Fever for Three

by Talbot, Julia

  Paulo’s expression went apologetic. “Maybe I can make it up to you sometime soon. Over coffee.”

  She touched his hand, smiled as electricity seemed to shoot up her arm. Wow. “It’s a date.”

  “Wonderful,” Paulo said. He got back to work, leaving her with Josh, who gave her a genuine smile.

  “Sorry about that,” Josh murmured

  She wasn’t sure what to say, so she changed the subject. “You lived here long?”

  “All my life. It’s little, but it’s ours.” He was looking at her as if he wanted her to be his too.

  “Ah. I’m looking forward to…” Rubbing all over you. “Meeting the kids.”

  His eyes went bright-bright, his nose quivering. Cheri blinked a little. He looked like a predator all of a sudden, not creepy or anything, but definitely ready to jump on her.

  Her lips opened, and she almost stepped closer when Paulo bumped into Josh, hard enough to break their stare.

  “All done!” Paulo said brightly. “You have my number, so call me if anything else goes.”

  “I will. I owe you a coffee.” She grabbed her purse. “What’s the damage?”

  “I tell you what, you buy the coffee and I’ll call it even.”

  Josh raised both brows. “Nothing is free with you, Paulo.”

  The tone of Josh’s voice put her back up, made her worry they were about to throw down. “Okay. Okay, it’s time for y’all to leave.”

  They turned to stare at her, but they both nodded, which made her breathe a sigh of relief. She kept expecting them to bite each other or something.

  It was weirdly primal, oddly moving to her. “Let me know about the coffee, Paulo.”

  “I will.” Paulo took her hand between both of his and held on a moment. Then he kissed her hand and waved, heading out.

  “You’ll have to let me take you to lunch at the diner,” Josh said before kissing her cheek. “I’ll drop by later in the week to make sure you’re doing all right.”

  Then he was gone too, leaving her blinking, confused and incredibly sexually frustrated.

  God, where had she packed her vibrator? That and a hot bath seemed way more important than unpacking right now.

  She started the water in her tub then began digging through boxes marked “bathtub” for some bubble bath.

  Score! Her vibrator was in there too. Go her for planning ahead. A girl had to be ready for anything.

  She slipped her clothes off, turned the hot water on and put her hair up. God, those were two beautiful men. And they were both interested in her! Or at least they seemed to be. It was too bizarre.

  How long had it been since a guy had made a pass? Too long. She stepped into the water, sliding down in it with a soft moan. The water brushed over her skin and she could imagine their hands on her, washing her. Both of them focused on her.

  Cheri closed her eyes, leaned back into the water. Paulo was sensitive, she could tell, and his hands could make a woman moan. Josh would be rougher, faster, making her want to scream.

  She pushed her hands down her belly, down her thighs. If they were here, watching… Oh God. How hot would that be? Peeping Josh and Paulo. Delicious. She spread, one leg propped on the edge of the tub.

  Humming, she turned on her little toy, sliding it down between her legs.

  Thank goodness the batteries worked better than the electricity.

  Chapter Two

  Josh knew it was totally wrong of him, but he couldn’t help himself. He left Cheri’s house and slipped around the back, hoping she hadn’t put curtains up on any of the windows yet. He just wanted one or two more glimpses of the prettiest newcomer he’d seen in an age.

  Oh fuck.

  Fuck.

  There wasn’t anything hiding the rooms but those little sheer not-curtains and… Oh sweet Jesus.

  He’d known that girl was hiding under those too-big clothes. He’d been damned sure. Josh just sat there with his teeth in his mouth and stared. Naked, wet, Cheri was in the bath, and she had a frickin’ vibrator in her hands.

  Curvy and lush, that pretty gal was sex personified, and she made his mouth water. He chuckled at that thought. It could be mistaken if he said it out loud, at least in Lobo Basin.

  “What’re you doing, vato?”

  Josh almost killed himself turning around when the heel of his cowboy boot caught in a groove in the dirt. Shit. Paulo. He’d thought that asshole had left. His cheeks went hot. “Nothing.”

  “Uh-huh.” Paulo’s eyes went to the window and the short little bastard groaned at the picture Cheri made.

