Capturing Their Flame [Stone Passions 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Rebecca Airies

  Something in his eyes caught her attention. He looked amused and anticipatory. What was on his mind? She tilted his head. What could he be thinking of?

  When they neared his office door, it opened and a young man came out. Isaac greeted him as Jack and shook his hand.

  “Is everything set up?” Isaac asked.

  “Yes, everything’s ready and the limits are in place.” Jack nodded. “She shouldn’t have any problems.”

  She frowned. What did they plan? What wouldn’t she have any problems with? There better not be any chains or cuffs in there. She’d promised them she wouldn’t run away. More than once in the last few days. They had to know she wouldn’t disappear on them.

  “What’s going on, Isaac?” She glanced at Isaac. He was the one who’d give her any information. The other man wouldn’t say a word.

  “I’ve got a surprise for you. Neil and I thought that it might help you settle in.” Isaac drew his hand up her back.

  Settle in. Yeah, it wasn’t quite that simple. Not when she didn’t know if she belonged anywhere. She felt like a freak. Not Branal completely anymore, but she’d always be different than most Gargoyles.

  Then there were her feelings for Isaac and Neil. She didn’t deny that the attraction to them flared higher than anything she’d ever experienced before. When they came together, the heat grew so damn hot that she wondered how they didn’t manage to burn the house down around themselves. The pull was more, the emotion deeper, but she was afraid to look deeper into it. She didn’t want to make a mistake by loving them.

  Those two men already had such power over her. Other than possessiveness and lust, she had no idea what they felt for her. It would hurt badly if they didn’t feel as strongly as she did.

  “What kind of surprise?” She glanced at him.

  “Come on. You can see right now.” He led the way into the office. A small table had been set up next the chair she normally sat in. The laptop sat on top ready and waiting, already powered on.

  “Sit down.” He indicated the chair.

  She looked at the chair. It looked normal enough, no sign of anything attached to it. She eased into the chair as her mind spun with possibilities. Isaac pulled the table in front of her and clicked on the mouse at the side.

  An image of a man popped upon the screen. He looked to be in a lecture hall. She frowned as Isaac pushed play.

  A lecture started.

  “While we can’t get you into actual classes yet for a couple reasons, we have arranged for you to take two classes by computer. These will count to your degree. We made sure you needed it and that you were ready to take them.” Isaac stepped back. A wide smile curved his lips.

  She stared at the screen and then looked at him. She couldn’t believe it. Classes. She was back in school. Well, almost. Gratitude swelled within her.

  “Thank you.” She looked up at him.

  Damn, they could be sweet sometimes. It was part of the reason she felt torn sometimes. They’d wrecked her plans, but whenever they did something like this or were sweet or thoughtful, she wondered if her plans had been all that great in the first place. Maybe her plans had needed to be trashed.

  “I have headphones for you. We can both get some work done. There will be a link set up like this at Neil’s work. Now, your laptop will stay at the respective work places. Your internet will work to connect with the college, nowhere else. At least for now.” Isaac grimaced at the last.

  “It doesn’t matter if I have unfettered access to the internet. This is what I missed most, not looking at pictures of animals or surfing the social networks. I always had to be too careful on those to have as much fun as my friends anyway.” She shook her head.

  She had to be careful what she posted. She couldn’t put many images of herself out there. It could come back to haunt her in the increasingly widening amount of information available. Her life would be much longer than normal humans. Some groups of humans knew about the other beings walking among them. She’d wanted to steer clear of those paranoid hunters if possible.

  “That’s good. I’ll let you start watching your first lecture.” Isaac began walking to his desk.

  “What about tests?” She knew that distance learners usually had to go to some place to take tests.

  “We’ll worry about those when we learn of the first date. I don’t think they’ll pose much of a problem when the time comes.” He turned back and smiled at her. “We’ll talk more at lunch.”

  She frowned at him before she settled down to work. Something about that comment about lunch struck her as odd. What would they be talking about at lunch? She shook her head and focused on the lesson. It felt good to get back into her chosen field. She was making progress in her life again.

  “Time to take a break.” Isaac tugged the headphones off her ears.

  She paused the lecture she’d been watching and glanced down at the clock in the corner of her computer. Straight up noon. She wouldn’t have guessed. She’d been sitting here for hours watching the lecture.

  “I should. I didn’t realize so much time had passed. I haven’t moved in a while.” She smiled up at him.

  “Well, we’ll be leaving. We’re going to lunch.” Isaac smiled. “Gather your purse and put that to sleep. We’ll be back a little later and you can get back to your studies.”

  She nodded. She put the computer in rest mode and put it to the side. She knew that no one in the offices would bother it since they’d made it practically unusable because of the settings that restricted her access. Not that they had much to worry about in that regard. She wasn’t a computer wizard. She could do the normal things on a computer, but she had no idea how to get around the advanced protocols they’d put into place.

  “What are we going to eat today?” She expected him to come back with the name of a sandwich place or something of the like, because he didn’t normally take long lunches from what she’d seen.

  “You’ll see, baby.” He held out his hand and waited for her to take it.

