She leaned back away from the intense stare. “He’s a friend I thought would be awake at that time. How did you know it was a he who came to get me? Did someone see him?”
Maybe one of them woke up and saw Jack drive her away. She didn’t know if there was some type of alarm that was tripped when Jack piloted his skimmer through the orchard. If that was the case, she would have expected them to get to the front of the house before she managed to get into Jack’s Duce.
“We saw him on the security video.” Berenger stared at her. “Who is he?”
“Jack. He’s an artist. He’s been a friend of mine for years.” She shrugged.
“Have you ever dated him?” Kassius asked. His tone sharpened, and he took a step toward her.
“No.” She gaped at Kassius.
“Has he ever shown interest in you?” Berenger reached out and took her hand.
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m not his type.”
“And what is his type?” Berenger’s eyebrow arched in obvious doubt.
“Thin and tall, usually, but certainly anyone who doesn’t make fun of his artistic moods and angst.” She smiled as she thought about Jack.
“And you make fun of those artistic moods?” A smile kicked up the corners of his mouth.
“Yes, he sometimes takes the artistic moods too seriously. There are times he goes overboard. I’m one of the friends who yank him back to reality.” She relaxed once her answer seemed to alleviate their concerns.
“All right, that’s taken care of, but we will speak to your friend. Don’t think we won’t.” Kassius nodded. “Now, I want to know why you left.”
She grimaced. Damn, he was persistent. Not that she expected him to let it drop, but she’d had some hope when they’d relaxed after she’d told them Jack wasn’t interested in her.
“I was uncertain and perhaps scared too.” She took a deep breath and hoped they’d understand.
“You’re scared of us?” Berenger looked astonished and horrified.
She winced as she saw his expression. She couldn’t let him think that. It wasn’t true. “Not scared of you. Scared we moved too fast, that I messed up our chance to be together.”
“So you were scared and you left? You didn’t think you should talk to us? Maybe try to find out if there was anything you should be scared of?” Teague took a step closer to her.
He stood right at her side. If she looked up, they’d be nose to nose. “I know I panicked, and I was already having doubts about leaving on the way home. I had to think. If I stayed there, I wouldn’t be thinking much. We went from our first date right into sex. That’s fast for me.”
They’d moved from first date to intimacy insanely fast. It could have happened faster. She’d been tempted to have sex with them the night they’d asked her out. She was honest enough to admit it. If he’d asked her, she didn’t know if she’d have resisted.
Berenger smiled, the expression wide and full of masculine smugness. She was glad she hadn’t told him the full truth. His ego might never have gone down after that.
“You won’t be leaving before morning again, Sephanie.” Kassius’s fingers under her chin turned her head so she looked straight at him. “If you panic, we’ll talk about it.”
“Let me have her for a moment, Kass,” Teague said.
Kassius released her at the same time Berenger did. Teague clasped her arms and turned her to face him. He picked her up and hooked an arm under her buttocks, holding her so they stared eye to eye.
“We won’t change our mind about marrying you.” His hand flattened against her back, pulling her closer. “You’re not going to get hurt, because we want you as much as you do us. And if you leave us again without telling us, I’ll pick you up, put you over my knee, and redden that ass.”
“Threatening to spank me won’t calm my fears.” She pushed away, arching her back to get some distance between them.
Her stomach and hips pressed against his. The thick rod of his cock rubbed against her pussy. Before she could formulate anything more to say, a large service skimmer descended in front of her home.
Teague put her down. They walked across the lawn to meet the three people who climbed out of the skimmer. The inspection and estimate didn’t take long. The quote wasn’t too expensive. Her worry of having to look at the mess for days proved unfounded. The cleaners began work immediately and finished by the afternoon.
Kassius, Teague, and Berenger stayed with her until the cleaners finished. When she looked at the clean gray walls of her home, she felt relief, but also a nagging unease. On top of that, she felt anxious. The fact that she hadn’t known anyone was outside scrawling obscenities on her walls still gave her a shiver.
“We’ll pick you up after work.” Kassius smiled and hugged her. He dropped a light kiss on her lips.
She looked at him in shock as he stepped back. She hadn’t realized they had anything planned. “What if I planned to do something?”
All right, she didn’t actually have plans, but they were taking a lot for granted. She couldn’t let that become habit.
Berenger stepped forward and hugged her tight. The amusement on his face and in his voice only made her determined not to fall in with his plans.
“What are you doing?” Berenger asked. He looked so confident, seemed sure she was available to go along with their plans. He pressed kisses to her cheek and then to her mouth.
What was happening in the city tonight? She racked her brain, trying to think of something that would wipe away his smug look. “Um, concert.”
“The music festival is tomorrow, but nice try. You don’t lie well. Your blush and the fact you had to think so hard are dead giveaways.” Berenger stepped away from her, and Teague moved forward.
Teague wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. She hugged him back. She couldn’t resist him any more than she could the other two. He kissed her before he eased away from her.
“We’ll pick you up after work.” Teague tapped one hand against her buttocks.
“And what if I’m not here?” She lifted her chin in challenge.
