Chapter Nine
Spending the entire day within a few feet of Dana and not touching her was torture for Aiden. Particularly when flashes of the previous night kept replaying within his head like an endless, X-rated movie reel. The softness of her skin beneath his hands. The tight, wet clasp of her pussy around his fingers. Her sweet cries bouncing off the walls. He’d nearly come right along with her.
He needed to get a grip before he completely lost it.
“Bro, what’s up with you?”
Aiden met Jace’s concerned expression and whistled out a breath. “Nothing. Guess I’m just a little restless.” Jesus, that’s an understatement.
“Why don’t you take a walkabout? You could use a change of scenery, since you’ve been stuck here all damn day.”
“No, I’m fine,” Aiden said quickly. Maybe a little too quickly.
Jace scowled. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her.”
“I know that.”
“Then prove it and take a fucking walk.”
Gritting his teeth, Aiden pushed from the exterior wall of Dana’s booth and stalked down the narrow lane of artists’ huts. Though it was less than two hours until the close of the festival, the crowd remained at full capacity. Dana had received a steady flow of traffic throughout the day, but he hadn’t missed the way her shoulders drooped a fraction lower every time someone strolled away without purchasing anything. It killed him to witness her dejection.
Didn’t these people recognize talent when they saw it? Idiots, the whole lot of them.
The glint of metal across the way caught his eye. Taking a shortcut past the jousting field, he entered a wood-shingled booth nestled in the trees. Exquisitely crafted swords lined a long oak counter. A prominently displayed sign pronouncing Touch and lose a finger at your own risk hung nearby. For those who doubted its sincerity, a hawk-eyed vendor diligently patrolled the cramped space.
Aiden approached a wickedly sharp-looking double-edged sword, his gaze sweeping its elaborate dragon’s claw hilt. He bent for a closer inspection. The details were eerily realistic, right down to the texture of the scales. Without question, he knew he was staring at a larger representation of the silver claw his mother always kept around her neck. What the fuck?
Straightening, he glanced toward the vendor camped in the corner. The man was dressed in Viking garb, complete with a fur pelt thrown over his wide shoulders and a formidable horned helmet perched on his head. Despite the fellow’s appearance, Aiden sincerely doubted the man spent his days pillaging villages. Or hanging out with dragons. So how the blazes did the man get his hands on a nine-hundred-year-old design for the Drakoni insignia?
He elbowed a path through the milling shoppers, making his way to the vendor. The man saw him coming and immediately ditched his menacing glower.
“Aye, milord, something I can help ye find?” The man’s thick Jersey accent destroyed the whole Viking vibe.
“No, I’m curious about one of your swords. The one with the dragon claw.”
The man nodded. “Isn’t she a beaut? Claud knocked herself out on that one.”
“Claud?”
“Yeah, the artist.” The man swiveled his head, nearly taking Aiden’s eye out with one of the horn tips. “Now where’d she go? Girl disappears faster than goddamn David Copperfield.”
A prickling sensation crawled along the back of Aiden’s neck. Jerking around, he locked gazes with a female standing across the way. She was tall, probably close to six feet, with jet-black hair highlighted with neon pink streaks. Her only concession to the Renaissance theme was the fur stole draped over her shoulders—an exact match to the one on the Viking. Unlike her comrade, Aiden didn’t doubt for a second that she spent her every waking second pillaging villages. Hell, Claudia Knoxville came from a wild, renegade line of dragons that’d reaped a small fortune pirating the seven seas, and she proudly carried on the family tradition. If there was a dirty deed needing done, Claudia was the go-to girl. If you could afford to pay her price.
Question was, why the hell was she here impersonating an artist?
Intending to get to the bottom of that mystery, Aiden started across the room. Claudia spun, her fur pelt flapping. Not about to let her escape, he zigzagged the opposite direction, closing the gap between him and the entrance to the booth. She’d have to walk past him to leave. Someone tugged on his shirt and he whipped around.
