted to slide her hands under the fabric and get her hands on his skin but forced herself to slow down.

First she'd savor, something she didn't get to do a lot of. Then she'd gorge.

"Bend forward. I want this shirt off."

Her tone held a little more of the command she was used to having. Tristan must have heard it because the corners of his mouth curved upward again.

If he ever flat-out smiled at her, she might be in serious trouble.

"Whatever you want."

Before she lost her nerve, she pulled the shirt up his torso and over his head.

When he straightened, she sucked in a breath and held it.

Oh my god. He's beautiful.

She reached for him, setting her hands on his broad shoulders. His skin radiated heat, which made her want to press her entire body against him. Her dress hanging off her hips felt more like a barrier now than a shield. She only needed to release the clip and zipper at her waist to lose it.

But to do that, she'd have to take her hands off him.

The dress could wait.

Instead, she brushed her hands from his shoulders to his biceps, the play of muscle beneath the skin drawing her gaze, which quickly moved to his chest.

Tristan must work out on a daily basis because the man didn't have an ounce of fat on him. Only lean, sculpted muscle. No bulges. Just beautiful.

She heard her own breathing, knew they had to realize how turned on she was. Still, Adam remained in the chair and Tristan held steady before her, his chest rising and falling in a steady pace.

How much would it take to make them lose control?

Maybe more than she had. Maybe she just didn't inspire them to—

Her fingers curled and she lifted her hands away, but Tristan grabbed her and spread them across his pecs.

Now, she felt the rapid pace of his heart. And when she looked up into his eyes, she could tell he wasn't as calm as he appeared.

"Don't even think about stopping now."

His voice sounded deep, almost menacing. Amazingly, she felt no fear. Only heat swelling between her thighs.

No, she didn't want to stop.

Brushing her fingertips over his nipples, she felt them stiffen, felt hers tighten in response. She wanted him to put his mouth on her again, but she also wanted to taste him. Leaning forward until her lips were only centimeters away from his skin, she blew against the light coat of dark hair on his chest.

This man didn't manscape and she loved the feel of his chest hair, softer than she'd expected. Then she flicked her tongue against one of his nipples and heard a sharp breath hiss between his lips as he buried one hand in her hair and pressed her closer.

Her hands braced against his abs, she sucked and played with his nipples as he'd done to hers. She'd never wanted to taste a man's chest before, but apparently tonight was going to be full of firsts.

Slightly salty. Warm. Delicious.

She wondered how his cock would taste.

Actually wanting to know was another first.

Her hands shook just thinking about it. Did he want her to?

Of course he did. He was a man.

She realized her hands had fallen to his belt and were trying to work the buckle loose, but she wasn't having much luck.

Pulling away, she looked down to see what the problem was but got distracted by the thrust of his erection through his pants. Her hands followed her gaze down and she had wrapped her fingers around his cock through the material of his pants.

"Jesus, Kat. I'm gonna come if you keep that up."

He sounded deadly serious, even though she wasn't doing anything more than stroking him.

Did she turn him on that much?

She looked up, seeing the blazing sincerity in the tightly drawn planes of his face. She smiled, loving the fact that she pushed him to the edge.

"Unbuckle your pants for me."

"As soon as you drop the dress. Let's give Adam a little more to look at. He's a visual kind of guy."

Her gaze flipped back to Adam...

Who had his pants open and his hand wrapped around his cock, slowly stroking.

The sight arrested her. It should've seemed vulgar. At the very least, it should've been shocking.

Instead it made her even hotter.

She sucked in air because it suddenly seemed in short supply then gasped as Tristan turned her to face Adam, keeping her body directly in front of his own.

She couldn't look away, didn't want to look away. Behind her, she felt Tristan's hands working at her dress. With a soft swish, it fell to her feet.

She stood before them in nothing more than a barely-there thong, thigh-high lace stockings, and stilettos.

And felt like the sexiest woman in the world.

Adam's gaze burned as it stroked from her naked breasts to her stomach and lower.

"Lose the thong, Tris." Adam's mouth curved in a hard smile. "Leave the rest."

She sucked in a breath at the icy control in his voice, a direct contrast to his burning gaze.

