by Jane Jamison
Rick’s expression grew hard. “Back off, Russ. Now.”
Russ’s eyes grew wide before he dropped his arm. “Sorry. I didn’t know.”
He was gone before Mira could ask what he hadn’t known. “What was that all about?” Why had Rick become possessive? She wasn’t sure she liked it. “And, just so you know, I decide who I’ll dance with.”
“Sure you will. I didn’t mean anything about it. Just don’t dance with Russ.” He slipped his arm around her waist, tugged her into the middle of the circle dance, then pulled her closer.
She inhaled and flattened her hands against his oh-so-magnificently-mountainous chest. He molded his body to hers and brought his face inches from hers.
“Breathe, babe.”
“What?” Yet she didn’t pull away.
“More than likely, I’m going to catch hell for this, but just do what I said.” He lowered his eyes to her mouth. “Just breathe in.”
She wasn’t certain what happened next. One moment, she was ready to ask him again what he meant. In the next, she caught the aroma of his breath. The fragrance was sweet, yet masculine. Fruity, yet musky. A true description eluded her, but what did it matter? She had no choice but to take a long, slow breath.
Oh my.
She closed her eyes as he enveloped her in his arms. She breathed in again.
More.
She wanted more. A lot more. More of him. In every way possible.
Kiss me.
He leaned even closer, the aroma of his breath growing stronger and then…
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, man?”
Chapter Four
Mira was too entranced to notice anything except the absence of Rick’s breath against her face. She let out a soft “ohh” as Davis, his grip on her arm forceful and demanding, led her off the dance floor and toward the tree line surrounding the saloon.
By the time her head had cleared enough to speak, he turned her around and took hold of her with both hands. She stared into his black eyes, which were dotted with amber, and couldn’t find the right words to say. In fact, she couldn’t find any words to say.
“He shouldn’t have done that.” Davis’s tone was gruff, filled with a need that called to hers. “But, damn it. I’m glad he did.”
He kissed her then, hard and insistent. His tongue swept inside her mouth, and she wondered vaguely if he could taste Rick’s breath. He groaned and jerked her against him as his hand found her breast and covered it. Another groan came, but this time from her as her hand did its own exploring, cupping the large bulge in his jeans.
Her head spun, her thoughts swirling like dizzy moths inside her mind. Her hand massaged his crotch as she pushed her body against his, silently demanding that he show her exactly what he wanted. If he’d asked her to go to her knees, she would have. If he’d asked her to lift up her skirt and spread her legs, she would have.
Rick. I need to find Rick.
And yet, Davis’s kiss held her there.
A moan rumbled in his chest and under her palms. She smiled into the kiss, this time catching his tongue and letting her tongue play along. Her neck was bent back, hurting a little, but what was a little pain compared to so much pleasure?
When he broke the kiss, it was to murmur words she wanted desperately to hear. Words that would’ve echoed her own if she could’ve spoken.
“I want you. I have to have you,” he said, his tone filled with lust.
At last, she found the only word that mattered. “Yes.”
He let out a sound that was so animal-like, so bestial, that she paused and looked up at his eyes. More amber filled his eyes.
“Yes,” she repeated. The question didn’t matter. Only the answer did.
“Not here, Davis. Shit, man. Everyone’s looking.”
Someone took hold of her chin. Davis’s glare went to the man beside her. She turned, the world feeling hazy, unclear, and saw Henry.
“Sorry, bro. Gotta save you guys from yourselves.” Henry’s arm swept around her as he lifted her off her feet. He turned and headed back to the crowd.
Miss Kitty, Liz, and even Carl Hartley were in the crowd of onlookers. Yet no one seemed surprised that she was being carried like a child on her father’s hip. She smiled at those she knew, letting them know that she wasn’t in any danger.
Yet, at the last moment, just as they were about to join the party-goers, Henry did a hard right and took her into the shadows at the side of the saloon.
Instead of putting her on her feet, he, one-handedly, swung her around to face him. His hands slipped under her dress to cup her buttocks. “I couldn’t let him have you all to himself.”