The old gal with the crazy purple hair beamed up at him. “See you’ve decided to take a break from our Dana.”
“Uh…” Aiden lifted his head and caught Claudia waggling her fingers at him before she stepped from the booth and slunk around the outside corner. Giving a silent growl, he returned his attention to the woman in front of him.
Oblivious to the interception she’d just foiled, the woman squeezed his arm. “Ooh, you’re a muscular lad, aren’t you? Our Dana is quite the lucky duck.”
He granted her a wry grimace. “Our Dana is far from thrilled at having me here.”
“Pooh, give her time. She’s got a strong independent streak, and she’s stubborn as a pack mule.”
Aiden couldn’t help grinning. “You’ve pegged her there.”
“I know, dearie. I’m a psychic. Maybe I should have it stamped on a sweatshirt. It’d save me the hassle of always explaining it to everyone.” She flicked back the edge of her cape with a grumble.
Worried he’d somehow offended her, he offered his arm. “Would you care to join me for the rest of my stroll…?”
“It’s Haddie,” she supplied, filling in the blank. Her eyes twinkled. “And you bet your hot diggity I would. I’ll be the envy of every woman here.” Slapping her hand on his biceps, she led him from the booth.
For the next thirty minutes she entertained him with stories from her youth and the occasional odd impression she picked up on people walking by. So far she’d filled him in on the portly guy in the incense shop who suffered from a herniated disc and the tattooed gal who debated whether or not to break up with her deadbeat boyfriend.
He shook his head. “It must be strange knowing all these intimate details about folks you don’t even know.”
Haddie shrugged. “No stranger than it must be for you dealing with that dragon living inside of you.”
Aiden stumbled in mid-stride. “How—” He stopped himself before uttering the words that’d earn her mulish glare.
“Dana told me,” she said, catching him off guard.
He let that piece of news sink in. Apparently he needed to have a talk with Dana. He’d assumed she’d see the danger in running her mouth about the Drakoni, but obviously he’d been wrong.
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
There she went with the scary psychic shit again. Her mouth curled in a cheeky grin that let him know she was wise to the fact she’d just creeped him out. He didn’t have the chance to call her on it though because they’d arrived at Dana’s booth. Craning his neck, he looked for his aggravating sacrifice and Jace. He spotted both in the back corner of the hut. Jace appeared to be in full flirt mode. The sight of his brother toying playfully with Dana’s hair while she batted him away elicited a spike of jealousy inside Aiden’s gut. He turned his back on the pair, disgusted by his involuntary reaction.
Haddie was watching him with a pitying look. That stung more than anything. Intuiting his surly mood, she squeezed his hand. “You of all people should know things aren’t always what they first seem.”
Much as he wanted to concede that Haddie might have a point, there was also the irrevocable circumstances staring him in the eye. Jace desired Dana and he would eventually have her. There wasn’t a damn thing Aiden could do to change it.
Dana set her plan into motion the instant she coasted to a stop in front of her garage. Schooling a sweet, innocent smile into place, she waited for Aiden and Jace to climb from the Navigator. “How about if I make dinner for both of you tonight?”
To say they appeared stunned would be an epic understatement. Worried they’d become suspicious of her sudden change in attitude, she hurriedly dug for a reasonable explanation. “I have a package of steaks I’ve been meaning to cook.” At least it wasn’t a total lie. She’d purchase the steaks a few months ago, when her annual maybe-I-should-learn-to-cook phase coincided with the grocery store’s half-off-meat extravaganza.
“Hell, I’m not gonna say no to a steak dinner,” Jace said with a chuckle.
Aiden shook off his expression of bafflement and inclined his head. “Thanks, it’s real nice of you to offer.”
The genuine delight in his tone was almost enough to elicit a twinge of guilt inside her. She quickly shoved the emotion away. This was a battle for her life here. She couldn’t afford to get sappy. “I’ll call for you when everything’s ready.” Spinning on her heel, she jogged toward the house.
