by Sharan Daire
“That dress was made for you,” Everett added. “It’s perfect.”
Buoyed by their compliments, I felt my lips twitch into a sultry smile. I inclined my head slightly but turned to the creator of the gown. “What do you think?”
I couldn’t decipher the look on Chris’ face. A shimmering veil of violence hung about his shoulders, as if he’d go on the rampage any moment. Tension coiled in his body and sweat darkened the front of his gray T-shirt.
Staring at him, it dawned on me that he was the only one not dressed up. I glanced back at the other guys, noting Everett was back in the nice suit jacket. Kaleb and Derek were both dressed head-to-toe in sharp black suits and black T-shirts beneath, with mirrored sunglasses that screamed mercenary. Or rather, bodyguard in this situation.
The sleeves of their jackets strained against their massive biceps. They were meant to look explosive and dangerous. Yet Chris was definitely the most dangerous man in the room, despite the plain, faded jeans and T-shirt he wore. He didn’t need a slick suit or fancy sunglasses to play the part of an ex-military man turned bodyguard. Though honestly, assassin suited him much better.
The harsh slant of his lips and hard glint in his eyes promised danger. Maybe it was only a false sense of security, but the dark glower on his face sent a surge of electric fire rippling down my spine.
“You’ll do,” he cut off each word sharply. “We’re wasting time. Get in position.”
The old Shelby might have been crushed by his seeming dismissal. But red-velvet-slinky-dress Shelby sashayed over to the now familiar set surrounded by lights and gave a slow look over her shoulder straight at the camera.
Everett joined me, playing the part of the rich billionaire who’d found his Pretty Woman to dress up. Kaleb and Derek took up position on either side of us, looking tough and mean.
“The setup is simple,” Chris said behind the camera as he moved from side to side, snapping away. “You’ve been out to an event, having a good time, and some asshole tries to take a shot at Everett. Bodyguards take immediate action.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kaleb was suddenly in front of Everett, right hand sliding into his coat as if he had a weapon. Derek swept me against him, starting to turn me away from the threat.
“Remember the dress!” Chris barked out. “I need to get good shots.”
I still had my arm looped through Everett’s, his other hand clamped over mine, keeping us connected. Derek shifted slightly to the side so my gown was still the highlight of the shot. I stared up into his eyes, trying not to respond to the heat of his rock-hard body against mine. But it was a losing battle. Especially as Everett backed slightly, sandwiching me between the two of them.
“Yes,” Chris growled out in that quiet yet still menacing voice that sent chills down my spine. “You’re noticing the bodyguard, now. Let the surprise show on your face. The heat. Lean into that.”
I swallowed hard, my breath catching in my throat. It was easy to lose myself in the fantasy. The hunger in Derek’s eyes seared me deep inside. I cupped his cheek, my thumb rubbing over his full bottom lip. I wanted his heat pressed up hard against me. The commanding way his lips sealed over mine, gentle yet possessive at the same time. Tipping my face just so…
No. That was Everett, tipping my face around so he could see the look in my eyes.
“Look guilty,” Chris ordered, his voice slightly closer. “This rich guy took you out. Bought you this incredible dress. And now catches you touching his bodyguard, thinking about a kiss.”
I did feel guilty, so I didn’t have to act. I’d never been caught between men like this. Men who could be my lovers. Men I was equally attracted to. In fact, I’d already kissed three of them in a matter of days.
Everett’s dark eyes glittered, his elegant fingers tightening on my chin. His eyes narrowed into a fierce, deep soul-searching gaze that I could almost feel gliding over my skin, and then his mouth sealed over mine.
I forgot everything. The photoshoot. The velvet dress. The skit we were supposed to be playing out. His lips were hot, hard, and almost cruel, as if he truly was angry at me. His fingers tightened on my chin, digging into my skin. I wasn’t afraid of him—but my heartbeat leaped with adrenaline.
