“Do you know how to do a roll cast?” Jared’s voice floated on the slight breeze.
“Sort of. I haven’t used that one too much.” She pulled in her line and started practicing the new cast. She knew her form wasn’t right and after a few minutes she was frustrated. Her line had tangled repeatedly and wasn’t going where she wanted it to. She turned to find Jared strolling toward her. She watched him walk over and practically drooled at the pure sensual delight, all restrained power and animal prowess. Mmm.
“Here, let me help you. I’m going to stand behind you and direct your arm.” He sidled up behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist and took her casting wrist in his other hand. His chest was warm against her back. She fought the urge to lean in to him and sigh. “Now let me move your arm. Feel how the pole responds and watch the line.”
She relaxed her arm and gave him control of her movements. His calloused palm gripped her hand and slowly his body swung her forearm. His hips and thighs molded to hers, keeping her lower body stationary. His arm strapped her to him, pulling her gently against his body. His chest was hard against her softness, warm and comforting. She breathed through her nose, savoring the slight scent of soap and shampoo drifting over her shoulder. A whisper of warm breath teased her neck.
“Arin?”
“Hmm?”
“You have your eyes closed,” he whispered against her neck. Amusement colored his voice.
The slight scratch from his cheek sent shivers down her spine. She opened her eyes and found her head leaning back on his shoulder. She turned her head and grinned at his smirk. “Sorry. You just feel so good… I mean… Shit, sorry.”
A blush rushed to her cheeks and she fought to get out of his arms. How stupid could she be, blurting out something like that? Sure, she had decided to enjoy them, not become a simpering idiot around them. She needed to keep her heart caged against them and this wasn’t helping her. Melting into his embrace wasn’t going to keep her from feeling for them. Her heart would definitely get broken if she didn’t keep some distance between them. She tried to wiggle out of his arms. In a movement so fast she couldn’t track it, she was swung around to face Jared, his arms around her waist and her body flush to his.
“Don’t, Arin. I know you get embarrassed but babe, you are adorable. I’m flattered that you enjoy my body against yours and, if you can’t tell, I enjoyed it too.” He ground his pelvis against hers and she gasped at the engorged cock trapped between their bodies. She looked up into his face and only found a grin of mischief and need. “I’m not playing when I say I want you. We both do. If you want to spend the next three days fishing from my arms that can definitely be arranged.”
She smiled at his offer and relaxed in his arms. He was right—there wasn’t anything wrong with spouting romantic drivel. She just needed to let the fear go and enjoy the fact that these two men were vocal in their likes and she should be too.
With a quick movement she was on her toes and had her lips pressed to his, before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to her. Surprise quickly flashed in his eyes and just as quickly it was replaced with a look so smoldering she thought her panties would catch fire. He leaned down, smiling into her eyes, and took her lips in a surprisingly gentle kiss. She’d expected him to storm the gates, take control of her and make her forget her name. This kiss was light, playful, and it made her belly quiver with need. His lips were warm as they feathered over hers. He lightly sucked her bottom lip, then smoothed away the pressure with his. Slowly his tongue slipped across her bottom lip, tasting and testing. She sighed in submission and gave him access to her mouth, her lips, her tongue. He took advantage of her acceptance and delved slowly into her mouth. He slid his tongue between her teeth, tasted her and swiped at the roof of her mouth. He nibbled at her lips and kissed away the nips.
Her knees gave out when he uttered a low moan into her mouth. She wound her fingers through his hair and pushed her lower body against his. She couldn’t get close enough to stem the fire. She was hot everywhere, burning with a newfound need. She wanted him—needed him. Her clit was pounding in time with her racing heart. She had never been so turned on by a kiss in her life. She moaned against his mouth as he slid his tongue against hers in a sensual slide. She wanted to crawl inside his skin to feel his heat. Her pelvis ground against his cock, stoking the want. She felt wetness coat her pussy lips. Each gyration of her hips pushed her a little closer to an orgasm. His hands pulled her more tightly against his cock and he pulsed against her core. She pulled back from the kiss, gasping for air. She laid her head on his shoulder and flexed her fingers against his neck.