Once inside, she bypassed her stash of Lean Cuisines in the freezer and chiseled the package of steaks from its igloo of ice. She threw the container into the microwave to defrost. Trekking to her bedroom, she stripped from the wench dress and tugged on jeans and her favorite fuzzy sweater. With that accomplished, she returned to the kitchen and checked the status of the steaks. Ten more minutes left on the defrost cycle.
Humming, she scrounged in the fridge for enough fixings to make a salad. All she found was a head of celery—the same one she’d thrown into the crisper two weeks ago and promptly forgot about. Other than a little wilting of the upper foliage, it looked exactly the same as when she first bought it. “Wow, this stuff is like the Teflon of produce.” Tossing it on the counter, she went in search of a knife.
The microwave dinged. She pulled out the container and noticed the steaks were already starting to get cooked around the edges. “Hmm, what’s the point in dirtying up the oven? Might as well let ’em keep roasting in here.” She scanned the buttons on the display, looking for the one that said steak. No dice. What the hell was up with that? There was one for popcorn. Shouldn’t steak have some precedence over freakin’ popcorn?
Frustrated, she punched forty-five minutes into the timer and brushed her hands of the matter. Snagging a knife from the drawer, she picked up the celery and chopped off the top leafy part before rinsing the rest of the stalks in the sink. That done, she carefully diced the celery and sprinkled the portions evenly between three bowls. As far as salads went, it looked pathetic.
Perfect.
Balancing one bowl in the crook of her arm and the other two in her hands, she carried them to the kitchen table and plopped each in front of a seat. She opted for using cloth napkins rather than paper. Hey, nobody would accuse her of being a total heathen. With the table set and the steaks sizzling in the microwave, she journeyed into the living room. Yanking the entertainment section from the Sunday paper, she settled on the couch. The second she spread the paper in her lap, Ms. Whiskers pounced in the middle and stretched out in a lazy sprawl.
Before she knew it, the microwave dinged again. “Okay, show time.” Shooing the cat down, she walked to the door and swung it open. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
Jace was the first to pop his head out of the tent. “Mm, I can taste it already.”
More than likely he’d be tasting it for the next week. Ignoring the guilt trying to insinuate its way inside her, she wedged the door open wider. Jace bounded up the steps. He stopped and tucked his hands deep in his pants pockets in a way that was boyish and oddly endearing.
No, I will not find him gorgeous and freakin’ adorable. Understood? Hopefully her libido would get the point. “Come on in.”
He scraped his boots on the mat before stepping inside. “Nice place. I didn’t have a chance to tell you so last night.”
Her heart filled with a warm glow. Her house might not be palatial or luxurious, but it was home. The only one she’d known. Out of nowhere, an icy sliver of realization slid down her spine. If she accepted the sacrificial bond with Aiden and Jace, she’d be forced to give up not only her freedom but this house as well.
“Are you all right? You look a little pale.”
She swallowed past the bitter lump congealing in her windpipe. “I’m fine. Why don’t you go wash your hands in the bathroom?” She probably sounded like his mother. Oh well.
Abandoning him for the kitchen, she grabbed three plates from the cupboard and removed the steaks from the microwave. They seemed considerably smaller than they were forty-five minutes ago. And sort of rubbery. Stabbing them with a fork, she dropped each onto a plate. “Hmm, are they supposed to bounce like that?” Uncertain, she sprinkled each steak with a healthy dash of La Luna’s signature five-pepper-blend seasoning and transported them to the table.
The tread of boots thumped on the linoleum behind her. She turned, the blood pumping faster in her veins when she spotted Aiden. Damn it, why couldn’t he be humpbacked and covered with warts? It’d go a long way toward fighting this urge to tackle him to the ground and lick him like a big ole lollipop.
To stop herself from stroking a finger over his bristly jaw, she fiddled with the hem of her sweater. “Jace is washing up. Feel free to do the same after he’s done.”
