by Jane Jamison
The chill of the water was long gone. Her body hummed, like a fine engine that only they knew how to keep running. If they stayed in the water until the sun fell and the moon rose, it wouldn’t be long enough for her.
Every cell inside her must’ve exploded, as suddenly the world around them was gone. All that was left was the eruption of her orgasm. She clung to Tony, felt the way his body stiffened, then cried out when Nick forced her mouth to his. Her next cry was muffled against his hard kiss. Her body shook, no longer under her control. Vaguely, she heard their cries of release.
The water lapped at her chin as her body continued to tremble out the last of her release. Tony cupped her breast, saying beautiful words as only he could. Nick let the magic of his hands do his talking.
It was a while before the water settled and she let her legs fall from Tony’s waist. She leaned her head to the side as Nick nibbled and kissed his way to her earlobe again. He told her how sexy she was, how he’d yearned to touch her. He promised her the day, the night, and all the tomorrows.
She’d ached to hear those words, had dreamed of the day when she’d believe the man saying them. And now she had two men telling her what she needed to live. Yet a part of her was left unfulfilled, still thirsty for another’s touch.
Eric.
Nick’s hand reached around her and found her smooth mons and then parted her pussy lips. He began slowly, taking his time to tease her, massaging her clit first gently, then adding more pressure. She moaned and clutched Tony’s arms, no longer trusting her legs to keep her standing.
“Are you ready to go again, sugar?”
Did Nick really expect her to answer that? He couldn’t have gotten hard again that fast. Yet she could feel the movement of his cock as it came alive. Were they more machine than men?
“I want my chance to taste you.” Nick played with her folds.
“Already?”
“Yeah. Right here, right now. I want to lick your juices and make you squirm for more.”
She turned Tony loose to face Nick, her gaze meeting his. Tony pushed his cock against her buttocks. “I’m willing and ready, if you are, Liv.”
His cock pressing against the crease between her buttocks said he wasn’t lying. Amazingly, her clit throbbed with need again.
“You guys are animals. Ow!” She jerked away from them and slapped a hand over the sting in her thigh. “Something bit me!”
Chapter Four
Livi bolted, not heeding Tony’s and Nick’s shouts to be careful as she hurried toward shore. She pushed her way out and onto dry land toward the side where there were no trees. She scrambled up the slope, and once she’d reached the top, twisted around to check out the place on her leg where she’d felt the bite.
“No!”
She’d twisted too hard and fast, sending her body falling over the top of the slope. Hitting the ground on her side, she knocked the air out of her before she realized that her body was taking a ride down the muddy slope. Mud squished around her in her descent. She cried out again, got mud in her mouth, and shut it as fast as she could. The landing at least was soft as she hit the mud hole and came to a stop face down.
Pushing up, the flipped over onto her butt and wiped the gunk away from her eyes. “Fuck!”
“Liv!”
“Yo, Livi!”
Tony appeared at the top of the small rise, gawked at her, then let out a holler as Nick barreled into him from behind. The brothers reached out to grab anything to break their fall, but came up empty. Instead, they clutched each other’s arms and formed a human toboggan taking a muddy ride.
They landed in front of her, sending up another spray of mud and water. She threw up her hands, but still got an eyeful. “Damn it!”
Tony and Nick came up laughing and wiping the mud off their faces. Muck covered their bodies, but not enough to hide their huge cocks.
“What the hell did you shove me for, bro?” Tony flicked the mud from his hands then went back to wiping more of it off.
“I didn’t.” Nick laughed and shook his hair, sending out a spray of brown bullets. “At least I didn’t mean to.”
“Why’d you run, Liv?”
She tried to stand, slipped, and ended back on her butt. “Ow. Damn it. Something bit me.”
“Well, you can hardly blame it.”
Although Tony had said it in a joking manner, she thought he was half-serious. “Huh?”
“Sure. Even the fishes know a delicious ass when they see it.”
