by Anya Nowlan
Finally, Rhett offered to walk her home and they continued down along the path they’d started on. It was almost like he knew where they were going. Though Danni directed them through all of the little bends and turns, she got the feeling that he might have found the way even without her help. When they came to the clearing where her house was, Rhett inhaled deeply and got a blissful smile on his face. She had to wonder if that was similar to what he looked like after…
And there was that blush again. She groaned inwardly, and just then, her phone beeped irritatingly. Danni didn’t need to look to know who it was. Automatically, her hand went to her purse, but Rhett stopped her by putting his hand on top of hers.
“Don’t. Whoever it is, they can wait.”
She withdrew her hand. Yes, he was right, it could wait.
He walked her to her porch and the porch light came on, illuminating the flawless, masculine lines of his face. She was becoming quite attached to that strong jaw of his. They stopped right in front of her door and she was sure neither one of them wanted the date to end quite yet.
She stared into his blue eyes and a spark twinkled there, so full of life and understanding. She could get lost in those eyes, and she was debating whether fighting it was even worth it – probably not.
Rhett slid one hand up her arm and over her shoulder, leaving a trail of fire behind. When his fingertips touched her neck and cupped the back of her head, she thought she would just crumble into ash from the fire burning within her. Danni knew what was coming and she couldn’t wait. He lowered his lips to hers, and when they met for their first kiss, it was utter perfection.
So soft and tender, it was like the caress of a love long gone and now rekindled. Like they’d spent years kissing one another, knowing exactly what to do to make the other burst with desire. Her hands went around his toned stomach, pulling herself against him, and he caught her lower lip between his teeth gently. It was maddeningly sexy, and it took all she had to not beg him to come inside.
First date! Danni reminded herself futilely.
It was Rhett who decided to be the merciful one. Finally he drew away, their lips red from the kiss and his taste fresh on her mouth, making her yearn to know how the rest of him tasted.
“How about we continue this another time?” he asked, his voice raspy with lust.
She nodded, feeling like a lost puppy eager to be taken home. Right then and there, she would have said yes to just about anything he offered.
“I’ll see you later then, beautiful,” Rhett said, smiling.
He turned around and walked down the steps of her porch with the lithest movements, like a predator bounding towards its next victim. Danni wished he were moving towards her, instead of away. She watched him until he was no longer in the circle of light made by the lamp, and when she was sure he wasn’t close enough to hear, she let out a long sigh and muttered under her breath.
“Fuck me.”
“Any time!” she heard him yell back, laughter in his voice.
Damn those shifters and their hearing. She was going to have to douse that particular bout of mild embarrassment with a big glass of wine and the trusty vibrator hidden away in a drawer by her bedside.
Danni unlocked the door and went in, locking it behind her. She knew it was hardly necessary in Shifter Grove – what with Diesel keeping the peace (besides, if anyone wanted to break into her home, would a door really keep a shifter out?) – but she’d been a city girl long enough to carry some well-placed paranoia about her.
Pouring out a glass of red wine in the kitchen, she heard the phone buzz twice in rapid succession in her purse. Danni kicked off her shoes and walked over to her recliner, grabbing the purse off the counter along the way. She sunk into the plush chair with a thankful sigh, still burning all over from the emotionally and physically engaging date with Rhett, and opened her phone. What she saw almost made her choke on her wine.
GoneWithTheBear: Could you ask for a better first date? I might just be Bonny Blue without you, @HoneysuckleStyle.
Rhett had posted the message on his wall a minute ago and Taylor had seen it, considering the attack of messages in her chat.
TheREALLionKing: What the fuck, Daniela!? You’re seeing some guy? ALREADY?
TheREALLionKing: A FUCKING WEREBEAR!? What’s he going to do, bring you a fucking pot of honey?
TheREALLionKing: You little bitch. You really think you can start fucking some guy like that? You’re MINE! And I’m going to make you regret you ever fucking left.
She stared at the messages, dumbfounded. Who did he think he was? He was the one cheating on her, and now, a good long while after breaking up with him, she wasn’t allowed to see someone else? Danni rolled her eyes and shut off the phone.
He wasn’t worth her time. Not anymore. And he was just a big bag of hot air. Paying any attention to him would have meant giving him more of her time and attention, and that he didn’t deserve.
But what was worth it was spending some quality time in her bed, trying to decide who to fantasize about – her wild, adventurous bear or the soulful, intelligent and kind bear that made her mind respond as eagerly as her body.
Why not both? Danni smiled to herself. It was just a fantasy, right?
CHAPTER NINE
Rush
“You two will be the death of me. And when I am dead, I will still be rolling around in my grave, completely brokenhearted because my boys can’t do the one thing their father asked them to do,” Mama Dean said, huffing as she flipped another thick pancake into the pile.
Rush shared a half-amused, half-worried look with Rhett across the table, and he just shook his head slightly. He was right, of course. No point in engaging mama bear when she was in one of her moods. They were well acquainted with this particular tirade by now. Each day that passed brought their birthday closer and Mama Dean’s laments became more and more verbose.