She arched backward, offering her breasts to him. As his fingertips dug into her butt cheeks, he used his teeth to pull at first one strap of her dress then the other. She cried out, happiness filling her, as he took a nipple into his mouth. The rush of an orgasm washed through her. Was the tremble from the orgasm or from the chill of air against her nude breast?
Davis. Henry. Rick.
Her head swam with their faces. Her heart thundered inside her, calling to them. She wanted Rick, ached to smell his breath again, but she wanted his brothers, too. Moaning, she clutched a handful of Henry’s hair and jerked his head back.
“Fuck me.” Had she shouted that? Or had it been a whisper?
Henry’s eyes blazed, amber lightening the black. “You sure?”
She almost didn’t understand him. His voice was almost too guttural. “Fuck me,” she demanded and jerked his hair again.
He slammed her back against the wall of the saloon. His hands grabbed at her panties and tore them from her. He sucked on one nipple then the other. She laughed, delirious with need, crazy with desire.
“Not here.”
Not again.
But a moment later, Henry turned her free, letting her drop to the ground. She flattened her hands against the wall, steadying her shaking body and let out a whimper.
Rick squared off with Henry. “Not here,” he repeated. “Do you want everyone to see? She’s not ready. Not yet.”
Yes, I am. I’m ready. God, I’m ready.
Had she spoken out loud? She wasn’t sure.
Henry, his mouth slack, his hunger etched in his expression, glared at Rick. Then back at her. Then again at Rick. “Fuck.”
She gaped at Henry as he stalked off into the night, away from the dance and away from her. She was ready to give Rick hell. Instead, she took a step forward, glowered at him, then locked her hands at the back of his neck and yanked his mouth to hers.
He kissed her back, not resisting her. Pushing against the wall, his hands found her breasts as he bit and nibbled at her lips. She rejoiced, feeling as though she’d won a great battle.
Then, suddenly, as quickly as it had begun, the kiss ended. He shoved away from her then took hold of her arms and held her back even as she tried to move toward him.
“Rick. Now. Please.” She’d never begged a man to fuck her, but she’d do anything to get him to shove his cock inside her. If he didn’t, she’d feel empty the rest of her life.
“No, babe. As much as I want to have you, we can’t. Not here. Not now. You deserve better.” His yearning, his complete lust for her gleamed in his eyes, showed in his tense expression.
“I don’t care.”
“No, you don’t. Not right now. But you will.”
She moaned, a sound of desperation. “Please.”
“I can’t. But we’ll get together soon. All three of us. I promise.” He thrust her against the wall again and turned her loose. “Go home, Mira.” With that said, he spun around and stalked into the darkness.
“No, Rick,” she whispered. Falling against the wall, she shook her head, trying to clear her head of the fuzziness. What had happened? The lights from the dance flickered a few yards away. She heard voices. Were they talking about her?
With her mind clear, she realized how close she’d come to letting three men take her. Yet
, even now, she wanted nothing more than for them to do exactly that. But Rick was right. Now was not the time or the place.
But soon. Very soon.
* * * *
A girl has to do what a girl has to do.
Mira stepped into the shower and, not for the first time in her adult life, wondered why she found pleasing herself so uncomfortable. Was it her conservative upbringing? Was it that her mother had ingrained in her that self-pleasing was somehow wrong? Dirty?
She turned on the nozzle and let the water beat down on her. Bracing through the cold, she was soon rewarded with warm water. Hurriedly, she washed, knowing that it was her uneasiness that made her postpone the real reason she’d come back to the B&B and headed straight for the shower.
She was tense. Hell, she was horny. What woman wouldn’t be after having three men kiss and fondle her the way the Fairland men had done? At least, most of the Fairland men. Michael hadn’t tried to kiss her. Not even once. But why? Was he just not into her?
Still, there was Rick, Davis, and Henry. Three amazingly sexy men who had obviously been into her. Even more, Rick had been into her while respecting her, too. He’d been the one to call things off, leaving her confused and sexually frustrated.