Behind her, she felt Tristan move closer, the heat of his body intensifying. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to comply with Adam's demand.

Why wasn't she freaking out? She should be. Should be running scared or, at the very least, trying to cover her nudity.

Why did she feel safe here, with these men?

Her eyes locked with Adam's, she could barely keep them open when Tristan hooked his thumbs in the sides of her thongs and pulled them down.

Adam's gaze held hers for long seconds after she felt air brush against her naked mound. She had the almost overwhelming urge to cover herself but clenched her hands into fists at her sides to resist.

Adam's lips curved in the slightest smile, as if he knew how much effort it took for her to resist her instinctive need to cover up.

Now he did let his gaze drop again, his hand continuing to steadily pump his cock.

Tristan chose that moment to slide his arms around her waist and pull her back against him. Without her heels, the top of her head barely came to his chin, and he seemed so much bigger. Like he could wrap himself around her completely.

Gasping, she realized he was naked. His bare cock nestled against her lower back, her ass plastered against his thighs.

She had the brief thought that she felt cheated, unable to see him. Then his hands flattened across her stomach before one slid up to cup her breast in his palm while he slid his other hand down.

Now she stiffened but not in embarrassment. She froze because she didn't want him to stop.

The hand at her breast engulfed the small mound, tugging at the nipple and sending flashes of almost painful sensation to her pussy. Which he still hadn't touched. His fingers had stopped on her mound, the tips so close to her clit but still not close enough.

"Put your arms around my neck, sweetheart."

She obeyed without thought, realizing only after she'd raised her arms to comply that she was completely vulnerable. She trembled, wanting to pull her arms down, but Tristan leaned in and pressed his lips against her neck. Her eyes closed as the most amazing rush of desire swept through her. He made her feel wanted. Not coveted like a prize, but as if he wanted her. The real her.

Which was completely ridiculous because he didn't know her. Not really. Not—

"Breathe, sweetheart." Tristan's breath feathered over her neck as he nipped at her skin, making her shiver. "We won't hurt you."

The rough tone of his voice stroked her almost physically. "Then go faster."

"Oh, I will. When I'm fucking you from behind so you can suck Adam, then I'll go hard and fast. But not yet."

She had to bite back a moan as her gaze locked with Adam's again. His expression tightened even more as he released his cock.

She thought he might join them now, and panic flared. When he didn't make a move to get up, the anxiety died under a rush of sensation as Tristan's hand descended from her mound to her clit.

Already overly sensitive from anticipation, her clit flared with sensation as he caught it between his index and middle fingers and squeezed.

She had to bite her bottom lip to keep from crying out as Tristan began to work her clit until it felt twice its size and she was on the brink of orgasm.

Releasing her breast, Tristan moved his arm to hold her around the waist so she couldn't move her hips. And god, did she want to move. Wanted to writhe against him, make him go faster, harder. Give her what she needed instead of what he wanted to give her.

Apparently he wanted to drive her crazy. And he was doing a damn good job of it. She felt cut off from reality, her only connection Tristan's hands on her body and Adam's gaze, which had dropped to watch Tristan play with her.

Adam wasn't stroking himself now, but his cock remained in plain view. His hands had moved to his shirt, where he was opening the buttons. His tie had already disappeared and, after he'd opened the last button, he sat forward to shrug out of the shirt. He was also wearing a t-shirt, which quickly followed the shirt and tie to the floor.

Tristan's hands fell into drugging rhythm, pushing her closer to orgasm with every stroke, never pushing her over the edge. But simply looking at Adam made her pussy clench in response.

He had the hard, sculpted body of a man who used his muscles every day and not just in a gym. Tristan looked like a sleek athlete, but Adam looked like a warrior. Even through the haze of desire, she recognized how dangerous this man could be to the wrong person.

And how breathtaking he was to her.

Tristan's upper body had very few marks or blemishes, but Adam had several visible scars. Some so old, they were nothing more than faint lines. Others... Well, those made her want to kiss them better—

Gasping, she clenched her thighs around Tristan's hand, which had slipped back to stroke along the entrance to her sex. She ached for him to part her labia and fuck her with his fingers, to ease just a little of the tension tearing at her control.