He’d always been so nice and elegantly sophisticated, from the very first moment I stepped into the lodge. This harsher, demanding side sent a wicked thrill through me. He was acting more like I thought Chris would, and that only made me moan against Everett’s lips.
“Mmmm,” he whispered as he raised his head slightly. “That’s a sound I love to hear. Can D make you moan too?”
I blinked up at him, trying to get my brain to function. Was this real, or only part of the photoshoot? That smug, wicked smile on Everett’s lips was so out of place from the man I’d had lunch with. He truly looked like a shady billionaire used to snapping his fingers and everyone leaping to do his bidding.
He released my chin, but he didn’t back away or turn me towards Derek despite his words. He only stared down at me, watching my face as the other man’s lips brushed my ear.
Shivering, I tried not to gasp and pant for breath as Derek nipped my earlobe playfully. His tongue flicked against my ear, his breath hot as he dipped deeper, making chills race up and down my arms. “Keep looking at him,” he whispered. “Let him see how much you like it when I touch you.”
His mouth pressed against the delicate hollow behind my ear, and my knees buckled. He caught me, lifting me up against Everett rather than pulling me back against his chest. Everett shifted his thigh between my knees, catching me up against him effortlessly.
“Your face,” he whispered roughly. “So damned expressive. I can’t help but think about how you’ll look up at me while he’s buried balls deep in your pussy.”
My cheeks blazed and I groaned louder, both with embarrassment at the thought, and bone-aching need. It had been so long since I’d been with a man. Granted, I’d not had a lot of luck in that department, but every time one of these men touched me, my body insisted this time would be different.
Maybe this time… I’d actually love every minute of it.
Derek’s mouth rubbed against my ear again. “Remember what I said that first night?”
How could I forget? I’d laughed off his words that night. But now…
Desire coiled through my body, pulling me ever deeper into this crazy fantasy. Where I was a beautiful princess and these gorgeous, wealthy, successful men vied for my attention. Where I didn’t have to struggle and fight for a scrap of affection and hope. Where I could revel in my own sexual desires, rather than shrink with fear and doubt.
Where I could be that red velvet angel Chris had seen in his head while designing this dress.
Where Everett and Derek could hold me between them and with one kiss, having me quivering on the edge of begging them to take me somewhere private.
So I could take Derek up on his threat.
18
Kaleb
Watching them with Shelby was delicious torture. I had never wanted anyone or anything more than to be a part of her life, whatever that meant. So if I needed to stand on the sidelines, I’d do it. I’d do anything for them. I would still be happy that we’d found someone.
I would have my time. I had to hold on to that belief.
This whole photoshoot experience gave me a new appreciation for Chris. He’d already resigned himself to only being the man behind the camera. He never expected to hold her. He didn’t dare kiss her or touch her for fear of scaring her away from us. As always, he’d sacrifice himself for his friends, take a bullet to save us, just like he’d take a hard hit in a football game to give Everett time to get open, or for me to break through for another touchdown.
He’d never put himself above us despite his wealth and success. Which was only one of the many reasons we all loved him so much.
The sexual tension between her, Derek, and Everett was so thick in the air that I could hardly breathe. I wasn’t sur
e how far Chris would take these shoots, but given that this was the first one with me and my brother… We were going to be in serious trouble if each one was as hot as this.
“Enough,” Chris said, lowering the camera. “Take five.”
As he turned away, I couldn’t help but see the raw agony on his face. Yeah, he felt the same way as me. So desperate to be a part of her story, but terrified to ruin it for the others. Which gave me an idea.
Nonchalantly, I strode over to the rolling cart he used for all his equipment and picked up the camera. It was surprisingly heavy, and knowing Chris, as expensive as hell. He only ever bought the best.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” His low snarl didn’t surprise me in the least. The junk-yard dog was always extremely protective of his bones.
“I want to take a few shots.”
“You’re fucking kidding me. Do you even know how to work a Nikon?”
I shrugged. “I took journalism in high school and a photography class in college.”