“I’ll find you, and I’ll spank your butt before I take you home with me.” Teague leaned down and nipped her lower lip. “Now, be here.”
Chapter Eight
Sephanie wiped the gleaming surface of her blue tables during a quiet moment in the afternoon. The workday dragged on. Probably because she was so focused on what would happen after work.
The chime of the door opening drew her attention away from her busy work. She looked up and prepared to greet her customer with a smile and a warm welcome, but the words froze in her throat. Lillie Malone strolled into her bakery as if she came into it every day. Considering Lillie hated her, Sephanie knew her bakery would be the last one Lillie decided to patronize.
“Hello, Sephanie. I hear you went out with Berenger, Teague, and Kassius.” Lillie walked over to the display case and appeared to be looking at the pastries on display.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, I did.” Sephanie made her way behind the counter. She didn’t expect Lillie to break anything or start tipping the tables. On the other hand, she didn’t know what to expect from the woman.
Lillie looked up, and her eyes narrowed. “They’re mine.”
“No, they’re not. They’re not interested. If they were, they’d be pursuing you instead of me.” Sephanie smiled. After being asked out and seeing how they treated a date, she was certain of that.
“It doesn’t matter if they don’t think they’re interested now. They’re mine.” Lillie put her arm up on the top of the display case.
“You’re delusional. For there to be a relationship, they’d have to have some attraction to you.” Sephanie shook her head. Damn, the woman was leaving prints all over the counter and glass.
She was fairly sure Lillie wasn’t looking for a ménage relationship. Sephanie had heard Lillie make a few remarks about sluts who became involved with multiple men. Whate
ver Lillie’s interest in Kassius, Teague, and Berenger, it probably wasn’t sexual or love at first sight.
Lillie looked up and a slow smile curved her lips, but her eyes were devoid of emotion. The effect left Sephanie chilled. There was something wrong with that woman.
“I always get what I want.” Lillie’s cold eyes locked on Sephanie. “I don’t let anyone get in my way.”
The arm Lillie had on top of the display suddenly pushed forward, propelling the canisters and displays in front of it to the floor. One of the canisters broke when it hit. The treats within scattered across the floor.
“Oops, completely an accident, I assure you. There can always be more accidents, though.” Lillie turned but looked back over her shoulder. “I’ll let you get to cleaning that up.”
Lillie walked out of the bakery. Sephanie clenched her teeth. She wanted to scream. She couldn’t prove it hadn’t been an accident. And Lillie’s words. She doubted anyone would believe Lillie had threatened her. Lillie had a reputation as a naive but sweet woman. It looked like Lillie was behind the words painted on her house. How was she going to get anyone to believe it?
* * * *
Sephanie steered her Duce back home after work. Temptation burned through her to go somewhere to push Teague, but curiosity raced through her at the thought of what they planned. His demand and presumption infuriated her, but she also felt lust rise at the orders. She had a feeling he would follow through with the promised spanking. That gave her more of a thrill.
She saw Kassius’s Duce on the landing pad but didn’t see any sign of the men. They weren’t on her lawn, and she didn’t see them near her door. She frowned as she landed the skimmer near their vehicle. She popped the hatch and climbed down to the hardtop surface of the landing pad.
She glanced around while she walked toward her door. Where are they? It could be only one of them, but so far two or more had shown up whenever they came to get her or talk to her. They wouldn’t be hiding. There was no reason. So what were they doing, and why hadn’t they made an appearance since they were obviously somewhere around here?
Shaking her head, she strolled toward her front entrance. She’d go change clothes and then hunt for them. Maybe they’d decided to investigate the outside of her house. She had no idea what they’d search for, but they were all vigilant and protective. Perhaps they were checking for signs someone had been around her house in other areas. She hoped they didn’t find anything.
If Kassius, Berenger, and Teague found something else, then there was a possibility the paint had been done by someone other than Lillie. Lillie wanted her away from Kassius, Teague, and Berenger, but since she’d started dating them last night, Lillie wouldn’t have targeted her before. A shiver of fear trailed down her spine at the thought of someone skulking around her property for days.
She opened her door and stopped. Berenger walked down the hallway toward her. He smiled widely. How had he gotten into her house? The question barely made its way through her mind before she realized the obvious answer. Cooper. He had both a code and recognition on her system. He could have given that to them.
“Did my brother ask why you wanted in my house before he gave you access?” She glared at him and continued through the entry hallway. She glanced into her living room and saw Kassius and Teague sitting on the couch.
“No, he let us in, set it so we could go in and out without him, and left. He knows we’re serious about you.” Berenger followed her. “We set out a dress for you.”
“You set out a dress for me?” She stopped and looked back at him. Anger rose in her. They’d been in her closet. She clenched her fists.
“Yes, we know where we’re going, and it’s a surprise for you.” Teague stood and walked toward them. “Now, go get dressed before I give in to the temptation to undress you. And no attitude.”
“No attitude? You practically beg for attitude when you come into my home and set out clothes for me.” She took a step toward Teague.
Teague crossed the floor to her. His hand curled around the back of her neck, and he leaned close until they were nose to nose. “You will be the one begging tonight, Sephanie. Go change clothes.”
