by Noir, Roxie
“Do you have a dark secret in your past?” Scarlet asked.
Chase took Gavin’s hand in his, and his mate squeezed.
“Not like that,” he said. “Right after I got out, I used to think all the time about leaving society behind completely, becoming a hermit in the woods somewhere. Leaving my job, leaving Gavin.”
Chase paused for a moment, trying to find the right way to tell it.
“One night, I got as far as sitting down and making a list of places I could go, where I could build myself a cabin, forage for food and hunt, places where I thought no one would ever find me. I hid it somewhere that Gavin wouldn’t find it, and I even set up a schedule for myself: when I’d start hoarding supplies in the woods, how I’d steal supplies. When I’d leave.”
“I didn’t know that,” Gavin said.
Chase shrugged.
“Things got better,” he said. “I realized that it wasn’t what I really wanted, and then I didn’t want to tell you, for fear that I’d make them worse again, and then I just... stopped thinking about it. I haven’t thought about where I could escape to for years now.”
Gavin squeezed his hand again.
“Besides,” Chase said. “I grew up in a hippie commune in the mountains. I think I had my dark side ommed out of me by the time I was ten.”
That got a laugh from Scarlet.
“I think we had very different childhoods,” she said.
“I think we did,” Chase confirmed. “But it sounds like we both knew more about guns that we might have otherwise.”
“The hippies had guns?” she asked, her eyebrows going up.
“I spent a lot of time hiking through the deep backcountry alone,” Chase said. “There’s animals out there.”
She laughed again, then shoved the rest of her ice cream cone into her mouth. Her cheeks bulged out as she chewed.
“All right,” she said. “What now?”
Chase looked at Gavin. His mate’s blue eyes were serious and steady. Chase knew that Gavin would probably want to take things a little slow right now, get Scarlet’s number, take her out to dinner in a couple of days.
That’s why it’s my job to be the impulsive one sometimes, he thought.
“Give us your num—” Gavin started.
“Come over for dinner,” Chase said. “You like lasagna?”
“I love lasagna,” said Scarlet.
Gavin shot him an I’m pretending to be annoyed look, and Chase winked at him.
“Good,” he said. “When I make lasagna, I make a lot of lasagna.”
When Chase pushed open the door, the sun was coming through the high windows on the west wall of their house, lighting the whole high-ceilinged living area in a warm golden glow.
Five feet in front of the door sat a large, indistinct black spot with yellow eyes.
It meowed.
“Hi, Piney,” said Chase, taking his keys out of the door and walking in.
“You’ve got a cat?” Scarlet asked, moving toward Pinecone a little uncertainly.
“More accurately, she’s got us,” Gavin said, shutting the door behind them. “She basically just moved in one day, and now she lives here.”
“Hi, Piney,” Scarlet said. She bent down and reached a hand toward the cat, who moved her head backward and gave Scarlet a very skeptical look.
Then Piney walked off, fluffy black tail waving behind her.
“She had a whole pinecone stuck in her fur when we first found her,” Gavin said. “So we named her Pinecone.”
Across the room, she jumped onto a low bookshelf and sat, wrapping her tail around herself as she watched the three of them.
Chase shrugged.
“Cats,” he said. “I guess this is how they are.”
“I know more lion shifters than house cats, but I can see the similarities,” offered Gavin. “You want a drink?”
“Sure,” said Scarlet.
“You promise not to try and fight me, like the last time I offered?” Gavin said, a wicked look lighting up his face.
“Absolutely not,” Scarlet said, following him into the kitchen, where she leaned against the counter. “I should warn you that the last person who surprised me, before you, spent a little while in the infirmary.”
Chase raised his eyebrows and exchanged a glance with Gavin, before they both looked at Scarlet.
“She’d already tried to get me once,” Scarlet said, a little defensively.
“I don’t know if I should be letting you drink,” Gavin teased, pulling a bottle of red wine off of a rack.
“Don’t let him lie to you,” Chase said, leaning against the counter next to Scarlet. “He liked it.”