Rush could almost time it by now – soon she would get to the part where she would look close to crying because she thought she would pass away before seeing her grandbabies, and then she would say how their little sister, Ramona, is being just as difficult, and then she would slowly come to the decision that she must have somehow failed as a mother. And then she’d be back to normal, cracking jokes and pushing more syrup and hot chocolate spread towards them so they’d eat up and become big and strong.
An endless cycle, though an emotionally exhausting one.
“I think I should just join your father on the other side. Maybe I could haunt you lot into some sensible decisions!” Mama Dean called, throwing her arms out with an exasperated flourish.
The woman sure had a flair for the dramatics. Rush chewed on a mouthful of pancakes, but they seemed bland and tasteless, and he knew it had nothing to do with the cooking. Mama’s food was always spot-on… So it had to be him. He didn’t even have to think very hard to figure out what was robbing him of his appetite. He hadn’t seen Danni for a few days now and it was driving him sort of batty.
Rush glanced up and saw Rhett picking through his food with equal enthusiasm. It wasn’t like the Dean brothers to not completely devour anything and everything put in front of them. Mama spun around, pointing her spatula first at one and then the other twin, a deep scowl on her face. She was about to say something, but the sight of their mostly full plates must have stopped whatever onslaught was about to come.
“What’s wrong? Are the pancakes bad? I swear, if that bunny girl gave me rotten eggs I’m going to…”
“No, mama, the food’s fine,” Rush interjected, backed up by a nod from Rhett.
That seemed to ease Mama Dean’s mind for a moment, and then set it on edge again just as quickly.
“So what is it then? What is going on with my baby boys? Speak up! Don’t you dare hide anything from mama!”
Rush shared another look with Rhett and almost in unison, they said, “There’s a girl.”
All three of them stared at one another in surprise.
“Who
?” Rush asked at the exact same time as Rhett.
Rhett snorted with amusement and Mama Dean sat down at the table, leaning on her elbows and angling in closer.
“Come on now, tell Mama all about it!”
“You first,” Rush offered.
It wasn’t like Rhett to keep news to himself, especially in a sleepy place like Shifter Grove. Then again, who was Rush to judge? He hadn’t told Rhett about Danni either.
“Well, she’s special,” Rhett started.
Rush could see the smile coming to his brother’s lips. That had to be a special girl alright – he looked damn near blissful.
“Honey blonde hair, all the curves you could want, sweet, intelligent…”
Rush’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Blue eyes, she’s sort of lost but knows where she wants to go, compassionate and shy?”
The brothers stared at one another and Mama Dean looked more confused than before. Hopeful, but confused.
Rhett nodded slowly and then an understanding dawned on both of their faces. As if someone was controlling them via remote control, they got up at the same time and sprinted for the door.
“We’ll be back by dinner, maybe!” Rhett called over his shoulder and Rush laughed.
If we’re unlucky.
Both men shifted mere moments after springing down from the porch. They were of equal size, but Rush had darker fur and there were more scars visible in his coat – marks of accidents endured during his pro career and from a generally more dangerous take on life as well. Rhett led the way and Rush was right at his heels.
If they were correct, they were moments away from having a very confused woman on their hands. Or maybe an excited one? Either-or – if Danni had been spending time with Rhett as well, it would only make Rush’s life easier. No need to go through any awkwardness about introducing them to one another and hoping that they hit it off.
Could they have got so lucky as to find their mate in the same person, at the same time, unbeknownst to the other? Fate sure worked in mysterious ways sometimes.
The distance disappeared quickly under their fast paws, carrying them through the thick forest. It wasn’t long until Rush could smell exactly what Rhett was heading towards – Danni. His bear grumbled its approval. It seemed that fate had indeed decided to play on their side this time; which, in itself, was a pleasant change to the average fuckery they had endured in its hands.
Soon, they came to a patch were the trees had been cleared, and Danni’s scent consumed Rush. Rhett stopped at the edge, breathing it in, and Rush took a moment to do the same. Then, they changed into their human forms again, the bears reluctant to give over control.
“Are you surprised?” Rhett asked with a grin.
Rush shook his head with a chuckle.
“Not one bit.”
Together, they walked across the lawn to the house and trundled up the stairs. Rush hadn’t been to her home but Rhett obviously had, and Rush had to wonder if that was why Danni had been even more bashful than usual when he went by the salon the other day, asking her on another date. She had told him she’d think about it, which had seemed like an ominous sign to Rush, but at least now he knew what had happened. If he had to compete with another man, he was glad it was another Dean – they could be a team, not rivals.
Rhett knocked on the door and Rush had to force himself to stop from fidgeting. They were both in blue jeans and tees, their hair messy – just like a werebear deep in the Idaho forests should look. Rush heard footsteps in the house and when Danni pulled open the door, the Dean twins put on their best sly smirks.
Danni just about passed out.
“I… what!? Oh my god. OH. MY. GOD.”
“May we come in?” Rhett asked, smooth as butter.