Damn.
Although Rick had promised they’d get together soon, would it be soon enough? And did he mean all three of them?
Putting her foot on the edge of the built-in seat, she lowered the showerhead and put it between her legs. Spreading her pussy lips, she thumbed the showerhead to the strongest spray and centered it on her pussy.
She sucked in a breath as the warm water struck her. The spray massaged her clit, and soon her juices were mixing with the spray. She moaned and fondled her tit, rubbing it hard and bringing it to a taut nub.
The spray undulated, hard then soft, hard then soft. She spread her legs wider, aiming for the perfect spot.
“Oh, yeah. That’s it, Rick. Uh-huh, Davis.”
Rick’s face emerged behind her closed eyes. She could feel Davis’s hands between her legs.
No, not Davis’s hands. Henry’s face.
“Eat me, Henry. That’s it. Suck on my clit.”
The rest of her torso was chilled, but the heat between her legs grew stronger, hotter. She repositioned the showerhead again. Without warning, the climax hit her, weakening her legs. Gritting her teeth, she hung on to the showerhead as she screamed out her release.
She fell against the tiled wall then slipped downward to sit. Letting the showerhead fall to the floor, she leaned back and gathered herself. Sexual relief swamped her, but it was a poor substitute for the relief the men could have given her. After a few more minutes of letting the water spray around the shower, she took hold of the showerhead and put it back in its holder.
A few minutes later, she toweled off and put on her sleep shirt. Wrapping her robe around her, she left the bathroom and began to pad quietly down the hall back to her bedroom.
“Hey, girl.”
Mira came to an abrupt stop then turned slowly around to face Miss Kitty. “Hi.”
“I saw you at the dance.” The twinkle in the older woman’s eye was hard to miss. “You sure looked like you were having a good time.”
Mira felt her cheeks grow warm. “Oh. Uh-huh. I did.” Had Miss Kitty seen everything that had happened? She couldn’t meet Miss Kitty’s gaze.
Miss Kitty, however, wasn’t one to let her off easy. Patting her arm, she pulled Mira’s gaze to hers. “How about a little advice from an old girl who’s been there and done that?”
“Um, I guess so.” The last thing Mira wanted was to talk, but what could she say without being rude?
“Take it from me. A showerhead is a poor excuse for a man’s cock.”
Mira sucked in a quick breath. Oh, shit. She definitely saw me at the saloon. And heard me just now. Crap. Just let me die right now.
Miss Kitty chuckled then patted her again. “Don’t worry about it, girl. Like I said. Been there and done that.” With another chuckle, she turned on her heel and headed down the hallway.
She’s “been there and done that”? But which “done that” did she mean? Using a showerhead? Or getting a man’s cock? No. Never mind. TMI. I don’t want to know.
Mira backed up then whirled around and raced to her room.
* * * *
Michael skirted to the opposite wall of the living room. He’d gotten involved in fights with his brothers often enough, but this was one fight he didn’t want. Not that he didn’t feel the same way Davis and Henry did—he did—but he didn’t feel as strongly as they did. Rick giving Mira a taste of his allure wasn’t an awful idea. In fact, he’d given the idea of giving her a taste of his allure a brief moment of consideration, too. But giving his allure to a woman? What would’ve been the point? He and Mira had zero sexual attraction.
Davis paced back and forth, his face a mask of infuriation. He clenched and unclenched his hands as though doing his best to keep from striking out. When he whirled to confront Rick, Michael instinctively stepped back.
“Damn it, Rick. What were you thinking giving her your allure? And in front of the whole damn crowd. What if there had been visitors there? Outsiders? Yeah, man. You fucked up big time.” Davis, normally the calm and collected one, threw his cup against the wall, shattering the mug. Coffee snaked down the side of the wall.
Michael groaned, knowing he’d be the one who would get the job of cleaning up the mess. If he waited for one of his brothers to do it, the stain would be there for years.