It didn’t hurt that he could come up with a compliment when she was slimed up with mud. “What could have done it?”
“Most likely a fish. Or a turtle,” offered Nick.
“Or a snake.”
They twisted around to find Eric taking the dry path down to the muddy pit. “Are you three having fun?”
“Where have you been?”
She was glad Tony had asked the question that was on the tip of her tongue. Letting him think she’d missed him while they were in the water wouldn’t do her any good.
He shrugged, the picture of nonchalance. “Around. Didn’t know you wanted a mud bath. Course now you’ll have to get washed off in the lake and risk getting your pretty little butt bit again.”
Eric came closer and the first inkling of an idea hit her. She’d wiped the smug right off his mug. “Help me up, okay?”
She batted her eyelashes, put on a pity-me face, and held out her hand. Not that it did a lot of good. His gaze was set on her breasts, mud-covered and all. Still, he took her hand and she hoped her flesh wouldn’t be too slippery.
He let out a grunt when she took hold of his hand and yanked as hard as she could. Although she’d planned to pull him in with them, she hadn’t counted on him landing between her legs.
Eric lifted his browned face and glared at her for all of ten seconds. Then his gaze dropped to between her legs. “Livi, are you trying to tell me to eat you?”
Yes, please.
“Wise-ass.” She placed her foot on his shoulder and shoved him away.
He came up laughing on his hands and feet. The back of his head was splattered with mud, but at least it wasn’t as bad as his front that was just as covered as she and his brothers were. “Livi, are you trying to start something?”
Who knew Eric had a sense of humor? She dug her fingers into the gunk beneath her. “Do you always ask so many questions?”
He’d just opened his mouth to reply when she flung the handful of mud at him. He tried to duck, but still got a mouthful. She giggled as he spat the muck out. “Cute, woman. Real cute.”
She shrugged, imitating his earlier gesture, and gave him a snooty look. “You deserved it.”
“What for?”
“Like I said. You’re a wise-ass.”
Staying on his hands and knees, he worked his way over to her. She lurched back, going to her elbows. When he had his face only a few inches from hers, he gave her a searching look, then crushed his mouth to hers. His hungry, lusty tongue swept into her mouth along with a few bits of mud.
She kissed him back without hesitation, ignoring the slime that mixed with his musky taste.
His scent, so much like his brothers, swept over her. She could feel the heat from his body, could even sense the growth of his cock without feeling it. The air around them thickened and her heart thundered in her chest. She reached up, placing her palm against his shirt and making it look as though she wanted to push him away. The truth was that she wanted to see if his heart was beating as fast as hers.
Still, it surprised her when she found that it was.
Although they hadn’t shared their bodies like she and his brothers had, she had no doubt. She wanted him just as much as she wanted them. It felt like an insult when he took her hand off his chest and moved away.
He struggled to his feet, then scoffed when she held out her hand again. “Oh, no. I’m not falling for that old trick again.”
She couldn’t blame him. She wouldn’t have taken his hand
again if the situation were reversed.
Tony managed to get to his feet first and stepped onto the drier land surrounding the mud hole. He helped Livi get up, leaving Nick on his own. Being naked in front of them didn’t bother her. After all, most of her body was covered in the brown mess.
Tony jerked his chin out at Eric. “You wouldn’t know anything about her getting bitten, would you?”
Eric put on a confused expression. One she didn’t think was entirely sincere. But how would he know? He hadn’t been anywhere around them.
“I don’t know what you’re getting at. What am I? The Fish Whisperer?”
“Yeah, Tony. How would he know anything?” She took Nick’s hand and started up the trail that would take them to the top of the slope and back into the water. “You act like he asked the fish—or whatever the hell it was—to bite me.”
Tony followed them, his suspicious face changing into a smile when she turned toward him. “Naw. Forget I asked.”