He barked out a harsh laugh. “Well, then, you’re leaps ahead of me. I had to rely on fucking YouTube. Go for it.”
Grabbing some waters, our friends walked around the set a little, trying to lighten the mood. Normally that was my role, but it was actually amusing as hell to watch my grim sheriff brother tease Everett until Shelby’s pink cheeks were from laughing and not embarrassment at the sultry scene we’d just done.
“That’s the only time I ever asked Everett to help me write a paper.” Derek laughed, shaking his head. “He can’t stick to page requirements. It’s only worse now that he’s an attorney. The agreement we all signed for the lodge was as thick as a stack of encyclopedias!”
Everett sniffed dismissively. “And how many times have we had a disagreement or argument about those terms? Never. Because I thought of everything and captured all the terms in advance so everyone knows where they stand.”
“A bunch of legalese,” Derek huffed, giving him a friendly shove in the shoulder. “None of us country bumpkins can actually understand it. For all I know, you and Chris own the shirt on my back.”
“That’s a dirty lie and you know it. Who the hell would want to own that raggedy old thing?”
Watching her face slowly change from smiles to confusion and then even a tinge of worry, I stepped closer to the set. “They’re teasing, I promise. Let’s get back to work, guys.”
Derek gave me a startled look, glanced at her furrowed brow, and quickly agreed. “Completely teasing. For one thing, Everett has way better taste in his clothing than me. He wouldn’t touch my shirt with a ten-foot pole. Our agreement is very clear and easy to understand. Even for a dunce like me.”
Her head tipped slightly to the side as she turned her attention to Everett. “You thought of everything?”
Grinning, he gave her a confident nod. “Without question. The terms are very clear, and like he said, easy to understand. Each of us owns a twenty-five percent share in the lodge. If one owner decides to sell his share, it must be sold to one of the other owners. If one of us dies, the ownership transfers to his designated heir, which must be submitted to the other owners for approval, or back to us to be split evenly. If the lodge ever fails—”
“Which it fucking won’t,” Chris interrupted. “Ever.”
“Right. But if it did, we liquidate and split any remaining capital among us evenly. Chris is the primary owner and agreed to accept any net liability that might remain.”
“That sounds amazing, but I guess I can’t quite wrap my head around it,” Shelby replied. “What if you have a major disagreement?”
Like over a woman, possibly? She didn’t say the words aloud, but it was easy to guess.
“The contract specifies mediation we can pursue to resolve any conflicts,” Everett replied. “We’ve never had to use it, but the option is there.”
She bit her lip, which brought the makeup people over to flutter around her and fix her lipstick and re-powder her already perfect complexion. Her shoulders were still tense, and she was nowhere near at ease as before.
“Hey, D,” I said, drawing his attention to me. “Tell her about the time you and Chris got into it over Angela.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Chris retorted. “That’s ancient history.” But as soon as he said it, he must have realized exactly why I’d brought up the one relationship issue we’d had years ago. “I fucked up, okay? I shouldn’t have ever agreed to go out with her, but she was damned insistent. I didn’t have it in my heart to hurt her feelings, and I figured D would want to kick my ass one way or the other.”
“When was this?” Shelby looked from Chris back to Derek, searching for answers, and yeah, more than a little curious. Also possibly jealous. Though maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part.
“About a hundred years ago,” Chris replied, rolling his eyes.
“High school, our senior year,” Derek added. “Angela was a freshman, and Kaleb and I were a bit protective of her.”
I snorted. “D threatened to beat up the entire football team if anyone so much as looked at her sideways. I took care of the basketball team.”
“So naturally, she set her eyes on our best friend, the stud quarterback of our championship team,” Derek said dryly. “To say we were pissed is the understatement of the century. Worse, Chris didn’t even tell us that he’d agreed to take her out. We found out when she came home from their date.”
“She was crying.” I waited a moment until Shelby looked at me, her mouth opening slightly on an inaudible gasp. “Of course, Derek went ballistic and drove off in a rage, ready to tear Chris a new asshole.”