  She shrugged and slipped her palm over his. As much as she fought the connection, she liked the way he held her hand or touched her. It was as if he couldn’t resist the urge any more than she could. Whenever she drew near him, she had a hard time not running her fingers through his hair.

  He was being mysterious to tease her. She didn’t mind. She glanced over at him. Did he know how much the school meant to her, or had he merely been giving her something to keep her mind busy?

  She didn’t know. It did keep her thoughts away from running, but not solely because she focused on learning nursing. She felt for the first time as if they saw her as a person.

  Of course, she’d feel differently the next time they pissed her off. They’d never have a smooth, easy relationship because of the too-male, too-demanding characteristics. Those qualities would come up against her stubbornness again in the future.

  Isaac guided her to the car. She remained silent, her thoughts keeping her occupied as he drove. When he pulled up in front of restaurant, she looked up. The elegantly scripted sign surprised her. It didn’t belong to a chain restaurant. Not somewhere they’d get in and out fast. She frowned, a little confused by the location.

  She got out of the car before Isaac could come around and open the door for her. She knew without looking at him that he scowled at her. He did it every time she opened her own door. She didn’t want him to think of her as weak and needy, which was why she always opened it. She knew it irritated him.

  “One day, you’ll stop getting out before I get around this car. If I have to spank that butt to get it to happen, well, I won’t mind doing that.” Isaac’s fingers cupped her chin as he met her near the front of the car.

  “I can get out.” She shrugged, not wanting to get into an argument with him at the moment.

  “It’s not you getting out that is of concern to me. It’s making sure the area is clear and safe.” Isaac leaned down and brushed her lips with his.

  “If you’re alre
ady out and there’s danger, he might not be able to protect you.” Neil’s voice came from behind her.

  She tensed at the unexpected sound of Neil’s voice right next to her ear. His body eased in behind her. He pressed close and his hips fit snug against her ass.

  She turned her head. Neil pressed a kiss to her cheek.

  “Hi, Neil.” She turned to face him and gave him a hug and a kiss.

  “Hi, baby. From the greeting, I take it you like the surprise we arranged for you.” Neil’s arms pulled her close.

  “You mean lunch?” She frowned.

  “No, the classes. Lunch with us together shouldn’t be a surprise. I realize we haven’t managed to get together before, but you should be used to dealing with both of us at this time of day.” His fingers trailed over her cheek as he stepped back. “Let’s go eat. As much as I’d like to take you somewhere private and turn this into an extended romp, we need the sustenance and Isaac and I have to get back to work.”

  “All right, but I wouldn’t say no if you wanted to make lunch of me.” She kept her lips in a straight line as she said that.

  Isaac laughed. “I know you wouldn’t, but you’d also start making grumbling noises in a few hours when your hunger begins to gnaw at you.”

  He was right about that, and she didn’t try to deny it. She’d admit that she became grumpy when hunger hit her. “All right, let’s go eat. Maybe we can get back to our discussion a little later.”

  “After work. I think we might have turned you into an insatiable sensualist.” Neil gave her a little nudge with the flat of his hand.

  “Sensual isn’t bad.” She grinned as they escorted her into the restaurant.

  Chapter Eighteen

  From the moment they waitress seated them, Naomi could tell that there wouldn’t be any sensual play at this lunch. They sat at a normal table, surrounded by other occupied tables. She sighed. Maybe they chose right, but she liked their hands on her.

  “Not at all. We have to put it off until it’s the right time.” Isaac smiled at her.

  “You said we’d talk at lunch. What will we talk about?” She sat in the chair he pulled out for her.

  “You and us. We decided we should get to know each other.” Isaac sat at an angle to her at the round table. Neil took the chair to his right.

  She raised her eyebrows. After everything, now, they wanted to get to know her. Seemed a little backward to her. She wouldn’t argue about the order. She did have a few questions about them and their community. Not that she’d seen much of it.

  “What specifically about each other will we talk about?” She tilted her head and stared at the men.

  She’d feel far more relaxed if they scooted those chairs near her. A little privacy would be wonderful. Then again, they wouldn’t talk much if they did.

  “We realized that we hadn’t talked. You told us a little about your relationship with your parents, but we don’t know much else about you except that you want to be a nurse.” Isaac relaxed in the seat. He watched her.

  Neil smiled. “Did you have any Branal friends in college?”

  “I had a couple of Branal acquaintances.” She bit her lip.

  She’d noticed the distance they kept between themselves and her. It began after she’d asked one of them to go with her into Gargoyle territory. At first, she’d put it down to them not wanting to take a chance of getting into trouble. They’d both seemed cautious.

  Now, she thought that getting into trouble hadn’t held them back so much as the possible other, more life changing possibilities. They might have thought about the consequences of being in Gargoyle territory. She hadn’t given it much thought at all. Not until she’d been caught by them.

  “Acquaintances? Did you not have anything in common with them?” Isaac’s head cocked to the side.

