Her response was a shrug.
“We won’t hurt you.”
“That’s not the fear I’m talkin’ about, Kaden.”
He knew that, but he’d wanted to hear her admit it.
“Can you make that promise, huh?” Her whisper was laced with pain. “That you won’t break my heart?”
Because there were no guarantees on anything, he didn’t answer. What he wanted to tell her was that she was it for him. Something he’d realized when he’d fallen for her without even trying. Since the day they met, Kaden had been a goner where she was concerned. She was his end game. He would walk through fire to protect her and he would never forsake her. Unfortunately, she wouldn’t believe the words even if he spoke them. Actions spoke much louder.
“I should go.”
Initially, he had intended to let her simply walk away after, but now that she was here, now that she was this close, he couldn’t bring himself to let her go. God only knew if or when he’d ever have this opportunity again, and truth be told, he was growing tired of the chase. He wanted her, had always wanted her. And it was high time they all faced the truth. There was something between them, something worth pursuing if only they could all get on the same page.
“Stay,” he whispered, leaning down. “For a little while, Bristol. Just stay.”
“It’s not a good idea.” There was no conviction behind her words.
To prove her wrong, Kaden leaned down until his lips brushed hers.
“I’ve thought about that night,” he softly. “When you kissed me like there was no tomorrow.”
A soft whimper was her response.
“Do you think about that night, Bristol? And don’t you dare lie to me.”
Another whimper. “Yes.”
“Did you enjoy it? When we both kissed you?”
“Yes.” The word was a breathless moan.
Kaden pressed his lips more firmly to hers, retreated but never enough that his mouth wasn’t touching hers.
“Did it scare you at the time?” When he knew she was going to agree, he added, “Be honest.”
Bristol shook her head, her lips brushing against his, which resulted in another whimper from her.
He had to admit, he was rather fond of his own self-restraint in that moment. As it was, his cock was like a steel beam behind his zipper, throbbing with an ache he’d battled damn near every night since the one he was referring to. He wanted this woman with a passion that defied logic.
“No, Kaden. It didn’t scare me.”
“But you wanted more.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say so?”
Her eyes remained on his and he could see a wealth of emotion in them, but she didn’t put voice to what she was feeling.
“Trust me when I say it was damn hard to walk away that night.” He kept his voice low. “So damn hard, but we did it for you. We didn’t want you to feel pressured.”
“I didn’t.”
“So why run now?”
He felt her shrug.
Tilting his head, he remained just out of reach of her lips to see her response. When she leaned in closer, he eliminated the gap, kissing her lightly. Only this time, he licked her lower lip. Once, twice. Another sensual whimper and her hands were on his hips. Kaden wasn’t sure she was even aware that she was pulling him closer. He knew better than to tell her.
Instead, he kissed her with all the passion he’d restrained for so long. When her tongue met his, the storm raged, all those suppressed desires roaring full throttle. Kaden pushed her into the wall, his body firm against hers, his hands sliding down to her thighs so he could maneuver her where he wanted her. Bristol was the one who began grinding against his erection, her arms circling his neck, her whimpers and moans growing louder.
He didn’t relent because Bristol was finally … finally … right where he wanted her.
*
Keegan heard the angry voices coming from the living room, followed by silence, then a few well-placed moans. It was enough to pique his interest, to draw him out of his bedroom.
He stood in the small square space that served as a hall between the two bedrooms, the bathroom and the rest of the house. With his shoulder against the jamb, he watched Kaden and Bristol as they practically inhaled one another. It didn’t surprise him to find them like that, Bristol pinned to the wall by Kaden’s much larger body, his brother’s thigh wedged between hers. Hell, it was a long fucking time coming as far as he was concerned.
If he were one to admit to insecurities, this would be one of those times. Watching his twin with a woman was usually something he had a front-row seat for. The last time he’d been on the outside looking in without being privy to what was taking place had been when he caught Meredith and Kaden at their house, nearly a decade ago. She’d been naked, him fully dressed. Keegan doubted either of them had expected him to come home. Yet there he’d been watching the two of them in a position very similar to this one.
Keegan fucking hated that strange sensation that tingled in his gut. It was fear, he realized. Fear that his brother would leave him behind for a woman when he realized it was a hell of a lot easier to find that elusive happy ever after that way. Kaden had refrained with Meredith. Would he do it again? Or would he simply shove Keegan aside to assuage the need he had for this woman?
Bristol would probably be all for it then.
“What about Keegan?” Bristol asked, her voice a sexy rasp. “He hates me.”
No, he didn’t hate her, but he didn’t like these games she was playing. Not one fucking bit.
“He doesn’t hate you,” Kaden said, pulling back and staring down at her.
They looked cozy like that. More so than they had when they’d been chatting at the daycare center. There was an intimacy between them, a fire burning, threatening to get out of control at any moment.
Now would’ve been the perfect opportunity for Bristol to tell Kaden she didn’t want the hassle of two of them. It would probably work, too, considering how long Kaden had been pining away for her and the fact Kaden had given up on love everlasting in the past because of Keegan.