She wasn't used to waiting for satisfaction, mainly because she never had to wait on anyone else to give it to her. She'd been taking care of her sexual urges herself for years with toys, which did exactly what she wanted them to do, when she wanted them to do it.

Tristan had his own agenda, his own timetable. And Adam...

He rose from the chair, pants hanging around his waist, his cock so hard it curved upward.

"I think it's time we took this horizontal."

Adam's voice sounded rougher, deeper than it had before. Combined with the motion of Tristan's hand, it made her pussy convulse, so close to orgasm, she wanted to put her hands between her legs and finish herself.

Before she could move, Tristan swung her into his arms and started moving. She barely had time to breathe before he'd pushed through one of the unopened doors.

She couldn't make out anything in the darkness of the room, but Tristan appeared to see just fine.

He took a few steps and stopped as she heard the sound of fabric being ruffled. Then he set her down on a firm mattress covered with baby-soft cotton sheets.

Blinking, she got her eyes to focus, finding Tristan by the side of the bed in front of her and Adam at the foot.

Scrambling to her knees, she reached for Tristan, catching his shoulders and tugging him forward until she could kiss him. The bed sat higher than most, and it allowed her to reach his mouth without straining. She appreciated that.

She also appreciated that he met her almost frantic kiss just as eagerly.

Scooting closer to the edge, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her naked body against his. Heat simply radiated off him, and she soaked it in until she didn't feel cold at all.

She had the thought that it would be nice to take her time and run her hands all over Tristan, but the ache between her legs demanded that he cover her body with his and pound into her to ease that ache.

Tristan had other ideas. She moaned as he pulled back, giving her a glimpse of his lopsided grin.

"Lie back, beautiful." Tristan took a step away from the bed, out of reach. "I promise you'll get what you need real soon."

She didn't really believe in promises. Someone always managed to break them.

She didn't want to believe Tristan would break his. And Adam...

Her gaze flashed toward Adam again but he'd moved. For a brief second she thought maybe he'd left, and an indescribable loss swept through her. Then she realized he'd sprawled into the chair by the window, where he could watch.

When will he get sick of watching and join us?

What if he didn't actually want to join and was only there because Tristan wanted him there?

Panic mixed into her other emotions, and she had to consciously push it back. It wasn't hard to do because she wanted what they offered with a greediness she'd never experienced.

Adam stared back through heavily lidded eyes, and she had a brief second to wonder what she could do to entice him onto the bed with her before she felt Tristan's hands on her legs. He smoothed his palms up the back of her calves, and she turned back to look at him just as he was lowering his head.

Oh my god.

His hands shoved under her ass, tilting her to the right angle as his mouth settled over her pussy.

Gasping at the shock of sensation, she thrust her hands into his hair and closed her eyes. Her brain stuttered as she tried to process everything she was feeling and failed miserably.

So she let herself go under. Tristan's mouth and tongue worked together to drive her into a state of desperate arousal. Her muscles strained as he pushed her closer to orgasm. His tongue slicked between her labia, parting the swollen folds to tease at her clutching sheath. Just when she thought he'd give her some relief, he pulled away to nip at her clit.

The frantic beat of her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out the sound of her own moans.

"Tristan. Please."

She knew exactly what she was asking for and so did he. He just wasn't going to give it to her yet. Instead, he sucked at her clit until the little bud felt overstimulated and about to burst.

Then he moved back to her labia, darting his tongue out and stiffening it to fuck her with it.

When another pair of hands grabbed her arms and drew them up and over her head, she cried out, shaking uncontrollably.

Adam.

She hadn't heard him move, hadn't forgotten he was there, but he hadn't touched her and she hadn't been sure he was going to. Now, that extra pair of hands on her body—that sense of the forbidden a second man added to the mix—made her body and mind snap.

Tristan held her hips down as her pussy convulsed in an orgasm she felt down to her toes. Tristan continued to lick at her while she came, and when she opened her mouth and drew in a deep breath, Adam's lips sealed over hers from above.

His kiss was nothing like Tristan's. He didn't ease her into it, didn't give her time to adjust to him before he took what he wanted.