Chase could smell her from where he stood. The faint, slightly medicinal scent of the ointment covering her new tattoo, and underneath that, something sweet and spicy, almost cedar-like.
“No, I didn’t,” said Gavin.
“Yeah, I figured that out eventually,” said Scarlet. A wicked smile started on her face as she watched him pull a bottle opener out of a drawer, flipping out the corkscrew.
Chase felt his wolf waking up, the animal inside him pacing back and forth, wanting to get out.
“Don’t act like you’re all refined now,” Scarlet said.
“What do you want me to act like, then?” Gavin asked. He turned to the side, sticking the corkscrew into the cork, winding it down. As he looked at Scarlet and then at Chase, there was no mistaking the hunger in his eyes.
Scarlet laughed.
“I wasn’t a delicate flower the first time we met and I’m not one now,” she said, then looked up at Chase, her bangs falling out of her eyes.
There was no question about what she wanted.
In one swift motion, Chase stepped in front of her, then lifted her onto the kitchen counter, shoving their blender out of the way.
Like this, they were almost face-to-face. Scarlet only an inch or so higher than Chase, and she yelped in surprise, then wrapped her legs around him.
“Noted,” he said, and then pressed his mouth hungrily to hers, the back of her head lightly hitting the cabinet.
She didn’t seem to notice or care. She kissed him back fiercely, opening her mouth under his, pushing her hands through his hair and then down his neck, onto his shoulders. Her legs squeezed just a little harder, pushing him against the hard counter, and he groaned quietly, his hands on her waist.
Then Scarlet bit his lip just hard enough that he felt it, and Chase’s wolf nearly burst free of his skin, the animal barely under control. He grabbed one of her arms and moved it behind her back, holding it there, and he could feel her chest heaving against his, the scent of her arousal floating through the air.
At last he broke the kiss and leaned their foreheads together, the back of her head against the cabinets.
“Too delicate?” he asked, his voice rough.
“I’m almost afraid to see what you’d do if I said yes,” she said, her gray eyes dancing, totally unafraid.
“Don’t tempt him too much,” said Gavin from behind them. “Say the word and that relaxed hippie exterior is history.”
“I guess you’d know,” said Scarlet, still smiling. Then she tapped Chase on the chest with her free hand. “What’s under that exterior, then?”
She reached for the button on his pants, but Chase was too fast for her. He felt like he was about to burst out of his own skin with desire, and grabbed her wrist, holding it by her side.
“We’re all wolves here,” he growled, and then bit her earlobe, just hard enough.
Scarlet gasped. The gasp turned into a moan as Chase’s lips found the sensitive spot behind her ear, the delicate skin along her jawline. He nipped and sucked at the skin of her neck, feeling her pulse under his mouth and he inhaled, breathing her in.
He felt like he was underwater, drowning in her. He licked at the hollow of her throat and then released both her hands, pulling her shirt and tank top over her head with one quick motion, tossing them on the floor
behind them.
Scarlet winced for a second, and he remembered the fresh marigold tattoo, masking tape anchoring the plastic wrap over it. He kissed along her other collarbone as he undid her bra, letting it fall to the floor as he took one nipple in his teeth, flicking his tongue over it until he heard her gasp again.
Gavin’s footsteps crossed the kitchen and then his hands were on Chase’s hips, his head over Chase’s shoulder as he kissed Chase’s neck, and then whispered.
“Quit hogging Scarlet, you greedy bastard,” he said.
Chase turned his head and kissed his mate roughly, shoving his tongue into the other man’s mouth. By now he was hard as a rock, and he could tell that Gavin was too.
“We could do this right here,” Scarlet offered. She put one finger in the neck of Chase’s shirt, and he pulled away from Gavin, leaned forward, kissed Scarlet’s belly.
“Let’s be civilized for once,” he said. “We’ve got a bed.”
Chapter Thirteen
Scarlet
Scarlet arched her back forward, her hands tangled in Chase’s hair. She could feel the vibration of his voice all the way through her, down to her toes.