As he stood there watching, Keegan waited for the words, waited for his twin to shun him for the first time in their lives. What it was about Bristol, he wasn’t sure, but he had the strange feeling she could be the one to come between them. Whether it was because there was something intriguing about her or simply because she’d gotten under Kaden’s skin, he didn’t know, and he honestly didn’t want to think about it.
“I didn’t mean to hurt him.”
Keegan’s eyes narrowed. Why the hell would she think she had?
“What do you wanna do about that?” Kaden asked.
Yeah, what he said.
“I need to talk to him,” she said, her arms coming down from around Kaden’s neck. “Before this goes any further.”
And there you had it. At least she was going to have the decency to ask him to step aside. It was more than he’d gotten in the past.
Keegan slipped back into his bedroom, closing the door silently before dropping onto his bed and staring up at the ceiling. He had no idea if Bristol meant she wanted to talk to him right that moment, but in the event she did, he damn sure wasn’t going to be caught spying.
A short time later, there was a soft knock on his door.
“Come in.”
Bristol came into the room, her eyes instantly on him where he remained on the bed, hands tucked behind his head. He hoped like hell he looked carefree because that was what he was going for. Damn sure didn’t want the little tease to know he’d had a bout of anxiety a few minutes ago.
“Can we talk?”
“About?” he prompted.
She closed the door behind her, stepped closer to the bed, her gaze slowly perusing the space. There wasn’t much in there. A bed, dresser, lamp. Considering he was rarely in the space, and only to sleep, Keegan didn’t need a whole lot. He preferred to spend his time in the living room
, usually parked in front of a video game. Otherwise, they were hanging with family, at the bar, or at the shop.
“I want to apologize,” she said softly. “If you thought I was purposely avoiding you all this time.”
He huffed a laugh. “Lyin’ already, darlin’. Not a good track record with that, huh?”
“I’m not lyin’,” she insisted. “It’s the truth.”
“Your truth, maybe. But from where I’m sittin’, you’ve been runnin’ for a damn long time.”
Her eyes narrowed, but he didn’t wait for her to argue.
“You got what you wanted, Bristol. Kaden’s been pinin’ away for you for a couple of years now. Why don’t you go on back out there and seduce him. You and I both know you want to.”
“You are such a … a … a b-hole.”
His eyes shot to her face. “A what?”
“You heard me.”
Sitting up, he grinned. “I did. But what language are you speakin’?”
Those pretty blue eyes narrowed more.
“Don’t make me repeat it.” Her tone had softened, but the gleam in her eye was still sparking.
“Heaven forbid I make you say a four-letter word.”
Her hands went to her hips. “I’m tryin’ to apologize, Keegan.”
“I heard you.”
“So you’re just bein’ ornery because you can?”
Okay, she was hot when she was pissed. Hotter than usual, perhaps he should say.
Deciding on a different tack, Keegan got to his feet, took a step toward her. He knew she expected him to be the fun-loving guy because that was the persona he stuck to. It suited him, made everyone believe he didn’t have a care in the world. If he was being honest, it was what he preferred as well. Kept people from asking how he was doing. With a smile on his face, they figured they already knew.
“Why’d you come in here, darlin’?” He took another step toward her, expecting her to back up, but she held her ground, her head tipping back to stare up at him.
She really was pretty. It was in the softness of her face, the roundness of her chin, and the small dent in the center of it. But there was a mix of sexy in there, too. Her long lashes, those pouty lips, and the sleek column of her neck that he wanted to nuzzle.
And he couldn’t forget the way she smelled. It had to be perfume, something subtle yet intoxicating. It wasn’t flowery or overpowering. It was the perfect mixture and it drew him to her.
“To apologize,” she said, her voice soft.
“You’re expectin’ me to say it’s all right? That I don’t mind bein’ shunned?”
“I’m not the one who walked out that day.” Her chin was at a defiant angle.
“What day?”
“The one y’all keep throwin’ in my face. If I recall correctly, y’all walked out on me.”
“You were drunk.”
“So were you.”
He grinned. “They don’t cancel each other out, you know.”
Bristol didn’t respond.
“Fine. Say you were pissed that we left you that night, your body aching and hot, eager.” Keegan gave in to the urge and touched the dent in her chin, then slid his finger along her jawline. “What’s your excuse for all the times since then? And don’t tell me you thought we didn’t want you. That’s bullshit and you know it.”
The narrowing of her eyes and the purse of her lips were barely discernible, but he could tell she wanted to argue.
“What’s done is done, Bristol.” Keegan leaned down, keeping his voice low. “You’ve said your piece. Why’re you still here? My brother’s out there.”
“What makes you think I only want your brother?”
Such strong resolve for such a sweet little thing. He liked that. A little too much, in fact.
“That’s not the case?”
“No.”
That was the truth, he could sense it. A nice change of pace for the little daycare owner who’d been stringing them along.
“Prove it,” he challenged.
“How?”
“Use your imagination, darlin’.”
“I’m not sleepin’ with you to prove a point.”
“No one said a damn thing about sleep.” He leaned down, brushing that sensitive spot behind her ear with his thumb.