He nodded, his attention drifting to the table. She couldn’t be certain, but she swore he gulped when he saw the steaks. Whistling floated from the hallway and Aiden snapped out of the stupor the sight of his dinner had trapped him in. “Sounds like Jace is finished.” Granting the table one last wary glance, he pivoted and made tracks for the bathroom.
Pulling out her seat, she plopped down and stared at the unappetizing meal resting in front of her. “The things I do in the name of survival.”
Jace strode into the kitchen and flashed a grin. “Where should I sit?”
She pointed to the chair across from her. He scooted it away from the table, making room for his long legs. Enfolding his large frame into the seat, he lowered his focus to the plate. His smile slipped. She had to hand it to him, he made a valiant attempt at hiding his revulsion.
“Everything looks…ah…tasty.”
“Dig in.”
He actually looked slightly terrified. Displaying the speed of a tortoise, he reached for his fork. It wobbled in his grip. Bypassing the steak, he speared a couple of celery pieces instead and soon the sounds of monotonous crunching filled the kitchen. Her steak sat on her plate, mocking her. Dragging in a deep breath, she reached for her knife and sawed through the block of charcoal trying to pass itself off as meat. She looked up, found Jace watching her, and cocked an eyebrow in challenge. Squaring his jaw, he snatched his knife and chiseled a chunk of steak free. He popped it into his mouth just as Aiden walked into the kitchen.
Jace ground through two difficult chews before his face suddenly blazed fire-engine red. A weird rasp chuffed from his throat and he scrunched his nose.
“Shit.” The expletive shot from Aiden. “Did he just eat cayenne pepper?”
She frowned. “It’s in the steak seasoning. Why?”
“He’s allergic.”
Another of those ominous rumbles shook through Jace, and Aiden dove for Dana. He hauled her to the floor as a plume of fire erupted from Jace’s mouth, licking the air with blue-tipped flames. A nasty stench similar to burning plastic filled the room. Lifting her head, she stared at the melted remains of the silk flower arrangement sitting in the center of the table. She started to stand but Aiden pinned her leg.
“Coast might not be clear.”
As if to verify Aiden’s assessment, Jace’s nose twitched again. Aiden leapt to his feet and charged toward the living room. “Outside. Now.”
Clamping a hand over his mouth, Jace hurtled from the room.
“Try not to torch her yard or our tent,” Aiden yelled from the doorway.
Dana sat up and buried her head in her hands. This went miles beyond the disastrous meal she’d envisioned.
“Sweetheart, are you hurt?” Aiden stooped beside her. His trembling fingers stroked over her hair. “A stray spark didn’t land on you, did it?”
She’d triggered Jace’s allergies and almost gotten her house burned down in the process. It’d serve her right if she’d gotten caught in the crossfire. “No, I’m fine,” she croaked miserably.
“What’s this?” His voice ripe with concern, Aiden lifted her hand and inspected the black smudge running from her wrist to her thumb.
“I’m pretty sure it’s from my mascara.”
“Let’s clean it up and make sure it’s nothing more serious—like a singe mark.” Before she could balk, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the sink. Settling her on the counter, he turned on the faucet and checked the water temperature. Apparently satisfied he wasn’t about to scald her, he guided her hand beneath the spray. The black mark began to dissolve.
“Told you it was nothing.” She reached out and shut off the faucet.
“Shhh, let me see.” His fingers glided over her slippery skin and she shuddered at the gentle intimacy of his touch. He raised his head and their gazes collided.
Oh boy. The intensity in his eyes was hotter than Jace’s fiery sneeze. He dipped close enough his breath fanned her mouth. Then his lips were there. Pressing. Enticing. With minimal resistance she caved to the persuasive invasion of his tongue. Desire combusted within her, blanking out everything but the delicious sensations racing through her body and liquefying her bones. A kiss shouldn’t be this devastating—charged and all-consuming. Capable of incinerating your entire being into a smoking pile of ash.