It increased the heat index to another level.

Held down on either end, she couldn't move. And yet she didn't panic. She felt nothing but intense, drugging desire and the innate knowledge that they wouldn't hurt her.

Adam's hard lips parted hers, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to tangle with hers, demanding a response. Demanding she return his kiss rather than simply let him kiss her.

She opened her lips farther and slid her tongue against his. The fact that she'd never responded to anyone the way she was to these two men should have given her pause. Instead, it pushed her to release her fears and doubts and simply respond.

When she moved her head to get a better angle, Adam cut away with a curse but only long enough to rearrange them on the bed.

With a few quick movements, Adam had her on her back with her head on the pillows. In the next second, he sealed their lips again, stretching his naked body along hers.

His bigger, harder frame crushed her into the mattress, making her gasp, and she sensed Adam's intention to pull back. Before he could, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and clung to him, kissing him deeper.

Adam immediately took over again, sinking his hands into her hair to angle her head how he wanted. Slanting his mouth over hers, he kissed her with a ravaging demand that made her lower body throb with aching need.

Pressed against him, she felt the thrust of his erection against her thigh. She tried to shift beneath him, tried to get him where she needed him, but he kept her immobile.

Frustrated and overstimulated, she broke the kiss...but only because he let her. She realized that as she wrapped her hands around his neck and felt the leashed strength there.

"I don't want to wait anymore. Now."

Adam's expression barely flickered, as if he were unaffected by what she said, even though she felt the proof of his desire against her body. The thought that he was simply here for sex crossed her mind then vanished when rational thought established itself for a few brief seconds.

Sex is all this is.

Which was wiped away in the next second when Adam rolled them to their sides, exposing her back. Until Tristan pressed his chest against her back.

Her eyes closed as Adam eased slightly away and Tristan's arms wrapped around her, cupping her breasts in his hands, his mouth fastening onto the tender spot where her neck met her shoulder.

Moaning as her body reacted to Tristan's touch as if she'd touched a live wire, she let her head fall back against Tristan's shoulder.

"Are you ready, Kat? Do you want me to take you now?"

"Yes. Now."

"Soon. I'm going to take you from behind. Just like this, baby. And you're going to suck Adam off while I do it."

Uncertainty hit and she drew in a ragged breath.

She'd only given head twice and hadn't really enjoyed it either time. What if she wasn't any good at it? What if—

Her eyes flew open and sought out Adam. He'd moved away, just enough that she could see his face more clearly. She could tell nothing of his thoughts from his expression, but as Tristan began spreading kisses from her shoulder up her neck, Adam reached out to run one finger along her lips.

The simple gesture combined with his steady gaze reassured her in a way she didn't understand.

She could do this. She wanted this, didn't want to be simply the recipient here. She wanted to give too.

Reaching for Adam, she spread one hand on his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat beneath the skin. Skin that had several more scars than she'd seen on Tristan.

One on his left pec that she recognized as a burn. Another lower on his torso that looked like a puncture. Several more that appeared to be the result of stitches.

This man looked like he'd been to war, which he had. So had Tristan. Did Tristan have similar scars she hadn't noticed?

And why did it matter now?

Holding Adam's gaze as Tristan continued to hold her tightly against him, nuzzling the skin behind her ear, she slid her hand down Adam's torso until she reached the line of hair that trailed from his belly button to his groin.

Now she used the nail of her forefinger to scratch at his skin and watched his impressive erection twitch the closer she got to the root of his cock.

"Wrap your fingers around him, babe. Go ahead. Tight."

Tristan shifted behind her, his cock fitting into the seam of her thighs, the tip rubbing against her ass. Wriggling against him, she did what Tristan had told her to do and wrapped her hand around Adam's thick cock. She watched his face as she started to pump him, watched how his gaze narrowed and his mouth tightened. And his cock swelled in her hand.

It became harder to breathe as she let her gaze fall to watch her hand stroking his cock. Her eyes had adjusted to the low light and she saw the fat tip blush a deep red. Heat radiated from the firm shaft, and she wanted to know what he tasted like. Had to know.

