Fall in Love

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Fall in Love Page 289

by Anthology


  “Hi Tessa,” he says, huskily, then he leans in and kisses me on the lips. A slow, sensual kiss. I shouldn’t be kissing him in front of Ryder, but I can’t seem to draw away.

  Though he’s handsome in his classy suit, Ryder is all fighter; muscular, strong, heart of gold. Xavier in a charcoal grey suit looks just as dazzling, but there’s a wickedly dangerous aura to him. Ryder is tough, Xavier is ruthless.

  I pull back from Xavier’s kiss and turn nervously toward Ryder. To my surprise he is standing behind me and he cups the back of my neck and draws me into a lusty, open-mouthed, lots-of-tongue kiss. I hear gasps amongst the diners. I’m swaying, stunned.

  Are they competing for me?

  In public?

  Hurriedly, I break free from Ryder’s intense, passionate kiss. “What do you two think you are doing?” I hiss.

  “Why don’t we sit down and finish dinner?” Ryder suggests.

  I can tell everyone in the dining room is looking at us. “Uh, no. I am getting out of here.”

  Xavier rests his hand on my low back. “Of course, Tessa.” He guides me out of the dining room. I know my cheeks must be scarlet.

  In the foyer outside of the dining room, I confront Xavier and Ryder. “Xavier, is this just a coincidence that you are here too?”

  “I’m taking part in a charity fight with Ryder on Saturday.”

  “I know—I saw the poster. But did you know I would be here?”

  “Not until your mother told me, Tessa. I agreed to the fight months ago, but once I knew you were coming, I knew I wasn’t coming for the fight. I was coming for you.” Xavier shares a glance with Ryder. “Tessa, we intend on fighting for you.”

  “What?”

  “We’re both here with you in paradise. I think you’re falling in love with me. Ryder believes you still love him. We both want to win your heart.”

  “You mean…compete for me?”

  “Yeah,” Ryder says. “And I intend to be the last man standing.”

  “This is crazy!” I quickly lower my voice. “You can’t spend one week competing for me and then expect me to choose one of you.”

  They both stare at me, looking confused. Ryder says, “You think you could do it in less time?”

  “I don’t think I could do it at all.”

  “Sure you can,” Ryder insists.

  “In a week, I promise you I can sweep you off your feet,” Xavier says. And the low, sensual timbre of his voice sends aftershocks through me.

  They’re treating love—and the future—like it’s a championship match. “What if I said I needed to compare you both? What if I wanted one week of wicked, delicious sex with both of you—doing all the naughty things Eden offers? Maybe one of you in the day and one of you at night? And at the end I’d be able to choose.”

  Ryder and Xavier exchange a look. This is the point they will realize how crazy their idea of competing for me on the island over the next week really is. Xavier doesn’t speak aloud, but he mouths something to Ryder. I can’t tell what he said.

  Ryder clears his throat. “All right, we agree to your terms.”

  “I thought…” My voice dies away in a strangled gurgle. “You what?”

  “We agree to share you,” Xavier says.

  Like the excerpt? Fight for Me is available here.

  About Sharon Page

  New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Sharon Page graduated with a degree in Industrial Design (School of Engineering) and worked for years, by day, in the structural engineering field. By night, her secret identity was “Romance Author”.

  After selling her first book in 2004, Sharon has indie and traditionally published 20 novels and novellas. Her books have won many awards including two RT Bookreviews Reviewers Choice Awards, two National Readers Choice Awards, the Colorado Award of Romance, and the Golden Quill. Sharon was nominated by RT Bookreviews in 2013 for Career Achievement in Erotic Romance.

  Sharon is married, with two children, and now writes almost full time. Please check out her website at www.SharonPage.com. Or visit her on Facebook.

  Two Are Better Than One

  Carnal Coeds Book 1

  Suzanne Rock

  Website ~ Facebook ~ Newsletter

  Chapter One

  “Are you going to the beach party?” Becky flashed an innocent smile, but Hannah knew that her friend was fishing for information.