“Even though everyone knew I’d kick his ass with one arm in a sling.” Chris laughed, a natural chuckle that I hadn’t heard in a very long time. “My bum shoulder didn’t slow him down from riding to protect his sister’s honor.”
“What happened?” Shelby asked.
“Nothing,” Derek said, laughing and shaking his head. “I swung at him. Chris ducked. I tried to tackle him, he side-stepped my bullrush. I yelled and cursed, and he didn’t have anything to say. But he also wouldn’t fight me. Eventually Kaleb showed up with Angela in tow, and she explained why she was upset.”
“Don’t tell her I told you this,” I said, “But she was mad because she tried to put some moves on Chris, and he escaped her clutches just as easily as he avoided Derek’s ham-fisted attack.”
Shelby glanced over at Chris. “But why?”
He held up his fingers one by one. “I wasn’t about to ruin my friendship with the twins. I didn’t want to mess around with a kid. I was already pretty fucked up in the head. I was leaving for the military as soon as I graduated. And I just wasn’t that into her.” He hesitated a moment, evidently said a mental “fuck it” to himself, and added. “Not like I’m into you.”
Her mouth sagged open, making me laugh. “So that’s why I think Chris should be in this set, and I’m going to snap a few shots.”
Chris crossed his arms over his chest and gave me his most formidable stare. “Fuck no.”
“Why not? You can be the assailant. You don’t have to be dressed up fancy to attack the billionaire asshole.”
He hmphed out a breath, while Everett said, “Hey! I’m paid to be the billionaire asshole, remember?”
“I’m not paying you a fucking dime,” Chris retorted.
But I had him. He was definitely interested in joining the shoot, though he scowled at Derek and then me again. “It’d be better if he took the camera, since you were the bodyguard protecting them in the other pictures.”
I shrugged and tipped my head at the set. “We look enough alike. No one will realize we switched roles. Though if you have a black hoodie or something like that to pull up over your head, it’ll be more believable.”
He stared at me, warring with himself and silently cursing me for even putting the idea in his head. Doubt and even fear swirled in his eyes. He hadn’t had an episode in at least a year or two,
at least not that I knew about. But he was still afraid to risk getting close to anyone, even one of us, for fear of hurting someone.
If he hurt her, even accidentally, before we ever got close enough to convince her to stay, he’d never forgive himself.
I walked closer to him, playing around with the camera rather than looking at him. Keeping my voice low, I whispered, “We’ve got your six. Especially D.”
Chris’ breath caught a moment, and then he nodded. Out of all of us, Derek had the best chance of controlling him if things got out of hand. Chris would probably still kick his ass if he really wanted to, but Derek had plenty of bulk and training to help defect any actions that might hurt her, at least long enough for Chris to regain his control.
He disappeared a moment off set and returned, zipping up a hoodie. With his scruffy jawline and faded, distressed jeans, he was starting to look the part of a disreputable character. “So what’s your plan, Sherlock?”
I hefted the camera as he walked closer to our friends. “You’re going to get Shelby away from both of them.”
SHELBY
I’d never aspired to be a model, and I’d certainly never had any acting classes. My brain knew this was all an act. The clothes, the hot guys in slick suits, and the camera all made that very clear.
But once Chris started walking toward me, my nerves jangled with a surge of adrenaline. The air charged with tension. He had such a menacing look about him, from his grizzled face to the loose, gliding way he neared us. Like a silent predator slipping through the trees.
As if sensing my wariness, Everett stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me back against him, though keeping me turned toward the camera. Derek slid in front of us, taking up a protective stance. One of his big hands reached back, connecting to Everett’s arm around me, as if making sure we were both still there and safe.
In his other hand, he held a gun.
A real gun as far as I could tell, though I’d never seen one up close. He glanced back over his shoulder at me and winked, easing some of my tension. “Not loaded, just to be safe.”