  Josh pushed him a little, shoving him away from the window. “She’s not for you.”

  “She ain’t yours.” Paulo grabbed him, dragging him out toward the desert, where their trucks were parked. The grip on his arm was angry, urgent.

  “I saw her first.” He knew it was petty, but it was an effective argument. He dug his boot heels in, but man, Paulo was a strong little fuck.

  “Yeah. She wanted me first.”

  He was leaving tracks in the dirt. It was getting on to dusk too, and he looked at the sky, the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. His skin snapped with electricity, frustration and need rising in his blood.

  “Fuck you. Moon’s coming.”

  “It is.” Paulo’s voice was damn near a growl, teeth bared, and Josh could smell arousal.

  It made his nose quiver, his breath starting to come hard and fast. Between the hot new girl and this man, the one he’d wanted and wanted, being right there… God, he was going to explode.

  They walked out to the trucks—there wasn’t anything out here, no streetlights, nothing but caliche and heat, burning up through his boots. His cock felt like a rock in his jeans, a hot one, pressing against his zipper. God, he wanted to bite something.

  “I smell you, vato.”

  “Shut up.” He whacked Paulo on the arm, finally getting himself free. No one treated him like a naughty kid, as if he was being hauled to the principal’s office.

  Paulo popped him right in the jaw, hard enough to sting. “No. You’re all worked up, looking at her.”

  “So? So are you.” He grabbed Paulo, shook hard, then gave Paulo’s jeans a pointed look. “I wasn’t the one rubbing up on her like a puppy in the kitchen.”

  “She didn’t complain.” Paulo flexed and spread, stood as if he owned the world, hands clenched into fists.

  Silly man. Everyone knew cowboys were the ones who owned the world.

  “How would you know? You were too busy looking at her boobs.” Josh bared his teeth, not backing down. In fact, he figured now was the time to throw a punch of his own. He missed by maybe a quarter of an inch.

  Paulo rolled his eyes while dancing back, the look playful. “Uh-huh. Like we could have seen her under all those clothes.”

  Josh grinned a little, in complete agreement about Cheri’s clothes. He hadn’t agreed with Paulo on anything in four years.

  “She’s something else.” When Paulo said it, it came out “somet’in’”.

  “She is. I want her.” He wanted Paulo too. He always had. Fucker had turned him down, which was like the elephant in the room, always there between them.

  “Me too.” Paulo took a step closer to him, their chests slapping together.

  “Well, you can’t have her.” He bumped a little in return, giving some aggression back.

  “Watch me.” Paulo was a short little shit; one hand landed on Josh’s hip, helping Paulo stay balanced. “Hard as you are, I think you’d like that.”

  “Oh fuck you. You know how fucking hot I think you are.” All he could do was press his hips forward and let them smack Paulo’s. Let Paulo feel everything.

  “Yeah. You’re finally all grown up too, vato.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?” He whirled, slamming Paulo against the side panel of his truck, not sure if he should fight or fuck.

  “It means I could eat your fine ass up.” His head was pulled down, the kiss toothy and
wild.

  Oh. Oh God. Fuck him raw. Paulo was kissing him. He was so hard, so hot from imagining Cheri and Paulo fucking, from imagining Cheri sucking him while Paulo did her. Josh pulled Paulo as close as he could, humping against the man. He needed release. Now. The fighting had been all the foreplay he needed.

  “Truck. Get in the… Fucking hell…” Paulo nipped his bottom lip, the sting perfect.

  He bit back, the flavor of Paulo on his tongue. He pushed and pulled and tugged, and they made it into the back of his truck and managed to get their clothes open, if not off. He loved the feel of Paulo’s skin, warm and firm and fuzzy.

  Paulo was surprisingly loud, chirruping and growling as they rubbed together, and the man’s hands were deliciously rough. They struggled to get lined up, to get some friction, but their cocks finally slid against each other, and that was it. They were off and running.

  He’d known that this was right, known it without a doubt, that Paulo would be hot as fire against him. Josh panted, breaking the kiss to bite at Paulo’s collarbone. “More.”

  “Pushy.” Paulo growled, grinding against him, driving hard.