Rick didn’t back away as Michael had done. Instead, he set his feet apart, ready to take on any challenge Davis gave him. Amber flared in his eyes, his lion clawing its way to the surface. “Don’t give me shit, man. I gave her a taste. That’s all,” argued Rick. “And there weren’t any non-locals there, so that’s not going to be a problem. Besides, what could they have seen? Sure as hell not my breath.”
The Allure wasn’t something a werelion used often. The mystical breath that a werelion could bring forth, a breath that was different than his usual breath, was a werelion’s way of bringing a potential mate to them. The Allure tugged on the woman’s instincts, making her desire the man who had breathed on her. Fortunately, Rick hadn’t given her a full dose of his allure. He’d given her what was considered to be a “taste,” just a small dose. Giving her a taste of his allure would be enough to tug at her desires and keep other werelions away from her. Once other werelions realized she’d been allured and, basically, claimed by Rick, they’d back off. All other werelions except, of course, Davis and Henry.
Thankfully, Michael wouldn’t have to worry about Mira. He wasn’t interested in her, but he did want to see his brothers happy with their mate. Once they were mated, he’d feel better about doing as he pleased.
Henry stalked to the wet bar and poured his third drink. Michael bit back the urge to tell his brother to slow down but wised up before he said so. It took a lot of drinks to get a werelion tipsy, but once they were, all hell could break loose.
“Didn’t you guys see all the shifters sniffing around her and asking her to dance? What’d you think they were doing? Just being neighborly?” Rick glared from Michael, who nodded, to Davis and then Henry, neither of whom acknowledged what he’d said. “What’d you want to happen? Maybe let them keep prowling around until one of them decided to give her The Allure? And then what? We keep to the code, let them stake their claim to her, and then do our best to forget about her? Say ‘oh, well, guess we missed our chance’? Bullshit on that crap.”
“Okay. So I get why you did it.” Henry’s jaw muscle twitched as he paused. “But you should’ve talked to us first. Hell, what if one of us decided we didn’t want her as our mate? What then?”
Davis snorted his derision as he gave up on coffee and accepted a shot glass from Henry. “One of us doesn’t want her as his mate.”
All eyes switched to Michael, but he didn’t flinch. It wasn’t as though they hadn’t known he didn’t want t
o share a mate before Mira had arrived. “Come on, guys. Leave me out of this.”
“Sorry. Wishful thinking, I guess.” Davis downed his shot and wanted another. Henry obliged him.
“What’s done is done, right? So let’s figure out what to do now,” offered Michael. His brothers were calming down, giving him the chance to step in.
“I thought you were staying out of this,” retorted Henry.
“You know what I meant.” Why was Henry being such a prick?
“He’s right. What’s done is done,” interjected Rick. “My allure will keep her in town. At least that part of the problem is solved.”
“Until your allure wears off.” Davis plopped down on the easy chair. “And we don’t know how long it will hold. That’s why we need to get moving on a plan now. We have to be ready.”
“Right. And we will be.” Henry started to pour another shot, then set the bottle of tequila down on the bar. “It’s not like we haven’t talked about what we’d do once we found our mate.”
“True enough. But that was before we actually found her.” Rick sat on the couch, placed an ankle on top of his knee, then toyed with the fray at the bottom of his worn jeans. “Are we sure she’s the one? Aside from Michael, none of us have really spent any time with her.”
“Yeah, but I think what we’ve always heard is right.” Henry leaned against the bar. “When you find her, you’ll know. And I know. The moment I touched her hand last night, I knew.” He pointed an accusing finger at Rick. “And don’t go giving me any crap about how mushy that sounds.” He pointed the finger at Davis. “And don’t you do it, either. You’re the last one who should be talking about sounding mushy.”
“I’m not saying a word,” said Davis. “Besides, I agree with you. I know she’s the one, too. I never felt anything like it when I touched her. And I’m not talking about touching her hand, either.”
“We all went too far on that score,” added Rick. His attention shifted to Michael. “Almost all of us.”
Michael grinned. “At least you don’t have to worry about me stealing her away from you guys.”