  Play it cool. Hannah shrugged and slipped on her peasant skirt. “I don’t know.”

  “Declan and Quinn will be there.” Becky nudged Hannah and gave her a knowing wink.

  Hannah already knew that the sexy Irish exchange students would be at the party. It was why she was considering staying home with her cat, Buster, and her erotic novels. For the entire school year she was wedged between the hot hunks during chemistry lab. She had tried to concentrate on recrystallizing phthalic acid for her organic synthesis class, but all she could think about was how the two athletic scholars were not only the most handsome men on the planet, but charming and incredibly smart as well.

  Case in point, they both aced the class, while Hannah was forced to repeat it again in the fall.

  It wasn’t as if they made her feel inferior on purpose. They were just so, well, perfect. People like that didn’t exist in Hannah’s world, not even in her erotic novels. They were a little too ideal. It was easy to imagine herself pressed up between the two hard, masculine bodies. She could almost picture that errant lock of Quinn’s dark hair falling across his forehead, or Declan’s tattooed arm reaching around her waist.

  It was no surprise that she failed her lab class. No sane woman could concentrate on her Erlenmeyer flask with so much testosterone surrounding her. Just seeing them enter the lab put her libido into overdrive.

  “Earth to Hannah.”

  Hannah shook her head and focused on her friend. “Yeah?”

  Becky gave her a knowing smile. “You were thinking of them, weren’t you?”

  “Sort of.” Hannah felt the heat rise to her cheeks and cursed her fair skin.

  “You need to put yourself out there more, girl. You can’t waste your life holed up in your apartment with those romance novels.”

  “Erotic novels.” Some were romantic; some were more about sexual exploration. There was a difference. While Hannah loved romance, she also loved reading about a woman’s sexual awakening. She probably liked it because she never had such an experience herself.

  Becky flashed her a frown. “Whatever. You need to get out and enjoy life while you’re still young.”

  “Yeah, but could anyone really enjoy life at a science department party?”

  “You can if two handsome hunks are hanging on your every word.” Becky sighed. “Don’t be difficult. It’s an end of the year party, and all of the other grad students will be there. You should go.” She picked up one of the bikinis from the pile. “But not in this.”

  “No.” When Hannah told Becky that she needed new swimwear for her trip to her family’s cabin in Rhode Island in July, her friend was a little too eager to help her out. Now Hannah knew why—her roommate had an ulterior motive. Becky was determined to get Hannah to that party wearing the skimpiest, most revealing outfit on the planet. Hannah was too much of a wimp to put up much of a fight.

  Two-piece swimsuits never looked good on Hannah, ever. She wasn’t skinny enough, and her skin was too white. Why did she let Becky convince her to try them on?

  Answer—Hannah never had the confidence to stand up for herself. She loved her erotic novels because the women seemed so strong and self-assured. Hannah wished that she could be like that, to seize the moment and take life by the reins, but she didn’t know how.

  She had to try to stand up for herself. Otherwise she was going to wear a postage stamp to the party tonight.

  “I’m going to wear that one.” Hannah pointed to the sensible black one-piece with the elastic inside. It would hide the tummy she had gotten from too many late-night pizzas.

  “No, th
at makes you look like a grandmother.”

  Hannah frowned. “But it hides my fat.”

  Becky laughed and pinched her friend’s abdomen. “You’re not fat, you’re curvy. It’s different.”

  “How?”

  “Men like curvy. Here.” She handed Hannah a skimpy red bikini with small white polka dots and ruffles around the bottom. “This looks fabulous on you. It matches your eyes.”

  “Really?” The swimsuit had slightly more material than the others Becky picked out, but it still didn’t cover much of her body. Hannah looked at the washcloth-sized outfit with doubt.

  “Be confident. You look gorgeous in it.”

  “I don’t know.”

  Becky put her free hand on her hip. “Hannah Jane, you’re going to wear this and you’re going to that beach party tonight.”