“Dana…” A fine tremor of need shook Aiden’s voice. He circled her waist, his hands coasting over her hips. With an insistent tug, he pulled her from the counter. She bumped into him and her palms automatically splayed on his chest. The soft knit of his Henley didn’t disguise the solid wall of muscle beneath her fingertips. His mouth reclaimed hers briefly before sliding down the slope of her neck. Every centimeter of her skin tingled in response.
The front door squeaked open and she stiffened. Aiden’s hands roved along her back, soothing and seductive. He was shockingly good at the art of distraction. She almost managed to ignore Jace’s appearance in the kitchen entry.
Almost.
Jace’s handsome features no longer held the vivid crimson hue from earlier. In its place was raw, elemental lust. His hooded gaze pinning her in place, he sauntered forward. A small, sexy grin playing at his lips, he watched Aiden nuzzling her neck. As if suddenly aware they had company, Aiden lifted his head and glanced at his brother.
“Don’t stop on my account.” Sidling closer, Jace stroked a finger along Dana’s cheek, the grazing caress lighter than the brush from a butterfly’s wing.
Aiden’s chest tensed and she waited, breathless, to see what he would do. A silent battle seemed to wage inside him. Finally, he loosened his unyielding grip on her waist and lowered his mouth to the sensitive crook where her neck and shoulder met. He growled into her skin before suctioning onto the tender spot. She gasped and Jace was there to soak up the sound. Shock ricocheted through her—both at the unexpectedness of Jace’s tongue in her mouth and having two pairs of lips on her at the same time.
Jace’s hand molded to the back of her head, holding her hostage to the dizzying voraciousness of his kiss. She whimpered for mercy and his smile slid across her lips. The arrogance of the gesture wasn’t lost on her, but she was too wrung out from their sensual onslaught to care. Abandoning her mouth, Jace flicked his tongue over the soft spot below her ear. Goose bumps ambushed every square inch of her.
“Mmm, do you taste this good everywhere?”
Assuming Jace’s question was merely rhetorical, she didn’t answer.
“Does she, bro? Taste this good all over?”
Okay, maybe it hadn’t been rhetorical.
Aiden’s teeth nipped her flesh and she had the fleeting impression he was marking her. He moved to her breasts, cupping them through the fuzzy sweater and her bra. Her nipples immediately puckered and he groaned. “Yes. Everywhere.”
Jace stepped behind her and reached for the hem of her sweater, inching it upward. Aiden helped tug the fabric over her head. Rather than letting her arms drop limp to her sides, Jace stooped and draped them around his neck. The angle forced her back to arch, thrusting her breasts fully into Aiden’s hungry grasp. He took full advantage of his good fortune, rasping his palms over her bra, his fingertips teasing the outer edges where lace gave way to skin. She wiggled and Jace’s husky chuckle floated to her ear.
“What’s the matter, sweetness? He find a ticklish spot?”
Coherent speech was impossible. Biting her lip, she nodded instead.
“You want me to get him to stop tormenting you?”
She gave another fierce nod, the crown of her head butting the underside of Jace’s whisker-roughened jaw.
“Then you’re gonna have to do exactly what I say. Think you can handle that?”
Probably not. She hummed in agreement anyway. Her eyes locked on Aiden. Cheekbones flushed dark with desire, he stared at her like he’d just crawled out of the desert and she was a refreshing glass of spring water.
Jace’s hands slid along her rib cage, reminding her of his presence. As if the persistent erection riding above her tailbone wasn’t enough. “Here’s what’s going to happen then. I’m going to unfasten this little pink bra so my brother can feast on those pretty breasts of yours.”
Okay, that didn’t sound too bad. In fact, it sounded damn terrific.
“But you’re not allowed to move. At all. Or make noises.”
What did he think she was? Freakin’ mute? “Uh, there’s going to be noises. Trust me.”
Warm lips brushed just to the side of her temple. “Then there’ll be consequences.”
Moisture flooded her pussy at the sexy menace in Jace’s tone. Oh Lord, who knew she was such a masochist? “What sort of consequences?”
“If I tell you, it’ll spoil your pleasure.”
She snorted. “Don’t you mean your pleasure?”