“Wait,” she panted. Her body rebelled against the break in attention. Her pussy was warm and throbbing. Her breasts were tight and her nipples had pebbled. They rubbed against the silk of her bra. “I’m going to come right here if we don’t stop. Holy shit, Jared. You can kiss!”
He chuckled. His breathing was quick and shallow, warm bursts of air across her neck. His hands rubbed absently along her waist and lower back. “You, babe, are dangerous. I haven’t shot a wad in my pants since I was a teen, but I’m close now.”
She laughed against his shoulder and pushed away enough to see into his face. His eyes were tight and he had an almost pained look. At least she wasn’t the only one affected by that kiss. She got on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before pushing completely away from him. “Think we need some space between us before we do something we don’t want to.”
“Oh I want to—I want to take you right here in the middle of the field. I can almost taste you on my tongue.” He groaned and put his fingers through his hair, taking a step back. “Okay, so I’m going to the lodge and taking a cold shower. You work on your casting. I’ll bring an early lunch down in a little bit.”
She watched him walk away and wanted to laugh at the bow-legged stride he used on his way up to the lodge. She blew a breath through her lips and rolled her neck. Her body was tense in all the right ways but she knew she wouldn’t get any relief any time soon. She reached down and picked up her fly rod and shook her head. She couldn’t remember dropping it, but must have before burying her fingers in Jared’s hair. She licked her lips and tasted him there. A groan escaped. She was turning into a wanton woman, and she wasn’t sure she cared.
Chapter Seven
That woman was going to be the death of him. Jared adjusted his cock through his jeans again and wondered whether he would be able to take a shower and jack off before he needed to make lunch. The feel of her pliant body pressed against his, her tentative tongue touching his, had driven him crazy. He wanted to feel her under him, surrounding his cock with her warmth. He groaned and wiped a hand over his face. Fuck, he needed to stop thinking about her or he would never go soft again.
“Tough morning?” Brent was leaning against the backdoor, grinning like the fool he was. He stood up and waited for Jared to approach before handing him a soda. “That kiss was a scorcher even from here—I can’t imagine being in the middle of it. Damn. So why aren’t you out there takin’ her up on the obvious offer?”
“You’re a dick, you know that? I’m not going to throw her on the ground and take her as if she’s some…I don’t know, prostitute or something. Christ, Brent, I really like her. I want her so bad I could scream, but I’m not going to do something that’ll scare her off.” Jared brushed past his friend and headed to the stairs. He really was going to take a shower, but more to get away from Brent than to whack off.
“So, what? I know we talked about taking it slow, but when she’s handing it to you why aren’t you taking it? Jared, man, she isn’t going to stay. Don’t get your hopes up, buddy. We’re destined to remain players forever if we want to share women. She’s excited about the possibilities of us, not about becoming our third. If you keep walking away from her, she’s going to assume we don’t want her. Then neither of us will get any playtime.”
Jared stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned t
o scowl at his best friend. Twenty-two years they had spent watching out for each other, being there for each other and sharing everything. This time, though, he knew Brent was wrong. Arin was different and perfect for them. He’d plan every minute of her time with them to convince her to stay, to complete them. “You don’t get it. I don’t want to be a player anymore. I want a wife, someone to come home to every night who doesn’t have a dick. Someone soft to snuggle between us. I want a woman to love forever who accepts us as we are. I think she’s it. So yeah, I am going to fucking woo her and you can’t do a fucking thing about it.”
He turned and stomped up the stairs and slammed his door. He stood for a few moments, clenching his fists, trying to stem the surge of fury. How could Brent be so fucking flippant about Arin? Didn’t he see what Jared did? He wanted to go back down and beat the shit out of the other man. How dare he talk about her as if she were a whore? Take her in the field? What the fuck? He calmed himself using the breathing exercises he’d learned in counseling. They hadn’t been able to fix him but they’d sure taught him some coping mechanisms for his rage.
