Red (Siren Publishing Menage Amour)

by Eden French

  Celeste rested her head in her hand and looked at Calen, nervous anticipation ate at his stomach. Would she turn him down? The thought paralyzed him. Celeste smiled, this time it was warm and genuine.

  “I would love to.”

  Calen could see the smile in her eyes in the light of the moon’s reflection as it shimmered on the water’s surface. His heart nearly burst with joy as she reached for a kiss.

  * * * *

  “Where could she be?” Zev muttered to himself as he made his way, room to room, through the party.

  The house was packed to capacity as the hour approached midnight. Zev narrowed his eyes as he studied her friends. She had left the room with the guy, but now she was gone. Had she gone home? Unlikely. He could still feel her near. His instincts hinted there was something he was missing in this puzzle. No. Someone.

  Zev looked around the party and noted someone else conveniently misplaced. Of course, how could have not noticed before?

  Red.

  Zev’s jaw clenched as everything began to fall into place. Red’s foul mood the past few weeks. The attitude in the kitchen this morning. Celeste was gone. Calen was gone. He was willing to bet they were somewhere together. He scented Calen’s response to Celeste in his office—when he arrived. He wasn’t an idiot. He could smell Calen’s desire for her. A growl escaped his lips.

  But where? Where would Red have taken her if he wanted to spend some time alone?

  Zev clicked his tongue in thought. Suddenly, it hit him.

  The pool house.

  Zev ground his jaw. Calen was the only one with access to the building. He was certain his friend would have taken her there. It was the one place no one could bother them. Zev turned and walked to the kitchen where he headed out the back door toward the deserted building.

  He descended the steps two at a time and stopped. Crouching behind the garbage cans, Zev was out of sight. Across the lawn, he spied Calen leading Celeste out of the pool house by the hand. Even from this distance, Zev knew something had happened between them. He was too late. A streak of fire slashed across his eyes, leaving a trail of red in its wake.

  He watched them, his eyes consuming the two as their body language hinted at a newfound intimacy. His heart thudded as he secretly watched them head back up south lawn, but not before Calen turned and wrapping Celeste in an intimate embrace, kissed her full on the mouth. Celeste’s body melted into him.

  Zev growled, and his nostrils flared. It was a deep, warning sound that came from the very center of his core and rose with strength as it reached the night air. Wild and feral, it told him there was no way Red was going to get away with stealing his mate. No matter that he was his best friend.

  Zev dug his fingernails into his thigh, trying to subdue his ire. It was no use. He cursed himself for allowing Calen the opportunity to steal his woman—his mate. The growl subsided, and Zev took a measured breath. He’d call his father. His father would know just what to do.

  An odd sound in the woods backed up to the property caught Zev’s attention. He snapped his head toward the faint noise and listened. For the moment, the thoughts of revenge against Calen fell to the side as Zev focused his attention to the distant sound of a struggle.

  Chapter Eight

  “Come on, baby,” Kevin cooed. “Don’t be such a tease.”

  Priscilla Vanderson pushed against Kevin with all her strength, and still, it was no use. He had her in his tight grip. Priscilla shuddered.

  “No, Kevin,” she said, her voice shaking in the night air. “I want to go back to the party now, okay?”

  She shouldn’t have ever let Kevin convince her to walk all the way out back to the tree line. He had told her he wanted some privacy to talk with her, but she’d had that feeling. The feeling that warned her he was after something more.

  She should have listened to her instinct. But, she hadn’t. Now, she was stuck out at the edge of the woods…alone, in a situation that was quickly growing out of control.

  “Kevin, stop,” Priscilla continued, wishing she hadn’t had those few drinks tonight. “People will talk.”

  “What are they going to say?” Kevin laughed as he leaned in to kiss her neck. “That we went somewhere to be alone?” His hands held her in place as his mouth continued down to her collarbone.

  Priscilla squirmed out of Kevin’s grip and pushed hard against his chest.

  “Kevin, I mean it. Stop.” She put as much force behind the words as she could. Kevin blew out a breath. It reeked of alcohol.