Danni stared from Rhett to Rush and then back again and finally stepped aside, nodding dumbly. While Rush hadn’t been surprised, Danni certainly was. Without missing a beat, both of them pecked her on the cheek as they walked in. Rush grinned as Rhett glanced at him over his shoulder, both men coming to a stop in the middle of the fairly sparse, but homey living room.
“We can explain,” Rush started.
“Sort of,” Rhett finished.
Danni, pale in the face, nodded again and sat down in the recliner that seemed to be the focal point of the room. She was dressed in a little summer dress that showed off her long, thick legs and curved just right around her generous bosom. Just looking at her made Rush’s cock harden and his mouth water. Damn did he want that dress to come off of her!
“We didn’t know we were both seeing you,” Rhett said.
“Or we would have told you sooner. I just didn’t want to scare you with the fact that I have a brother. And that we’re… well…”
“Out on the prowl?” Danni asked, smiling faintly.
Both men chuckled – it was a close enough description.
“You could say that.”
Danni seemed to think it over, and Rush shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to keep himself from going over to her and just ripping that dress off of her. Somehow, knowing that she had met Rhett as well made things so much easier. He felt like he didn’t have to be careful anymore. That he could just tell her everything. She’d dated shifters before, she must have known what that meant… Or did she?
At first, he’d been reluctant to tell Rhett about her. If for no other reason than to try and spare her a little from the shock of him having an Alpha twin (who was apparently equally crazy for her), and perhaps there was a tiny bit of desire to keep her to himself as well. He couldn’t deny that sometimes, he just wanted his, though at the end of the day, he’d certainly be happier having a complete triad than just one hot moment with a fantastic woman.
“So you two are… twins?” Danni asked, glancing at one and then the other.
Rush nodded.
“And both of you asked me out without knowing the other had? And I kissed both of you? And I… Oh god.”
Danni blushed and the sight of that made both of the men react, their wolfish grins appearing as if on cue. Rush liked it when she looked like that – a little flustered, a little innocent. Honey for the bear. Enticing.
“It would seem so,” Rhett agreed.
“The question is, what are we going to do about it?” Rush added.
Danni covered her lips with her hands, helplessly staring at the billionaire twins before her.
“Do I have to choose?” she asked softly, almost desperately.
Both men shook their heads quickly.
“Absolutely not!” Rhett said.
With a laugh, Rush added, “You can have us both. If you want.”
That seemed to sober Danni. One werebear was a lot, but two? Rush couldn’t blame her for being a little bit taken aback.
“How about this. You know about Alpha triads?”
Danni nodded and a stone fell from Rush’s chest. At least he wouldn’t have to explain that. How do you really tell a woman that you want to fuck her right then and there, with your brother, so that she could be both your mate? And that it would be the best thing ever? Rush believed it was always better to show not tell.
“Then you know what could happen,” Rhett continued, unfazed and in control as usual. “But we can make it easy. We both want you. Badly. So badly it’s eating us up inside. So how about just one time? Without the binding thing, just… fun. How’s that sound?”
Having fun sounded fucking awesome to Rush, though he would have preferred to just mark her right away. But he knew Rhett was right, she needed a chance to make up her mind. And he’d been stewing with the thought of having her for days now, so even if it meant he could taste her just once, it would be better than nothing.
“No strings attached,” Rush added, catching her sweet blue eyes in his gaze.
She was blushing so hard that Rush was surprised she still retained her capability of speech. But when she finally spoke, it was the sweetest sound in the world.
“Okay. No strings attache
d,” she said.
Thank the spirits! If she’d said no, Rush was pretty certain both he and Rhett would have completely lost their cool. Lust flashed through him. They were going to give her an experience she would never forget.
CHAPTER TEN
Danni
Danni gasped as Rush just about pounced her. His lips were on her immediately, and his hands were lifting her up on her feet. Rhett was there just as quickly, his breath hot on her neck and his kisses dotting her skin. She mewled softly, her hands moving on their own volition, dragging up Rush’s shirt as Rhett undid her dress.
It was like a fantasy coming to life. After her date with Rhett, she’d spent every moment locked in indecision. She didn’t want to string both of those fantastic guys along, but making a decision and picking just one was impossibly hard. So she’d kept pushing it further into the future, making both herself and the twins boil with frustration.
Her vibrator had seen so much action that she was beginning to fear it might give out on her. Whenever she was alone at home, thinking about Rush or Rhett, the other was just moments away from invading her thoughts as well. And when she fantasized, it was always about both of them, at the same time. Just like now.
I can’t believe this is happening!
Danni thought it best to shut off her brain. She wasn’t the kind of girl to just jump into bed with a man, and she’d never had two at the same time, nor thought she’d be up for it, but now with both of them here… How could she say no? Just once, why couldn’t she have fun?
Rush pulled one strap of her dress down and lowered his mouth to her rosy nipple, sucking it into his mouth and making absolutely infuriating teasing circles around it with his tongue. She moaned loudly, and Rhett pulled her mouth to his, kissing her with the passion that she’d been dreaming of.