  “We were of similar ages, but they seemed timid. The times I talked to them, they all seemed focused on who their match was. I guess I didn’t understand what they found exciting and couldn’t find much in common with them. We talked every once in a while, but we never connected as friends.” She shrugged. She now wondered if perhaps her view hadn’t been realistic. The attraction to these men had grown into something beyond what she’d expected. She wasn’t ready to voice that to anyone else. “You two know more about me than I do of you. I haven’t asked much about you at all.”

  “Ask us anything. We have plenty of time to learn about each other.” Neil smiled and leaned forward.

  She bit her lip. Well, she knew a little about their training and where they worked. That topic was unnecessary. Maybe later she’d ask about why they chose those specific fields. Although, both men seemed to fit in their chosen areas. “I wondered whether you had any family. Where they were? What they were doing? I haven’t seen any older people here.”

  “There are a few elders here. Though most of them do live in the other community. We have parents. In spite of what you might think when you’re angry with us, we didn’t hatch or spring to life fully formed.” Isaac reached over and squeezed her hand.

  “My parents are still in the community where I was born. The elders there give it a little more stability. Those older individuals are the only safe ones in the community. They offer guidance to those who are trying to find their way without the strength of strong leaders to guide them.” Neil covered her other hand with his.

  She stared at him. He left a lot unsaid in his explanation. She had a feeling his life had been a horror story while he lived in that community. She wanted to make everything better, but knew that she couldn’t.

  “And you, Isaac, you said there were elders here, but not where your parents were.” She tilted her head and focused her complete attention on him as she waited for answers.

  “You know that we can stay in one place for a limited time without drawing attention. They’ve gone traveling.” Isaac shrugged. “They left over a year ago.”

  She sighed. He must be trying to bait her because his answer couldn’t be more provoking if he tried. He’d given her a little bit of an answer, but not the full response she’d hoped for. Teasing man.

  They could go a variety of places. If they had friends with the Gobel, they could arrange to travel to another of the worlds. Sometimes, when either a Branal or a Gargoyle felt they’d lived as long as they could here, they moved on to another world.

  “Where did they travel to and are you expecting them back?” She frowned at him.

  He could practice his taunting ways some other time. She did want to learn more about him. After all the time she’d spent with him, she needed to start learning more about the men who seemed determined to keep her by their side. And who, she had to admit, she didn’t want to leave.

  “They’re traveling around Europe at the moment. They plan to do that for at least a few years. Mother was heavily into community work in this area. She’s fairly well known. It will take at least that long for her to come back without someone questioning her young appearance since we age slowly.” Isaac lifted a shoulder. “After they do the Europe tour and wherever else they want to travel, I think they’ll settle near my sister. They want a fresh start without worrying about who they’ll run into.”

  “A sister? Do you have any other family?” She leaned forward, interested.

  The Gargoyle birthrate would be low like that of the Branal because of how long they lived. That had been modified in these modern times for the Branal, by research into exactly what kept them from conceiving. She didn’t know if the Gargoyle had found the same success in research.

  “Yes, I have the sister. She’s older and there are two older brothers.” Isaac smiled.

  “You were the youngest? Does that mean you were spoiled?” She grinned.

  “Not with my two fathers. One was a trainer. There was no way that I would be spoiled. The other was a warrior and held a position just under the beta. I was on a schedule before I was out of diapers.” Isaac shook his head.

  She glanced over at Neil. At the sam
e moment she opened her mouth to speak, she saw a waiter behind him trip. The tray he held fell. One of the glasses on it hit Neil’s shoulder and the wine splashed over his jacket.

  Neil came to his feet in surprise. He bunched his fists and took in deep breaths. He glanced at the stain spreading on his jacket. “Fuck.”

  “I’m sorry, sir.” The waiter handed Neil a folded cloth napkin.

  She didn’t know what kind of response she expected from Neil. Sometimes, he seemed wound tight. Most of the time, his tension centered on his work though. He took that seriously.

  “This is going to stain.” Neil didn’t look at the waiter. “I can’t wear this back to work. I’ll have to get another jacket.”

  By the way he looked toward the entrance, he meant to leave the restaurant and drive back home to get it. That wasn’t necessary, not if only his jacket had gotten wet. She didn’t want him to leave. Not when this helped them learn about each other.

  She’d been to Neil’s office. If she hadn’t been, she might not have seen anything wrong with his words. “Neil, you don’t need the jacket. Did any of it get on your shirt or pants?”

  “She’s right. You’re one of the few people on your floor who wears a full suit every day.” Isaac’s hand tightened around hers.

  She hoped the slight squeeze meant encouragement and not an urging her to stop. Neil needed to see that sometimes he didn’t have to put in two times the work that everyone else did. In this case, the one difference between him and the others would be that he would be coming back to the office more casual than when he left it. No big deal.

  He looked down at his shirt and pants. “Nothing that I can see or feel. It wouldn’t take long to go home to get one though. I could be back before you two finished your meal.”

  “You wouldn’t get to eat with us. I enjoyed talking with you and learning about you. Do you think anyone will say anything about you not wearing a jacket for half the day? Especially when you take it off while you’re sitting at your desk anyway.” She tilted her head and studied his expression. She didn’t know if he’d relent on his insistence that he should be dressed in his customary suit and tie.