  “Or what, Pris?” Kevin spat, looking irritated. “You know as well as I do no one at the party is going to believe you didn’t want to be here with me. Everyone saw you all night hanging all over me, batting your eyelashes, laughing at all my jokes.”

  Priscilla swallowed hard. Should she make a run for it? She could see the house about two hundred yards from where she now stood in the brush. As if sensing she would flee, Kevin changed his tone.

  “Don’t you want to be with me, Pris?” he said in a soft voice. “I thought we’d be together. Are you saying that it was all a joke to you? Nothing special?”

  Priscilla’s breathing increased as adrenaline flowed through her body. She knew what he was up to, her mother had warned her about these situations. She just couldn’t believe they actually happened in real life.

  Kevin reached over and wrapped his arm around her waist.

  “Look,” he said gently. “I really like you, Pris. You’re smart and cute and nice. I just want to know you, you know, like a boyfriend.”

  “Kevin.” Priscilla spoke with care. “I want all those things, too, but I think tonight we should head back to the party. There’ll be plenty of time to get to know me.”

  “Fine,” Kevin said, his shoulders slumped. “How about just one more kiss before we head back.”

  Priscilla nodded slowly. Kevin pulled her into him. He turned her around so her back was against a tree before planting a long, lingering kiss on her mouth.

  Priscilla kissed Kevin back. She let it continue for a few seconds before she found herself waiting for it to end. She tried to pull away, but Kevin pushed her head back. She was trapped between the tree trunk and her aggressor’s face.

  Kevin pressed harder against her. Priscilla tried to push back, but it was useless. He was too strong. She tried to scream, but Kevin had a lock on her mouth.

  She felt his hands begin to grope at her, squeezing each breast over the fabric. Priscilla thrashed her body, tried to escape, but found herself held fast by Kevin’s strong arms. She continued to fight. Tears fell from her eyes as she felt his fingers pull the hem of her dress up and found their way along her thigh until they grazed against the thin lace of her panties.

  * * * *

  He watched the monster grope her against her wishes. She had told him to stop, yet the bastard continued to seek his pleasure.

  There is a special place in Hell for people like this.

  The thought flew through his head before he knew it was there. He slowly approached the male from behind, too preoccupied with getting his hand up her dress to notice he was being stalked.

  “Kevin, stop. Please, stop.” The girl repeated the words between sobs.

  “You know you want this, Priscilla. Let me give you what you want,” Kevin replied.

  Priscilla fought against the thick brute. The beast knew how this would end. He had heard about it so many times before.

  He let out a long, low growl. It resonated throughout the forest. The coward stopped assaulting Priscilla long enough to stand straight and turn around.

  There was no time in between. Priscilla screamed as she ran from the forest. The beast saw her briefly look back once before he dragged Kevin further into the darkness by his leg as he begged for Priscilla to help him.

  * * * *

  “Hey, wake up, C,” Heather called as she threw a sock ball at Celeste from the doorway.

  Celeste opened her eyes long enough to locate the edge of the blanket and p
ull it over her head. Why was Heather waking her up at this hour? They didn’t even get home until well after midnight. Didn’t Heather sleep at all?

  Her nosy roommate had tried to pull the juicy details from Celeste the moment they walked through their apartment door last night, but Celeste wouldn’t budge. She had even gloated a little when she handed Heather the square foil packet back.

  “What? You mean you didn’t…” Heather said, deflated. “I was sure that you guys…I mean, you were gone for so long, and I just thought…”

  “What?” Celeste had teased. “I told you I wouldn’t need it.”

  It wasn’t necessarily a lie, either. She didn’t have intercourse so technically, she didn’t have use for it. Of course, she didn’t offer the fact there were indeed other forms of sexual play at work…mind-blowing and amazing sexual play. Celeste’s stomach tightened. She hid her face under the covers as to not expose her Cheshire catlike smile.

  “Go away. I’m sleeping.” Her muffled voice came from beneath the fleece covers.