  Great, now she’s being talked to as if she were a child. “I don’t think so.”

  Becky stared at her for a moment, her brow wrinkling in concentration. Was she trying to use a Jedi mind-trick or something? Why couldn’t her roommate just take ‘no’ for an answer?

  “I’ve heard a rumor,” Becky said after a moment.

  Hannah put the bikini aside in disgust. “Yeah?”

  “Quinn and Declan have the hots for you. Some say that they are competing for your affection.”

  Hannah laughed. “Come on, stop it.”

  “No, seriously. Alison overheard Roger tell Janice that he had heard Kevin tell Stacey that both Declan and Quinn wanted to date you. They just haven’t worked up the courage to ask yet.”

  “Both of them?”

  “Yeah, isn’t it romantic? To have two sexy Irish hunks fighting over you.” Becky clasped her hands together and made a wistful noise. “You’re a lucky girl, Hannah. Who are you going to choose?”

  Hannah shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, because they aren’t going to ask. The rumor is wrong.”

  “Come on, I have eyes. I’ve seen how you flirt with both of them during chemistry lab. Alison just confirmed my suspicions.”

  Hannah stared at her in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right? That rumor has like, three or four degrees of separation.”

  “But it’s true.” Becky picked up her purse. “Come on.”

  Hannah sighed and stuffed her wallet back into her bra. Once Becky had set her mind on something, there was no changing it.

  Becky wrinkled her nose. “Must you always use your bra as a purse? It’s so bohemian.”

  That did it. Becky was really starting to irritate her. “Must you always wear three-inch heels? It’s trampy.” Hannah retorted.

  Becky stared at her for a long moment. “My, my. Little Hannah has fight in her after all.” She smiled. “Touché.” Becky grabbed the red bikini and headed out of the changing room.

  It looked like Hannah was not only going to the party, but she was going to wear that stupid bikini. Why couldn’t she just stand up for herself? She didn’t want to wear a washcloth, and she didn’t want to make an embarrassment of herself at some party.

  “Here. This sarong will help make you feel more comfortable.” Becky pulled a sheer piece of white cloth from one of the ranks and continued on to the register.

  Hannah sulked behind her. Declan and Quinn had crushes on her? The mere thought was ridiculous. What would a pair of outgoing and charismatic men want to do with a shy, insecure homebody? Nothing.

  Fine. She’d go to the party for an hour, maybe two, but then she’d tell her roommate she had a headache and return home to her novel. Hannah was certain that she’d get more action from reading her ménage than she ever would at some lame college end-of-the-year beer-fest.

  Although, if the rumor was true, and the men did have a crush on her…

  “Oh, and you’re losing the glasses,” Becky said as they stood in line.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Glasses aren’t sexy.”

  “But I need to see.”

  “No, you don’t.” Becky smirked. “Just stick your hand out and feel your way around. I’m sure that you’ll find your way well enough.”

  Hannah slapped her friend’s arm. “The glasses stay, but I’ll wear the bikini. Deal?”

  “Deal.” Becky slapped the clothes down on the conveyer belt and pulled out her wallet. “After this, we are getting you a manicure.”

  A manicure? Hannah looked at her nails. They seemed fine to her. Short and clean. What more could a girl ask for? They certainly didn’t need fourteen dollar polish.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Hannah. We’re going and that’s final. I want you to look your best for tonight.”

  “Why? It’s just a beach party.”

  Becky shook her head. “It will help you feel beautiful and confident.”

  Hannah rolled her eyes.

  “Trust me on this. You’ll thank me when Declan and Quinn see you.”

  Would she? Hannah wasn’t sure how a little paint and a swimsuit the size of a potholder was going to make her feel more confident. Becky seemed determined to have her way, however.

  It was going to be a long afternoon.

  * * * * *

  “Do you think she’ll be there?” Quinn asked.