She began to move and Adam shifted too, as if he'd known what she was going to do. Maybe he had. Maybe he'd been able to read her expression.

She leaned toward him as he turned toward her and she took him into her mouth on an indrawn breath. His taste hit her tongue as she sucked on the head and let her tongue flick at him.

So masculine. So hot.

"Now I'm going to fuck you, Kat. Just like you wanted."

Adam cupped her head in his hands as Tristan's wrapped around her hips, shifting her into position. Her attention split between pleasuring Adam and Tristan's cock nudging at her sex, she shut down rational thought.

Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked Adam deeper, moaning as Tristan breached her slowly. Hands latching onto Adam's hips, she moaned around him as Tristan worked his way inside her, inch by inch until, finally, he filled her completely.

His cock felt huge, stretching her, making her burn for more. At the same time, she wanted to make Adam burn as badly as she was.

Tristan started to fuck her then, a slow, steady pace that made her body feel almost liquid. Blissful.

And the way Adam's fingers clutched at her head every time she sucked him deeper let her know he enjoyed it. Enjoyed her.

Behind her, Tristan began to pick up his pace. One of his hands slid down her body to lift her thigh back onto his, spreading her legs and reaching between them to play with her clit. Already overly sensitized, she shuddered, her hips moving back to meet Tristan's on his next thrust.

Tristan groaned, his fingers playing expertly over her clit. His rhythm became a little more erratic, a little faster, harder.

She felt wound tight, waiting...

Adam shuddered, his cock swelling in her mouth.

"Kat."

She heard the warning in Adam's voice. She didn't care. She pulled back to the tip then let the head pop free as she flipped her gaze up to meet his. Lust drew his feature tight, his eyes mere slits.

Her head dipped and she sucked him in again, practically to the back of her throat, and now he released her, his hands curling into the sheets.

Intent on making him come, she played her tongue along his length, her rhythm syncing with Tristan's.

Adam broke first. His low groan signaled his impending orgasm, just before his cock spilled his seed onto her tongue.

The taste, the feel, the sounds, Tristan's fingers on her clit... They all pushed at her until she couldn't hold back anymore, and she came with a moan as Adam continued to twitch against her tongue.

"That's right, baby. That's good. So—"

Tristan slammed his hips against her ass one more time then held himself steady, cock pumping inside her as she finally let Adam slide from her mouth and rested her head against his thigh.

With Tristan's heavy breathing in her ear and Adam's warm thigh against her cheek, she closed her eyes and drifted.
Chapter Five

Tristan gave her an easy out the next morning.

Adam had cleared the escape route by leaving the bedroom shortly after she'd fallen asleep. Adam didn't sleep much on a good night, so it wasn't unusual for him to be up at all hours.

His absence gave Kat the ability to slip out of bed thinking she wouldn't disturb anyone. Believing they wouldn't hear her or notice.

Tristan continued to pretend to be asleep as she silently opened the door to the living room, collected her clothes, which Adam must've laid out on the couch, then dressed in a rush. Through the door, which she'd left open, he watched her grab her purse and keys from the coffee table in front of the couch and make a beeline for the front door.

Where she stopped. She had her hand on the handle and, even from this distance, he could see her shaking.

Then she turned to look back at the room. Her gaze swept back to the bedroom, where he pretended to be asleep, then to the other door, where Adam probably sat watching television, listening to her every move.

She took her hand off the latch and squeezed it into a fist. And for a brief second, he thought she'd come back. He wanted her to come back, wanted her to choose to stay.

Instead, she opened the door and slipped out, barely making a sound.

The second the door closed, the other bedroom door opened and Adam emerged, heading straight for Tristan.

Adam pushed open the door then leaned against the jamb, hands shoved in his pants, no shirt, and his hair still mussed from running his hands through it for hours. He stared at Tristan with raised eyebrows as Tristan pushed himself upright.

Tristan knew exactly what Adam was thinking and gave him the answer he knew Adam was going to hate.

"Now we start."

To be continued...

Stephanie Julian

Stephanie Julian has been a daily news reporter, a freelance feature writer and a movie, theater and music critic but what she loves most is writing heat with heart. She's happily married to a Springsteen fanatic and is the mother of two sons.

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