  “Well, then I guess I’ll have to tell the delivery guy he should take those flowers back to the shop,” Heather said, making a dramatic exit and heading down the hall.

  “What? What flowers?” Celeste called, flipping off the blankets and jumping out of bed.

  She ran down the hallway in her cotton boy shorts and tank, nearly crashing to the ground as she slipped turning the corner.

  Heather was just closing the front door.

  “These flowers,” Heather replied as she turned around, revealing a large ornate bouquet in her arms.

  Celeste’s mouth dropped open.

  “Are they for me?” she asked in wonder, thrusting her face into the thick arrangement of various lilies, violets, and roses. She placed the vase on the kitchen table and inhaled deeply. The soft floral perfume filled her head.

  “Oh my God, these smell so good. Who are they from?” Celeste asked the question though she was quite sure she knew the answer.

  “Why don’t you tell me?” Heather said, handing over a small white card.

  Celeste snatched it from her fingers and tore it open. Her face froze in shock.

  “Well, who are they from? Are they from your hotshot lover boy from last night?” Heather pushed.

  “Uh…they’re from…um…” Celeste stuttered.

  “Oh, for God’s sake give me the card.” Heather slipped the note from Celeste’s frozen fingers and read aloud. “Dear Celeste, It was lovely seeing you last night. I’m sorry we didn’t have time to get to know each other better. I would very much like the opportunity to see you again. Yours, Zev.” Heather’s chin hit the floor. “What the ever-loving fuck, C? Two weeks ago you have zero guy prospects. And now? Two of the hottest guys, and close friends, mind you, at Perrault chasing after you like fifteen-year-old schoolboys! What are you going to do?” Heather let out a raucous laugh.

  Celeste closed her eyes to think. After she and Calen returned to the party from their intimate rendezvous, she had not seen Zev at all. At the time, she had been grateful for it. She wasn’t sure how she would feel being in his company after having just been…ahem, indisposed with Calen. But mostly, she had been afraid to see him. She was afraid of how she would feel around him.

  Calen had been a perfect gentleman the rest of the night. He was attentive and kind. He was witty and funny and participated in her friends’ conversation. He showed no desire to be anywhere else than with her, and as was proving to be the case in all scenarios, Celeste found she was comfortable in his company. Calen calmed her, made her feel at home.

  But, Zev lurked just beneath the surface. She felt his presence. She found herself stealing peeks around the room, searching for a glance of him during the party. While Calen laughed and engaged Essie, Heather, and James, winning them over one hundred and ten percent, Celeste had been searching for Zev.

  A knot formed in her throat as she replayed last night over in her head. Calen was everything she wanted in a lover. She felt the wetness in her panties collect as thoughts of the pool house wrapped themselves around her psyche.

  She pushed her memory to earlier in the evening and recalled her body’s response as Zev stood one millimeter opposite of her in the president’s office. She pressed her thighs together. She had tasted his tongue on her lips. Celeste gasped as she recognized an orgasm igniting between her legs. Zev was everything she felt with Calen, except more. It was carnal, intense, and unexplainable. The wetness between her legs became uncomfortable.

  “So…” Heather prodded.

  “Ugh, I don’t know,” she groaned as she brought her hands to her face.

  “Well, are you and Calen an item now?”

  Celeste brought her hands down from her face. She bit her lip in thought.

  “No…um, yes…well, maybe? I mean, we didn’t talk about being exclusive or anything. Actually, he just asked me out on a date,” Celeste finally replied.

  “Well then, I say, play the field,” Heather offered. “It could get a little tricky, being that the two of them are friends…and teammates—”

  “Don’t forget frat brothers, and house officers,” Celeste chimed in.

  Heather furrowed her brow. “Hmm, and brothers. Yeah, this is gonna be messy. Sorry, babe, don’t know what to tell you. You just gotta pick one.”

  “But, I don’t really know either of them,” Celeste whined.

  “Oh, poor baby,” Heather retorted in sarcasm. “You have to choose between two of the hottest men on campus. I’m just so sad for you. How will you ever make it?”