“Fuck civilized,” she said, and then bit her lip.
Scarlet remembered exactly how good it had been the first time with Chase and Gavin. She’d spent a lot of nights alone under the covers with those memories, and now that it was actually happening again, she didn’t want to waste time getting to the bedroom.
Chase took her by the hips and pulled her off the counter.
“If you insist,” he said. He unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, then knelt to pull them all the way off as Gavin leaned forward, kissing Scarlet deeply.
She tugged on his shirt with both hands, but Gavin pulled away from her and laughed.
“Not yet,” he said. “If I remember correctly, you left your shirt on last time. Maybe I ought to do the same.”
Scarlet opened her mouth to protest, but instead Gavin leaned down and bit her nipple. At the same time Chase’s lips were on her lower belly, then the points of her hips, then just barely brushing her fur below.
“Get back on the counter,” he said.
Scarlet didn’t ask, just put her hands behind her and jumped back, Chase still on his knees in front of her. In one quick motion, he pulled her forward until her tailbone was just barely on the counter, her knees over his shoulders, her head against the cabinets.
Then she felt his tongue on her, tracing a slow circle around her clit without touching it, and she slid her eyes closed, her hands gripping the edge of the counter. Behind Chase, Gavin watched his mate, his own erection obvious.
“You just gonna watch?” Scarlet gasped, somehow finding her voice in between licks.
Before Gavin could respond, Chase ran his tongue between her lips, just barely parting them, and she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut and biting her lip.
“It’s a pretty good show,” Gavin said, and suddenly he was there in front of her, his hands anchored on the counter on either side of hers. “Watching Chase make you cum on our kitchen counter?”
A slow smile spread over his face.
“Yeah, I could watch that,” he said.
He moved one hand to her thigh and ran it up her body, one finger circling her nipple, and Scarlet shuddered.
“But unless I’m wrong, you want me to participate.”
Chase’s tongue plunged further into her this time and Scarlet made a noise she couldn’t control, somewhere between a growl and a groan, before his tongue moved back up to lap and circle her clit again.
He was teasing her, and he knew it.
Gavin kissed her slowly, his hot mouth moving against hers. Scarlet felt like she was melting as Gavin’s tongue plundered her mouth, Chase’s tongue teasing back and forth endlessly, driving her up to the brink and then backing off.
Gavin moved his lips down her neck, and it felt like he was leaving a trail of fire wherever he went. Slowly, he brushed the pad of one thumb across her left nipple and his tongue across the right.
Scarlet panted. She could barely remember where one man started and the other began, only knowing that everything felt wonderful and she never wanted it to stop.
But then, Chase flattened his tongue against her clit and pushed, licking just a little harder than he had before. A wave rushed through Scarlet all at once, her hands tightening on the edge of the counter.
At the same time, Gavin’s teeth and fingers suddenly tightened on her nipples, and a moan ripped itself out of Scarlet’s throat, her toes curling into Chase’s back.
It almost hurt. Almost, but then she could feel herself go over the edge and she pressed her head back into their cabinets as it took her over, a long, low groan coming from her throat. Gavin’s hand on her thigh held her down, even as she panted, unable to think about anything but the waves bowling her over, again and again, until at last, they stopped.
Scarlet sat on the counter, panting, and Gavin kissed her again, gently this time.
“Shit,” Scarlet whispered.
He just chuckled.
She’d come so hard that she felt shaky, like she couldn’t trust her legs to hold her anymore, so Scarlet scooted herself back onto the counter. The cold surface felt good underneath her, almost soothing, and she leaned her head against the cabinets.
Chase stood, looking very, very pleased. Instantly, Gavin pulled his mate to him, kissing him deeply. Chase pulled Gavin’s shirt off as well as his own, their hips grinding together as Scarlet watched, still panting and spent on the counter.
Then Gavin looked over at Scarlet, his arm slung over Chase’s shoulder, their foreheads touching. He reached one hand into Chase’s pants, and Chase growled at him. Gavin grinned.