“Oh no, darlin’. My pleasure is guaranteed just by watching you come undone.” His hands massaged along her spine, heading determinedly toward her bra’s closure. “You ready?”
Oh for God’s sake… “Yes.”
Giving a low, wicked laugh, Jace unhooked the clasps and eased the bra straps from her shoulders. “You can drop your arms, but only for a second.”
She did and Aiden took care of removing the lacy undergarment. His fingertips trailed whisper-soft along the insides of her forearms and she struggled to contain her shivery response. He was killing her and he hadn’t even kissed her breasts yet.
“You’re doing real good, sweetness.” Jace rubbed his lips over her ear, his teeth nibbling at the lobe. “But let’s see if you can keep from squirming once we turn up the heat.”
Once they turned up the heat? Good Lord, she was already way past the simmer stage. Helplessly, she peered at Aiden. Fire blazed in his eyes, extinguishing her tiny spark of hope that he might take pity on her. Oh, he was clearly all for raising the thermostat—and he was going to enjoy every damn minute.
Aiden leaned into Dana, her heady fragrance making his head spin. The beast inside him snarled in demand, desperate to taste and possess. As if intuiting Aiden’s raging need, Jace cupped Dana’s breasts in offering. Any other time, seeing his brother’s hands on her would have driven Aiden insane with rage. Apparently being knocked on his ass by lust made him a bit more the sharing type.
As much as that was possible. Especially when it came to Dana.
Lowering his head, Aiden flattened his tongue over a stiffened nipple. Dana trembled, trying valiantly not to move or make a sound. That wouldn’t last long. Not with what he had in store for her. He tugged her nipple into his mouth and rolled it gently between his teeth. A strangled groan hitched in her throat.
“Ah, sweetness.” Jace made a tsking sound. “And here you were doing so good.” He started to step back, bringing Dana with him.
Aiden clamped onto her hips and growled at his brother. “You looking to get your ass beat?”
“I was going to have you take her jeans off, but if you don’t—” Jace chuckled as Aiden fumbled with the buttons on Dana’s pants.
Hooking his thumbs into the waistband, Aiden tugged the jeans over Dana’s hips and kneeled to pull the denim the rest of the way down her legs. He brushed his palms over her calf, reveling in how silky soft her skin was, particularly in the crook behind her knee. Unable to resist, he braced her leg on his shoulder and kissed the tempting spot. She writhed against him, leading him to believe she really was ultra ticklish. Good to know. He nuzzled her thigh, licking a path north.
“Oh God,” Dana said, so faint he had to strain to hear it. His cock throbbed painfully at her breathless little moans and the way she squirmed beneath his touch.
Jesus, he wanted to peel her panties off and bury his tongue deep inside her. Reining in his impatient inner beast, he continued to lave his way upward until he reached the scrap of pink satin covering her pussy. Delirious from her intoxicating female musk, he closed his eyes and inhaled. Her arousal called to him like a siren’s song. Tormenting himself as much as he was Dana, he rubbed his lips over the satin, his teeth and tongue creating additional friction with the fabric.
She whimpered, the sound shooting straight to Aiden’s cock. He glanced toward her face just as Jace tipped her head back and thrust his tongue into her mouth. Again, the sight of them kissing whipped together an opposing maelstrom of emotions. Even while he quaked with an instinctual desire to pound Jace into oblivion, the primal mating of mouths going on above Aiden stoked his arousal to a fever pitch. He wanted to see Dana unravel—to completely lose herself to the sexual energy swirling in the air. And if that meant allowing Jace to participate in the moment, so be it. Right now, the only thing that mattered was Dana’s pleasure.
Sliding beneath the elastic of her bikini, he dragged the garment off her and tossed it toward her jeans. Jace was playing with her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. With his tongue, Aiden mimicked the same lazy motion on Dana’s clit. She quivered, her strangled groans escalating. He licked her slowly, wanting nothing more than to spend the rest of the night—the rest of his life—gorging on her sweet essence. So it was frustrating as hell when Jace backed up another step. Aiden moved to follow.