  Declan shrugged as he pushed back his medium-length blond hair and looked in the mirror. “She should be. It’s her advisor’s end-of-the-year party. The entire chemistry department is going.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Quinn stared at Declan’s lean frame as his blood rushed to his cock. Declan was more than just a fellow student, more than just a friend. They met in a nightclub in Dublin and had been close ever since. Quinn couldn’t get enough of Declan’s firm backside or his dominating ways. There was a problem with their relationship however, something that they both hoped the lovely Hannah would help them fix.

  “I am right, you’ll see.”

  Quinn forced his desire aside and leaned back on the bed of their one-bedroom apartment. “If she’s there, I think we should make our move.” Just thinking about Hannah made Quinn’s cock thicken and his skin heat. She was beautiful, with all of that long, raven-colored hair and sensual curves. Hannah wasn’t bone-thin like the rest of the women in the department. She had this lovely hour-glass shape that men drooled over. There was something about her brown eyes, too. Not many people in Ireland had brown eyes. Quinn found it to be exotic and intoxicating.

  When he realized that Hannah was not only open to his advances, but flirting with both him and Declan, the idea of a threesome began to blossom. He mentioned it to Declan and both of them had found it difficult to let the idea go.

  Sharing a woman always seemed to bring Quinn and Declan closer together. It had been a long time since they had a threesome, and to know that the possibility was within their reach was almost too much to bear. It had taken every ounce of self-control for Quinn to sit back and let the relationship grow. He flirted, but didn’t come on strong. Declan did the same and they were both rewarded with Hannah’s wry sense of humor and rich laughter.

  They had become close over the school year, very close. Quinn had seen flashes of a sultry vixen underneath her clam, analytical exterior. What he wouldn’t give to strip off that lab coat and let down her hair from her bun. He knew that with the right touch, the right word, Hannah would blossom like a flower. It aroused him to the point of insanity.

  Declan turned away from the mirror. “Do you think that she’ll be offended when we ask her?”

  Quinn snapped out of his fantasy and back to reality. “Man, I hope not.”

  “Me too.” Declan sat on the edge of the bed. “It’s been a long time since we’ve shared a woman.”

  Quinn glanced at him. “I know. It’s always better with a woman, isn’t it?”

  “And there’s just something about Hannah…” Declan shook his head. “She’s different.”

  “She’s honest.”

  “She makes you feel like you’re the only guy in the room.”

  “And she’s smart. I haven’t seen a girl wit
h such quick wit.”

  “She’s pure.”

  Quinn sat up on the bed and inched closer to Declan, close enough to feel his roommate’s warm, minty breath against his face. “You’re right. Hannah is purer. She flirted, but didn’t seem too forward. I wonder if she’s the type who would be into a one-night stand.”

  Declan frowned. “Does it matter?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Declan laced his fingers with Quinn’s and squeezed. The motion felt intimate and caring and went straight to Quinn’s heart.

  “How long have we been together now?” Declan asked.

  “Two years.”

  “And in those two years how many times have we had sex together?”

  Quinn chuckled. “A lot.”

  “And how many women have we shared?”

  “Quite a few.”

  “Well then. Think back to each time we’ve been together, and each time we’ve shared a woman. Which was better?”

  Quinn thought for a moment. He considered Declan’s firm mouth and long, rough fingers entwined with his. He thought back to when they last had sex, and how it felt to have Declan’s muscular body pressed up against him. Then he remembered how it felt having a soft, lithe female between them.

  When Quinn and Declan were alone the sex was rough and fast. Each of them took from the other what they needed, and it often ended quickly. When they were with a woman, things turned gentler, more affectionate. The result was that the men shared an intimacy with each other that they couldn’t achieve on their own. It could only be explored when they worked together to bring a woman to orgasm.

  “It was better with a woman, definitely.”

  “For me too.” Declan let go of Quinn’s hand. “Imagine if we shared a woman not for a night, but on a more permanent basis?” Declan disentangled his fingers and dragged them up Quinn’s thigh, setting every nerve ending on fire. “Imagine sharing all of what we have, who we are, with a woman?”

 

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