And yet the silent exchange he gave Eric said he was lying. If she didn’t have a layer of mud all over her, including bits still in her mouth, she wouldn’t have let it drop. Instead, she followed Nick back into the water. Tony joined them with Eric standing on the sidelines.
She dipped below the surface, ran her hand over her face, then came to the top. Keeping only her head above water, she hurried to clean the rest of the muck off her. “You two stay close in case some other creepy thing tries to take a chunk out of me.”
“If you recall, we were close the first time.”
“Yeah. You’re right. A lot of good you guys did me.”
“Hey, we can’t keep all the animals away from you. I guess they can tell that you’re a tasty tidbit, too.” Tony cupped water and rubbed his arm clean.
She frowned, sure that he was referring to more animals than what was skirting around in the murky water. “Okay, I’m clean. And I’m getting out now.”
They were on her heels as she pushed through the water to the shore where they’d left their clothes. Once there, she tried sucking in her stomach, suddenly self-conscious. It was a silly reaction, considering that they’d seen her before she’d entered the water, but there it was.
She stopped just as she was about to bend over. Drying off with her clothes wouldn’t do. Instead, she slipped her shoes on, gathered up her clothes, and without looking back, headed for her car. She could dry off with one of the old towels she’d thrown into the back. How the men would get dried off was their problem.
* * * *
“That was you, wasn’t it?” The sun and air had already dried Tony’s body. He tugged on his clothes.
Eric took off his jeans and shirt and swished them around in the water. He wasn’t bothered by standing around naked. Most shapeshifters were used to public nudity. And if Livi came back to the lake, then he was fine with that, too. It wouldn’t take any time for the sun to dry everything. They had extra clothing in the gear they’d brought along, but he’d rather not use them until he had to.
He figured his brothers would come to the correct conclusion. He’d changed into a fish many times before. “I figured you two having sex with her once was enough.”
“I don’t get it. You want her as much as we do. So why didn’t you join us?” Nick tugged on one boot, then the other.
To tell the truth, he wasn’t sure. Yet he’d held back. “I like the anticipation of it.” That and the fact that he liked watching his brothers feast on her.
His cock had grown hard while enjoying his brothers take her and had grown even harder when he’d seen her covered with mud. He’d given in to the urge by kissing her. If he’d kissed her any longer, he would’ve had to take her right there in the mud hole.
“You’re strange, bro. That’s all I can say.” Tony buttoned his jeans then strode off in the direction of her car.
“Ain’t that the truth. Either that or you’ve started swinging the other way.” Nick chuckled and followed Tony.
They were right. He’d must’ve lost his mind to let them take her and just watch. He flapped his shirt, ridding it of any remaining twigs and globs of dried mud. “Don’t worry. I won’t stand by the next time.”
* * * *
Livi had a difficult time for the rest of the day. Every time she tried to think about the job at hand, she’d glance up and there would be one of the men, looking impossibly hotter than the last time she’d seen him. They’d shoot her looks that made her stomach flip, then brush against her for no reason at all and give her smiles that promised more of what they’d done in the water. The only respite she’d gotten was when they’d gone into the woods for a while, claiming that they had “to do their business.”
She flipped her hair out of the way and forced her mind on her camera. If the white wolf showed up at the lake, she needed to be prepared. Letting men, even men like the Parker brothers, distract her was no excuse for not getting the job done.
Okay, so maybe it was a good excuse, but she still had to fight it.
Evening was about to fall when Eric approached her. “We’ve got the rest of the camp set up.”
She scanned the camp and nodded her appreciation. “Thanks.”
They’d done a much better job than she’d ever have hoped to do. The tent was lined with four sleeping bags. They’d brought along an air mattress, which made sense now that she thought about it. Her lanterns were cheap pieces of junk compared to the sturdy ones they had. To top it off, they’d gathered a bunch of large rocks to top with some fallen branches and cover with the old, worn blanket she’d throw into the back of her car. It formed a shaky table that she wouldn’t put a glass on, but was good enough to rest plates on. They’d rolled three equally large, yet somewhat flat, rocks over to serve as chairs and she’d almost sighed out loud when Eric had lifted an uprooted stump over to the table for the fourth chair. The man had muscles that made her want to run her fingertips over them every time he flexed.