When he had a grip on his feelings, he stripped off his clothes and locked the bathroom door behind him. Anger and fear still rippled through his mind. Brent had to be wrong. Somehow, this felt like their last chance at happiness. If Arin ran like the others had, he knew Brent wasn’t going to chase any more. This was it. Would she take them for a ride then leave them? His heart hurt with the thought. Could it be that he was the only one feeling the connection?
It’s your fault. The echo of Ronny’s words had him gritting his teeth. How many times had he been told that while being forced to his knees? Remembered fear slicked his palms with sweat. Maybe it had been his fault. Maybe if he’d said something sooner to someone, or fought harder. If he hadn’t talked Brent into sleeping over that first time, Ronny wouldn’t have gotten an obsession for him. Then Brent would be okay and neither of them would be so defective that they were unlovable. It’s your fucking fault this is happening to you, Jared.
He slammed his fists against his head, trying to stop that sickening voice. It hadn’t been his fault. He’d been a kid and Ronny had been so much bigger and so much stronger. You like this, don’t you. That’s why you don’t run away. No. No, he hadn’t run because he’d been afraid that Brent wouldn’t run with him. He couldn’t leave his best friend in the hands of their tormentor.
A rush of memories tried to put him on his knees. They hadn’t struck him that hard in years. He could smell the damp, moldy stench of the basement. The cold dirt under his bare legs had sapped the strength from him. It had always been so cold down there. Dark and dank. You like to watch me do this to Brent, don’t you? See, you’re just as sick as I am. No. He pushed his fingers into his hair and pulled. The pain helped. It gave him something to concentrate on that was in the here and now.
He shook as he reached into the shower to turn on the water. He was suddenly freezing, inside and out. His scars might be emotional and invisible, but each one was throbbing at that moment. Stop thinking about it. It’s over. You’re fine. But he wasn’t fine and he knew it. Hiding behind a smile and sarcasm had given him the barriers he needed. No one, not even Brent, knew how deeply he still felt the impact of those times. He took a shuddering breath and tried to erase the images in his mind.
The shower drowned out the sound of his thoughts and gave him a much-needed reprieve from his worries. He needed to think and plan. Forcing his mind from the past and onto Arin made it easier to breathe. They had already lost one night and camping out tonight wasn’t really conducive to seducing her. He wanted to do something special that they hadn’t done before, something special to her and special to them.
He stepped into the warm water and breathed a sigh of relief. His mind wandered to the kiss he had walked away from and his cock responded, hardening again. With a groan, he wrapped his hand around his shaft and gave it a pump. Warm water slid down his body, decreasing the friction as he worked his shaft. His mind supplied him with the image of Arin on her knees, wrapping her hot little lips around his cock. He could almost hear the soft purring moan she would make when he dug his fingers into her hair. Her delicate hands would cup his balls and hold him to her. He would pump into her mouth, letting her suck him to her heart’s content until he came down her throat. She would swallow and lick her lips with a smile as if he tasted like her favorite ice cream. He could feel his orgasm starting as the thoughts played out in his mind and he came with a groan, coming hard, pumping into his hand.
He didn’t feel much better but at least he would have a few minutes without a boner. He stood under the water to rinse off before getting out of the shower. He dried off quickly and headed into his bedroom. He was supposed to be making lunch and he wasn’t going to miss a single way to make Arin happy.
* * * * *
Arin wiped the sweat off her forehead with her arm and rolled her neck. Her shoulders had tensed up and her practice casts were all going wrong. She gave in and sat on the grass and leaned back, propping herself up on her elbows. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, smiling as the sun beat against her skin. The quiet sounds of nature stirred comfortably around her. A slight breeze rustled in the grass, birds sang in the trees, a hawk screamed in the distance, water flowed in a creek not far from her. Nothing manmade could be heard and she reveled in it. She breathed in a deep, cleansing breath of fresh air and felt it flow through her body. The tension melted from her mind and body. Years of dealing with work stress, family stress, Robert stress. All of it was brushing off her shoulders, floating away on the breeze.