  “You know it. Need it.” If he could just get his hand between them, he could touch them both. There. He wrapped his fingers around his cock and Paulo’s, squeezing.

  Paulo growled, near-black eyes going bright gold. “Harder.”

  “Yeah.” Josh felt the moon pressing on his shoulders, and he stroked them harder, faster, his teeth clenching with the pleasure riding him.

  A spate of filthy-sounding Spanish escaped Paulo, and then that calloused thumb dragged over his nipple.

  Josh cried out, his thumb digging in against their cocks in turn. He jerked hard, his balls pulling up.

  “Si. Si. Come on. La luna, she comes…”

  “Paulo.” He almost howled it, glad they were far enough away from Cheri’s house that she wouldn’t hear it. His hips rocked hard, his body driving toward orgasm.

  Paulo’s teeth grazed his jaw, close enough to his throat to make him wild.

  Josh grabbed Paulo’s butt with his free hand, needing the damned fool to go over the edge with him. He was already seeing stars. It must have worked, because Paulo barked out, once, then shot, wet heat splattering between them.

  His ears rang with the sounds they made and Josh came so hard he almost blacked out. Okay, it had been awhile, but he couldn’t ever remember coming so damned hard. He panted, knowing they didn’t have enough time to do it again before the moon came.

  Paulo started stripping him, dragging his clothes off. “Run with me.”

  “You’re crazy.” If either one of their packs caught them, they’d probably get torn apart.

  “Loco. So?” Paulo head-butted him. “You scared?”

  “No.” It came out immediately and Josh followed it by spitting over the side of the truck, cowboy style. “Let’s run.”

  “Brave gringo.” Paulo stripped them down, the short, thick body dark even in the fading daylight, the beginning of the moonlight.

  Moonlight. Christ, how long had they been going at it? He stared at the sky for a moment and then leaped out of the truck himself, so close to Paulo they almost touched.

  Paulo smelled like sex and Josh and male and, fuck, he wanted to bite.

  Josh bared his teeth to do just that when the dark took over and the moon came for him. He was on all fours before he could blink, his howl ringing out.

  Suddenly Paulo was beside him, tiny and dark, bright eyes gleaming. Look at that. Such a pretty little wolf. Almost delicate. He’d never seen any of Paulo’s pack as a wolf before. He nudged Paulo’s shoulder then trotted toward the desert.

  Paulo followed, almost soundless as his paws flew over the sand.

  Josh was suddenly fiercely grateful to the new girl for this. It would never have happened otherwise.

  He just hoped he had the opportunity to make it up to her. Intimately.

  Paulo’s muzzle brushed his flank. Our girl.

  He jumped, his brain going in all directions. I can hear you.

  Paulo panted, dancing around him. And I can hear you!

  Shaking as if he was wet, Josh blew out his lips. We need to run. There was no way they could communicate like this. No way. They weren’t pack.

  Then come on. Paulo chuffed at him, playful, somehow young and bouncy. Catch me!

  Josh gave up thinking, gave up anything but chasing the plume of Paulo’s tail. The rest of it would just have to work itself out after the moon.

  Paulo led him on a merry run, driving him deeper into the desert. They nipped at each other, pawed each other and ran like crazy, hunting in the bright moonlight. He couldn’t remember a better moon in his life.

  Together, they headed back toward Cheri’s little house, the lights shining from the front room. He could see her, wearing a tiny tank top and a pair of panties, drinking a glass of wine and putting books on a shelf.

  Ours. Paulo’s voice was strong, sure, echoing inside him and Josh found himself nodding.

  Theirs. Their girl. Their mate.

  The thought made his hackles rise.

  Our mate.

  Paulo nodded and padded out to the fence post, marking, warning the other males away. Right. Right, their mate. He went to add his scent to Paulo’s.

  They found a bright spot to rest, panting together after a long chase involving a lizard and a series of rocks. Paulo carefully groomed himself, cleaning between his paws, chewing out any gravel and sand and burrs.

  Josh cleaned Paulo’s whiskers afterward, curling up for a nap. Paulo’s fur felt short, brushy, dense.

  Paulo nuzzled in, sighing softly. Good.