“Bring one of the chairs over here.” Jace’s voice had lost its teasing lilt and now rasped with a dark, ravenous edge.
It didn’t take much imagination to figure out what Jace wanted with the chair. His heart pounding in anticipation, Aiden bounded to his feet and grabbed the seat, plunking it in place.
Jace’s hands bunched in Dana’s golden tresses. Sifting the strands aside, he kissed her neck. “Mmm, sweetness, I can’t wait to taste your pussy.”
Again, fury and lust duked it out in Aiden’s gut. Would he be able to handle this?
Apparently picking up on the fierce emotions roiling inside Aiden, Jace speared him with a sharp look. “Unzip.”
Aiden blinked. “What?”
“Damn it, I don’t want to worry about you going all territorial and cracking my head open. If your cock is in her mouth, you sure as shit won’t be focused on what I’m doing.”
Dana licked her bottom lip and Aiden imagined having that pink tongue swirling over the head of his cock. He swallowed hard. Yeah, Jace definitely had a point. Stepping in front of Dana, he cupped her cheek and feathered his lips across hers in a questioning kiss. A shudder ran through her. He was ninety-nine percent certain it was generated from desire rather than fear, but the lingering one percent pricked his conscience. “You don’t have to do—” The last part of his sentence escaped his mouth like air from a leaky balloon when she stroked his erection through the placket of his khakis.
Lips curving with feminine power, she unbuckled his belt and wrestled the top button from its lodging. Concerned she was about to maim him, he coaxed her fingers away and eased the zipper down. Her hot hand slid inside his briefs and closed around him. He jerked in response and her smile widened.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” he demanded, his voice ragged around the edges.
“Didn’t anyone tell you payback is a bitch?”
“Fair enough.” He yanked the Henley over his head and dropped it to the floor. “But keep this in mind. There’re two against one here. Who do you think has the better odds?”
Some of the cockiness dimmed from her expression. Taking full advantage of her momentary indecision, he grasped her waist and hiked her onto the chair. Bending, he slanted his lips over Dana’s, stopping any denial she might have offered. She gasped, her fingers curling against his shoulders.
He made love to her mouth, showing her with his tongue and lips exactly what he’d give her if he were the one between her thighs. The soft, feminine sighs mingling with his breath threatened to steal his sanity. Tracing his tongue over her chin, he gave it a little nip before glancing down. Jace’s index finger was buried in her pussy. Aiden went rigid at the sight. In more ways than one.
“Sweetness, now. Before he clocks me.”
Slender fingers caressed the head of Aiden’s cock and he sucked in a harsh breath. Giving an impatient tug, Dana rucked his trousers lower on his hips. Loose tendrils of her hair brushed his thigh, making him moan. A moment later, she engulfed his shaft in the warm heaven of her mouth. His legs started to buckle and he clamped the chair back in a white-knuckled grip.
“Pace yourself, sweetness. I need more than five seconds to enjoy you.”
“Fuck you,” Aiden growled. Locking his knees, he tried to tune out his brother’s responding laugh and the mind-blowing suction Dana was employing. Christ, much more of that and he stood a good chance of living up to Jace’s embarrassing prediction.
She eased back, launching an excruciatingly slow exploration of every ridge and contour of his cock before lightly grazing her teeth over the swollen head. Using only the tip of her tongue, she teased the sensitive juncture where shaft met crown. He groaned—the sound agonized even to his own ears. Cradling her skull, he nudged against her lips in hopes of persuading her to end the torture. She slanted him a mischievous look and inched away. The little minx was dead set on killing him. Suddenly her lips parted, a gasp catching in her throat as her fingers squeezed tight around the base of his cock. Some twisted part of him couldn’t resist glancing toward Jace.