“I’m not the only one who likes watching,” he said.
He was right. Seeing the two of them like that made liquid heat pool inside Scarlet, even though she’d felt utterly wiped out just a moment ago.
“I think it’ll work,” Chase said, sliding his own hand down Gavin’s pants. Gavin shut his eyes.
“What will work?” Scarlet asked.
Chase spun Gavin around so the other man was standing in front of him, then unbuttoned his pants, pushed them down. One arm over Gavin’s chest, Chase stroked him from root to tip, slowly, and Scarlet could see every muscle in his gorgeous body tighten as he did.
“We talked about you a lot in bed,” Chase said. He stroked again, slowly, Gavin’s eyes halfway shut in pleasure. Chase kissed the side of his neck. “Mostly we talked about what we’d do if you were here. Want to see what we decided?”
Scarlet swallowed, then nodded.
She felt the heat rush downward again, and she hopped off the counter, still a little unsteady on her feet. Chase came over and kissed her hard, the faint scent of herself still on his lips, and Scarlet’s hands went to the button on his pants, undoing it and reaching inside, grasping his erection.
“Come on,” Gavin said. “At least make it to the bed.”
Chase rolled his eyes. Then he pulled Scarlet’s hand out of his pants and picked her up, all in one motion, carrying her to their bedroom.
He tossed her onto the bed, and while Chase got his pants off, Gavin pulled Scarlet up until she was on her knees, his cock in her hands. She guided it between her legs, even though the angle wasn’t right, just rubbing his length against the wetness of her slit, and he stared down into her eyes.
“You don’t know how bad I wanted this,” he whispered.
“I might,” Scarlet whispered back.
Then Chase got on the bed and he was behind her, his thick, muscled chest against her back. She reached back and guided his cock between her legs as well, rubbing against Gavin’s.
Gavin leaned his forehead against hers, closed his eyes, and let a smile drift across his face.
“Holy shit, that feels good,” he whispered.
Briefly, Scarlet wondered if she could take them both at the same time.
“I went on t
he pill,” she whispered. “And I got tested.”
Then Chase’s hands were on her hips, lifting them, pushing her thighs apart, and Gavin looped her arms around his neck, sliding his hands down her body, careful of the tattoo, brushing them over her nipples.
Staring into Gavin’s eyes, Scarlet felt the tip of Chase’s erection against her opening, and she pushed back against it. He slid in smoothly and her eyes fluttered closed as she let Gavin hold her up.
It felt even better than she remembered, the sensation of being utterly filled, feeling her body light up like a Christmas tree.
“God, this feels good,” she whispered to Gavin.
“I know,” he said, and kissed her hard.
Chase started out slow, his thrusts gradually getting quicker and deeper until Scarlet cried out with each one, certain that her world was going to shatter any moment.
Then Chase reached around her, holding her shoulders, and Gavin moved away.
“What—” Scarlet asked, but he was already on his back, sliding between her legs. Then his tongue was on her, and if Chase hadn’t been holding her up, Scarlet would have collapsed, it felt so good.
“Oh, fuck,” she managed to say, seeing stars in front of her eyes, feeling as through her entire body might simply explode.
Then she came, a volcano of heat bursting from deep inside her and running through her, burning through even her fingers and toes as Chase held onto her tight, Gavin licking at her steadily. She was vaguely aware of Chase burying his face in the back of her neck, thrusting even deeper and then groaning as he spent himself into her.
After a moment, Gavin crawled back out, looking immensely pleased. Chase and Scarlet still knelt on the bed, Scarlet wrapped in Chase’s arms, breathing hard.
“It worked,” Gavin said.
Scarlet felt Chase chuckle behind her, even as he held her tightly to him.
“You were right,” Chase said.
“Is this where I say ‘I told you so’?” Gavin asked, his eyes teasing.
He stepped off the bed, then leaned over, kissing Chase over Scarlet’s shoulder.
“Aren’t we missing something?” she asked, looking pointedly at Gavin’s still-hard erection.