  Good. Now we just have to get our girl.

  Yes. Our girl. Well, that was easy. Fun, but easy.

  He had a feeling actually getting Cheri to accept both of them would be more difficult.

  Paulo snorted. You watch. She’ll choose me first.

  Don’t make me bite you. He would. He’d like it too.

  First one to make her come gets to bite.

  Deal. That was his specialty. Orgasms. She might go for Paulo first, but he would make her crazy with pleasure.

  Josh was sure of it.

  Chapter Three

  “Marco, put the crayons in the bin, please.”

  Cheri tried so hard not to laugh as her playful, goofy, bright-eyed student pretended not to understand. She loved all of them already, with their easy hugs, their happy laughter. The children were so wonderful, so eager to please and so quick to soak up knowledge. That was why she’d become a teacher; she didn’t fit in with most adults, but big groups of kids made her feel at home, like she had a calling.

  She steered Marco gently to the bin of crayons, squeezing his little hand just enough to get him to let go. He was obsessed with the red crayon.

  “Okay, y’all. Get your things from your cubbies. Time to line up for the bus.” Time for her to clean up and get things ready for tomorrow.

  “Maestra! I lost my shoe.” Cynthia had lost her shoes five times in the two weeks Cheri had been at work.

  “Cynthia, again?” She laughed, took the little hand. “Did it find another cubby?”

  “Buenos dias, linda.” A familiar voice sounded and she looked up into warm, dark eyes.

  “Senor.” She grinned, tempted to tell Paulo her name was Cheri.

  “He says you’re pretty, miss.”

  “What do you think, Cynthia?” Paulo was a charmer, that was for sure.

  “Maestra es muy linda, si, Tio Paulo.”

  She smiled. “You’re her uncle?”

  Paulo’s dark eyes flickered a little. “We’re like family, si.” He put a hand on her arm, which made her shiver. He’d been so helpful with the house, and he always made her feel special, not like a mousy teacher.

  “Let me find her shoes and I’ll be right with you.” She led the little girl to the cubbies, finding one sparkly pink shoe that had fallen behind the cabinet.

  “Alli esta
!” Cynthia clapped her hands and Cheri felt like a hero. That was the best thing about kids.

  Cheri helped the wee girl get her backpack on and then pointed her down the hall toward the line of children waiting for the bus to the reservation.

  Paulo came up behind her, his hand slipping to rest on her hip. “How about an early supper?”

  Really, she’d never had so much attention from men.

  She looked up, her face surprisingly close to his. “I would love that. Is there a place to go?”

  This town was the smallest place she’d ever lived. Ever. It had a feed/general store, which was also the gas station and post office. There was a hotel from days gone by, but she wasn’t sure it was even still open, and a diner that did breakfast and lunch.

  “There’s a truck stop out by the main road. They have good meatloaf.”

  “I like meatloaf. Let me grab my purse.” She headed for her desk to get her purse. “Did you need something? Here at the school, I mean.”

  “Oh I was wiring the sound system in the cafeteria.” He followed, close enough for her to feel his heat.

  “Yeah? How fun! Now we’ll be able to have announcements.” When all grades were in the same building, that could be a challenge.

  “Hey, you should have seen it before we had the cafeteria.”

  Apparently that had been only a few years ago. She couldn’t imagine.

  “The kids were telling me.” She grabbed her bag, her sunglasses. “They’re amazing, you know? The kids?”

  “I know.” His cheeks heated when she smiled at him. Gosh, he was cute.

  “Do you want me to follow you?” She locked her door, leading him through the one long hallway.

  “I could drive you and bring you on back for your car after.” He took her elbow, his hand warm and calloused.

  She nodded, smiled. There was something about him, something comfortable and easy and relaxing. He had this calm strength about him, coupled with an “aw shucks” sort of shyness.

  He led her to his truck, handing her up into the cab, and he pulled out, honking and waving at Johnny Rodriguez, one of her third-graders.

  The truck was surprisingly clean, even the backseat looked as if someone could sit back there and not be disgusted. The drive to the truck stop took only about ten minutes. How tired had she been on the way into town that she’d never seen that?