When his lips brushed hers, Keegan expected her to stop the charade, to tell him the real reason she was there. That she wanted to pursue things with Kaden, that she needed him to forgive her so she could move forward without a guilty conscience.
He did not expect her to lean into his lips and kiss him, or for her hands to slide up his chest then around his neck. Her fingernails scraped sensually against the back of his head and she was pulling him down to her.
With one simple swipe of her tongue against his lips, Bristol disarmed him completely. He gave in, gripping her hip with one hand, tangling his fingers in her hair with the other, and jerking her closer. The kiss ignited, her soft whimpers spurring him on.
For fuck’s sake. Keegan hadn’t gotten quite so caught up in a kiss since … hell, he didn’t know when. Bristol’s mouth was soft and sweet, submitting to his but never surrendering entirely. He fucking loved when a woman knew what she wanted, knew how to coax a man into giving it to her. He never would’ve pegged this sweet woman as one who could, but … dayum.
“Keep it up and I’m gonna strip you naked and bury myself inside you,” he warned, figuring that would be enough to scare her away from him.
Rather than pull out of his arms, Bristol whimpered as she leaned into him, their bodies pressed intimately together.
Keegan slid his hand down, lifted her leg so he could settle his hips at the soft apex of her thighs, grinding his rigid cock against her pussy. He couldn’t remember a time he’d been quite this out of control. It didn’t happen to him. He knew just what needed to be done to seduce a woman and still maintain that safe emotional distance. With Bristol, he was straddling that line, too damn close to the edge for comfort.
“You want that?” he asked, his voice laced with gravel.
“God, yes.”
Again, not at all what he expected.
“Then open the door,” he demanded. “It’s right behind you.”
Without an ounce of hesitation, her hand came from around his neck, reached back. A second later the door was opening.
Keegan pressed his forehead to hers, their breaths mingling while he held her lower body right where he wanted her. “Tell Kaden to join us.”
There was another whimper as she rolled her hips, the friction against his cock stealing what little air was left in his lungs.
“Kaden,” she said loudly enough to be heard through the house.
Although he couldn’t see him, Keegan was aware of his brother coming closer, stepping into the room. Kaden’s hand brushed his when he gripped Bristol’s hip and pressed up against her back. Then she was sandwiched between them, Keegan taking her mouth once more while Kaden moved her hair out of the way to trail his lips over the back of her neck.
They had her right where they wanted her.
The question was, how long would she stay?
*
If someone would’ve told her she’d be sandwiched between these two tonight, Bristol would’ve told them they were out of their mind. Despite the fact she’d willingly come over, succumbing to Kaden’s invitation, never did she think it would come down to this.
At the same time, she had no desire to stop it.
The opposite, in fact.
They were right. She had been running for the past year, keeping her distance because they scared the bejesus out of her. And it wasn’t because she truly believed they’d walked out on her that night. They’d been perfect gentlemen, not taking advantage of her inebriated state. She’d been grateful, but at the same time disappointed.
The passion they stirred in her was something she had never experienced before. She’d known that when she’d kissed them in that hotel room, and she’d remembered it ev
ery single day since. But this … this put that to shame because there were now two sets of hands on her, two men kissing her at the same time, touching her, making her burn from the inside out.
Bristol wanted to rationalize it, to assure herself this was a one-time thing, that tomorrow her brain would be back online, and she would be able to move forward with the experience behind her. They would be out of her system once and for all.
Unfortunately, rationalizing anything wasn’t going to happen. Not when they were touching her like that.
Keegan’s hand slid down so it covered her throat, his thumb and forefinger beneath her ears, tilting her head so he could deepen the kiss.
The man could kiss. Holy moly. She’d thought Kaden’s kiss had been lethal, but it was a teddy bear compared to the lion that was devouring her now. Because of his laidback nature, Bristol had figured Keegan would be the gentler of the two. She’d mistakenly believed Kaden would be like a storm coming to a head and if he unleashed on her, she’d be knocked of her feet. Clearly she’d been wrong about both of them.
Not that it mattered. She would take them both exactly as they were.
The only thing she was absolutely certain of: she did not want this to end. Ever.
Bristol sucked in a sharp breath when Kaden’s hands slipped beneath her shirt, grazing bare skin as they moved higher, higher. Oh, God. Too much.
“You sure about this?” Kaden asked from behind her, his lips continuing to glide over her neck, sucking on the sensitive skin every now and again.
She nodded, which broke the kiss, Keegan’s lips pulling back and giving her a moment to catch her breath. Only, her lungs weren’t working because the sensation of Kaden’s hands on her was more than she could bear. To distract herself, she looked up into Keegan’s eyes, holding his stare for as long as she could, seeing the fire in his eyes, the passion that she prayed he would unleash on her. The only reason she looked away was so Kaden could lift her shirt over her head.
Her knees weakened when Keegan’s eyes lowered to her satin-and-lace-covered breasts. The fire in his eyes was still smoldering, but it seemed hotter somehow.
Those steel-blue eyes darted to hers briefly, then back down when he cupped her breasts in his hands.
Kaden & Keegan (The Walkers of Coyote Ridge Book 9) Page 8