  Celeste shot Heather a pointed look.

  “I’m glad you’re finding humor in all this,” Celeste spat. She pulled out one of the chairs from the table and sat. Her head hit the table’s surface with a thud as she buried it in her arms. Heather took the chair next to her.

  “Celeste, calm down. There are worse things in the world,” Heather said, placing her arm around her friend’s back. “Having to choose between Midwestern hottie Calen Reddington and the wildly exotic and worldly best friend Zev Reynolds isn’t the worst thing in the world. I mean, how does each one make you feel?”

  Celeste lifted her head just enough to sneak a glance at Heather.

  “They’re different, Heath. I don’t know either of them well, but I can tell you that each of them have a profound physical effect on me.”

  “Obviously.” Heather smiled.

  “Calen is so…good. He’s easy and comfortable and sexy as hell. I feel bold when I’m with him…like I can do anything”—Celeste’s voice dropped into a heady tone—“I want to do anything. He’s just…he makes me feel like I’m the only person around, you know. And, I’m brave when I’m near him.”

  Celeste paused. Heather waited for her to continue.

  “And then, there’s Zev. When I’m near Zev my body squirms. He demands it, and I want to give it to him. I can’t stand within two feet of him without wanting to do whatever it takes to be his. He’s dangerous and mysterious and looks at me like I’m his soul. He’s absolutely delicious to look at…he takes my breath away. Or rather, his is my air to breathe.”

  Celeste sighed at her dilemma.

  “Oh girl,” Heather said, shaking her head. “I was wrong. This isn’t a mess. This is an absolute fucking disaster.”

  * * * *

  Calen awoke the next morning with a smile and a hard cock. God, that woman made him horny. He licked his lips thinking about the time spent in the pool house. He had never intended for anything but talk to happen. How amazingly wrong he was. Calen closed his eyes and remembered how she felt around his fingers as her orgasm claimed her. So tight. She had been so tight. His erection poked at his sheets. Just the thought of her drove him wild.

  She drew him in, like ants and honey. No, it was more sinister than that. A shark drawn to blood. Yeah, that was more accurate. Calen thought about that. He wasn’t sure of his role in that scenario. Predator or prey? He couldn’t care less. He hadn’t felt like this since Ki
mberly. No. Calen had never felt like this before.

  Calen’s toes curled as he replayed last night in his head. It didn’t even seem real. But it was. He still felt the throbbing in his groin. And, he had the pants to prove it. He laughed at himself. Who would have thought he’d be reduced to a pubescent boy…again.

  Reluctantly, Calen threw off his covers and headed into the shower. As he stood in the hot stream of water, his thoughts grew dark. He closed his eyes and grabbed the soap as he fell into the memory.

  She had been so soft. Soft yet strong. She was definitely in charge last night. Calen’s soapy hand found his erection and held it tight. He exhaled. He released himself slightly and gently started stroking his cock. His stomach twisted.

  “Oh, God,” he muttered under his breath as he rhythmically gave himself pleasure. He spread his legs and stood facing the wall. He placed his free hand up against the dripping tile to hold himself up.

  A flash of flesh snapped through his mind. Celeste had straddled his body, her thighs open to him, her legs strong…muscles tight as they held her above him.

  She had been so wet. Calen’s stomach muscles flexed as he remembered how moist her pussy had been, hot and ready for him. His breathing grew ragged. His hand increased pace, pulling and tugging at the erection that grew in his palm. Oh God, he was already going to come.

  Calen opened his eyes and looked down at himself. He wasn’t sure he had ever been this full in his life. The sheer size of his erection baffled and excited him. What was it about this particular woman? The mere thought of her brought a response that seemed otherworldly.

  Calen closed his eyes again, bringing himself back to the pool house. He knew he would only have to think of one thing before he exploded. He didn’t want to go there yet, though. He wanted to see how far he could tease himself.

  He flashed back to her mouth. She had opened it up to him and offered it for feasting. The taste of sweet jasmine still hung on his lips.