The benefit of being a twin was he could almost fool himself into believing he was the one wallowing in carnal delight between Dana’s legs. Still, when Jace hooked Dana’s thighs over his shoulder, Aiden had to clench his fists to keep from dragging his brother away from Dana and claiming her for his own gluttonous feast. Her tongue returned to his cock, licking the weeping slit like a hungry kitten lapping up cream. Dana’s teasing ministrations more than managed to recapture his attention. She sucked him deep, her moan vibrating through him, and he stopped caring about anything but the sweet friction of her mouth. Her cheeks hollowed and she pulled back, her tongue coasting over the flanged crown before she bobbed her head and swallowed him toward the back of her throat again. She kept up her brain-frying rhythm until his balls tightened and he was shaking with the need to come.
“Dana.” Her name more an incoherent groan than anything else, he attempted to pull from her mouth. She gripped his ass, stalling his retreat. Eyes the color of sparkling emeralds gazed up at him with smoldering encouragement while her silky mouth leached him of willpower. There was no way he could stop the climax roaring down on him. “Fuck.” He held her close, his hips bucking helplessly as he came, hard and fast. Massaging his buttocks, she swallowed every drop he had to give.
A few seconds later, heart pounding, he relaxed his grip on her hair. It was a damn miracle the force of his orgasm didn’t blow his head off.
Knees wobbling, he hunkered next to the chair and ran his fingertips over her beaded nipples. Giving a broken gasp, she arched toward him. Not about to be left out of her climax, he drew her nipple into his mouth, tugging insistently with his teeth. She rewarded him an instant later with her sweet cries ringing in his ears. He watched the bliss playing across her face, the beautiful sight bringing new life to his still semi-hard cock.
A moment later, she blinked, her expression dazed. Giving her nipple one final lick, he couldn’t resist grinning. “Now that definitely sounded like a scream.”
“You’re delusional.” Her haughty tone belied the blush creeping across her cheekbones. She dropped her focus to Jace, who was sweeping his tongue in lazy circles over her inner thigh. Her eyes widened and she tensed.
Aiden didn’t need to be a mind reader to know she was experiencing a major case of the what-the-hell-did-I-just-do remorse. He reached for her but she scrabbled sideways, nearly upsetting the chair. Jace dropped onto his haunches. Not a moment too soon, either, as her leg swerved past his head, narrowly missing sideswiping it, and she jumped to her feet.
“No, no, no.” Her voice approaching that hysterical pitch only dogs and rodents could hear, she whirled and scooped her clothing from the floor.
More than a little distracted by the mouthwatering sight of her ass waving in the air, Aiden hiked his khakis in place and hurried to catch up with her before she scurried from the kitchen. “Dana, wait.” He snagged her elbow and she wobbled backward, colliding with his chest. Loosening his grip, he gently brushed away the blonde lock of hair that’d straggled in front of her eye. “There’s no reason to be freaked out about what just happened.”
She gaped at him like a second head had just sprouted from his neck. “Riiight. Because God knows, having oral sex with a couple of dragons in the middle of my kitchen is practically a daily occurrence for me.” Clutching her balled-up clothes in front of her, she leveled him with an accusing glare. “Excuse the irony, but I’m screwed now, right?”
Blinking, Aiden let go of her arm. “Sorry, I don’t follow your meaning.”
“I just willingly gave in to you. Both of you.”
His confusion cleared. “You think that was our way of weaseling you into the contract?”
Her mouth pinched tight. “The thought occurred to me.”
“Sweetheart, I told you nothing is finalized unless you mate with us on the first night of the Talon moon.”
Some of the storm clouds brewing in her eyes diminished. “So I’m safe until then? The three of us could fuck like rabbits in the meantime, and it wouldn’t matter?”
Aiden and Jace both choked at the same time. Jace was the first to recover. He strode forward, his expression dark with lust. “Absolutely.”
Dana bit her bottom lip, her gaze panning between them. She took a deep breath, her breasts swelling softly against the sweater scrunched in her arms. “I…I’ll have to keep that in mind.” Without further word, she spun and took off down the hallway.
Slowly, the oxygen returned to Aiden’s brain. This is going to be the longest week of my life.