“You look comfortable.”
Her eyes flew open and she squeaked when she saw a large shadow looming over her. After a second of panic she realized it was Jared. “Holy crap, you scared me.”
“Sorry, babe. I thought you would hear me tromping over the field.” Jared smiled and she melted just a little more into the grass. With a grunt, he set down a picnic basket and lowered himself to the ground. “So are you done practicing or just taking a break?”
“I think I’m done. My shoulders and forearm were starting to hurt. What did you bring for lunch?” She eyed the basket and grimaced when her stomach growled. Her eyes widened as she watched him crawl closer to her. Was he going to kiss her again? The look in his eyes said it all and she wasn’t sure she wanted it.
If she was honest with herself she definitely did want it, but at what cost? Her heart started racing at the remembered heat. Her palms slicked with sweat.
“Easy, babe. I’m just going to massage your shoulders for a minute to get the kinks out,” he huffed. “I wasn’t planning on ravaging you or anything. You look as scared as a mouse cornered by a tomcat—even your nose is twitching as if you’ve got whiskers.”
“Sorry. I’m just not used to men looking at me that way. And by the way, that is the second time I’ve been referred to as a small prey animal,” she mumbled. Heat crept up her neck and she cringed. Why did she find herself spilling information to this man? She was acting like an idiotic virgin, for cripes sake. “Never mind. Ignore me and my issues. I would gladly take a shoulder rub.”
He watched her with a weird look in his eye for a moment. Was he regretting his offer? Did he find her and her issues off-putting? She could think herself into a circle if she let it go on.
“You’re lovely, beautiful, sensual and the hottest thing I’ve seen. I don’t know what the ass you were with had in his head, but let me tell you that every man should be looking at you like this.” He crawled the last couple of feet and scooted behind her and placed his legs along hers. Warm hands curled over her shoulders. “Now let me work my magic, then we’ll eat.”
Arin relaxed into his hands, softening under the circular movements of strong thumbs. Her tense muscles released the tightness, warming. He worked down her spine, kneading the knots from the muscles, rubbing out the tiredness. After only a few minutes, she felt him lean forward and kiss her lightly under t
he ear.
“There, now you should feel better. Let’s eat, then we can head out on the trail ride. Brent has everything ready. You’ll like where we’re camping for the night. It’s a beautiful spot next to the river.” He stood and strode to the picnic basket, quickly laying out sandwiches, soda cans, chips and utensils. A boyish grin spread across his face. “I didn’t know what you liked so I made PB and J. Is that okay?”
She laughed at the choice of sandwich but couldn’t think of anything better to eat while sitting out in a grass field under the perfect sky. She grabbed a sandwich and unwrapped the waxed paper, reveling in the feel of something straight out of her childhood. “This is perfect. I love peanut butter.”
They sat in companionable silence, munching on food and watching the scenery. Arin loved it. Their ability to just sit and not feel as if they had to talk, to fill the silence, was a gift she rarely received. She watched the flight of a hawk across the sky and sighed with immeasurable bliss. She grinned at Jared and laughed at the perfection this moment in time held for her.
Chapter Eight
“So, how is our girl doing back there?” Brent stopped and turned in his saddle, smiling at the sight behind him. Arin was riding a beautiful mare right behind him, looking around her with wide eyes. She hadn’t said a word since they’d left the barn an hour ago. Each time he glanced at her she was staring at something new, mouth open, eyes glittering with wonder. He started to see the landscape through new eyes and admire their surroundings instead of taking them for granted. Her wide-eyed stare was cute. He wanted to show her more, make her gasp in awe at the land they owned.
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