“That better be a promise.” She poked her finger against his chest.
His mouth dropped open for a moment. She’d apparently taken him by surprise. Good. She turned away from him. The high-handed jerk needed a kick to remind him she was a part of the relationship too.
His hand loosened and glided down her back before swatting her ass. “Move it.”
She sashayed away from him. Deep breaths helped calm her emotions. She valiantly tried to hide her smile while she recalled his expression. That was fun.
As she stepped through her bedroom doorway, she looked around, unsure of where they’d leave her clothes. They weren’t on the bed. The clothes would be visible against the deep purple spread. Not on the small chest near her bed. She finally found them over the back of a chair near a table next to the window.
The white dress with accents of gold threaded through the cloth had flowing sleeves, a fitted bodice that gave only a hint of her cleavage, and a long skirt. She picked it up and looked for underwear but didn’t see any.
“You only wear that and these.” Kassius’s voice cut through the silence of the room.
She tensed and turned. He stood in the doorway, holding shoes and some stockings. She raised an eyebrow. The slipper-type flats weren’t what she’d expected to see him holding.
“You three are pushing it tonight.” She put a hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes on him.
“Not close to how we will be by the end of the night.” Kassius offered her the shoes and stockings. “Hurry and do what you need to do. I’m anxious to get my hands on you.”
“You could do that right here.” She smiled and extended a hand to him. He’d probably refuse, because he liked to do things his way, but it was fun tempting him.
“We’ve got plans, and they don’t include trying to fit all of us into your tiny bed.” He frowned at her.
She walked over and took the shoes and stockings from him. “It’s not tiny.”
“It won’t fit all of us, baby, and that’s what matters. I’ll be back. You’d better be ready.” He turned and walked out of the room. The door slid shut behind him.
She hurried into her bathroom to clean up after her long workday. She wanted to smell sweet, but not pastry sweet. Afterward, she brushed her hair and freshened up before putting on her dress and walking out to the bedroom to slip into the stockings and shoes. She stood and looked to the door, but decided they had been more than demanding. She’d make them wait or come get her.
Her desire to annoy them didn’t stretch far enough to sneak away. She wanted them too much, and she had to know what this surprise was. Aside from those reasons, she didn’t think she’d make it out the door. They knew she had a problem with their attitude.
She strolled back over to her bed and piled pillows against the headboard. With a sigh, she lounged against the cushioned support. She sat there in silence, relaxing. Her gaze turned to the door every so often, but after a long day, peace was welcome.
It surprised her that it took them so long to make an appearance. Her lashes began to drift slowly downward as the quiet and soft bed eased the tension from her muscles. As she started to nod off, the door slid open. The movement was nearly silent, but she still heard it. She looked up and found Kassius standing in the doorway. He stared at her.
“You were going to sleep on us?” One of his hands was braced at his hip.
“You said you were coming back.” She smiled and stretched.
“Difficult. I’m beginning to think a spanking is more than necessary.” Kassius strode into the room.
His hand clasped her wrist and tugged her from the bed. She laughed as she came to her feet. He might threaten, but she wasn’t afraid of him. The spanking, if it happened, she’d probably enjoy. He walked her up to the living room where Teague and Berenger waite
d, but obviously not patiently. They sat on the couch and stared toward the doorway.
“Guess who almost fell asleep on her bed?” Kassius turned his head and frowned at her again.
“Guess who’s overreacting?” She smiled sweetly at him. A thrill of desire burned through her. She loved provoking him.
“Our girl here? Is she tired?” Berenger lifted a brow as he rose from her couch.
“No, stubborn.” Kassius led her toward the front door. “She waited on me to come back instead of walking up here to join us after she finished getting ready.”
“If you say you’ll be back, you should come back.” Sephanie looked over her shoulder and found Teague right behind her and Berenger following him. She gave Teague and Berenger a wink.
“Sassy can get you a warm ass, or is that what you want?” Teague moved in closer behind her. His hand brushed over her buttocks in a slow caress.
“It might be interesting, but you know that wasn’t sassy. Just true.” She looked forward again while Kassius led her outside.
They tucked her into the middle of the backseat of their Duce. Kassius piloted the vehicle, and Berenger and Teague sat on either side of her. She was surprised when they flew out of the city and not to one of the restaurants or clubs.
During the flight, she recognized the groves surrounding Kassius’s home. Confusion brought a frown. She’d thought they had plans. She looked at Berenger.
“Are we stopping here for something?” she asked.
“No, this is our destination. We told you we had plans. And it will be a private event.” Berenger glided his fingers over her arm.
Kassius landed the Duce and popped the hatch after the movement stopped. He climbed out of the vehicle and waited as Berenger followed. She eased out and let Berenger lift her down.
“Start out there. I’ll get the things and catch up with the three of you.” Kassius smiled. “I’ll see you soon, and we’ll begin the first part of our night.”
“There will be a second part?” She peered up at him through her lashes, interested in learning more. They knew how to tease her.
“Yes, but we’ll get to that later.” Berenger tugged at her hand and began leading her toward the corner of the house.
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