Tony and Nick had hovered over the campfire for several minutes, their huge bodies blocking the view of the fire and the cook area. Since she’d tried not paying attention to them, she hadn’t sorted out exactly what they were cooking, but it was obvious enough from the delicious aroma floating on the air that she’d love it.
“That smells great, but I can’t place the scent. What is it?”
Eric had mellowed since earlier and seemed to relax more around her. “Do you remember the children’s story about Stone Soup?”
“A little. People threw whatever they had into a pot that started out with just a stone and water in it. Am I close?”
“Close enough. At any rate, it’s our version of that. We take whatever we have and toss it together to make a soup or stew.”
“Well, it smells really good.” She had to see what was in the pot. At least that’s the excuse she gave herself. Just getting within a few inches of Tony and Nick made her body tingle. Her nerve endings stood up, ready to accept any offer of their touch.
She peered into the pot, but couldn’t make out many of the individual ingredients. “What’s in it?”
“Nothing much,” answered Nick. “We filled the pot with water, threw in a few bouillon cubes we keep in the pack and added whatever else nature offered us. Oh, and the potatoes and carrots you brought along.”
“Yeah, what’s with that, Liv? What were you planning on eating out here? Raw potatoes and carrot sticks?”
“Uh, no. I figured I could always boil the potatoes. And I like munching on carrots.” She didn’t tell them that she had a box of granola bars and cereal in the back of her car for the bulk of her meals. Cooking had never been her strong suit so wrestling up a meal in the outdoors was out of the question.
“Where did you get the water?”
“From the lake, of course.”
She followed Nick’s glance. “Really? It looks pretty dirty to me.”
“Don’t worry about it. Boiling kills any bacteria.” Eric tilted his head toward the Jeep. “We could’ve used the
case of bottled water you have stashed away. Along with your beef jerky, too.”
“For a while there we were worried that you were a vegetarian.”
She couldn’t blame them for taking some of her food. After all, they’d earned it by setting up the camp. Among other things. “I don’t eat a lot of meat, but I love a good juicy hamburger.”
“Have you ever eaten rabbit?”
“Rabbit? As in Thumper or Bugs Bunny?” She’d seen rabbit on menus before, but she’d never had the nerve to try it. Besides, she’d heard people say it tasted like chicken so why not just order chicken?
“I’m not talking about a cartoon here, but yeah. As in rabbit.”
“Oh, man. I don’t know if I could eat Peter Cottontail. It just seems wrong.”
“So it doesn’t bother you to eat Bessie? Or how about the Borden’s Milk cow, Elsie?”
“Eric’s got you there, Liv.” Tony shrugged, letting her know he’d had no choice but to agree with his brother.
“Yeah, well, maybe.” She peered closer at the bubbling soup. “Is there a rabbit in there?”
“We didn’t have any chicken running around so we rounded up our own game.” Eric pointed toward the lake. “And we confiscated the wine you had stashed under the seat, too.”
“Damn, you made yourself at home, didn’t you?”
Nick stirred the soup. “Are you saying you wouldn’t have given us the stuff? Come on, Livi, this is going to be a lot better than cereal and granola bars.”
They had a point. Besides, sharing a dinner with them, especially one they’d made, was a lot better than chowing down on cereal and drinking alone in the forest. “Where did you get the rabbit?”
From their expressions, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “O-kay. So that’s why you guys were gone so long. You weren’t just going poo-poo. You were hunting.”
Eric jerked away from her. “Trust me, Livi. We use the head, hit the can, take a leak, dump a load, and almost anyway else you want to say it. But we never go ‘poo-poo.’”