“I’m glad. Stay in here, I’m going to get out and dry off so Dylan can join you.”
“You’re not getting dressed, are you?” she asked before she could stop herself.
“Not unless you want us to leave,” he chuckled.
She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. While they’d been in bed together, everything else had dropped away. Now that she was coming down from more orgasms than she could keep track of, she was starting to dread the moment they would leave and she’d be left here with just the memory. They were so much more than she’d hoped for, and she doubted anyone else could come close to comparing.
Dylan appeared in the room as Jacob stepped out of the shower, toweling off and tossing the towel in the hamper without bothering to wrap it around his waist. Dylan’s strong hands cupped her cheek, kissing her passionately and pressing his forehead against hers.
“We can stay the night, if you want,” he said softly, his thumb caressing her bottom lip.
“I don’t know if I can handle more sex. At least not tonight, but ask me again in the morning,” she joked.
“What about sleep?”
“I like to cuddle.”
He pulled her into his arms, his muscled arms enveloping her.
“So do we. We’ll leave in the morning.”
“What about a hike?” she asked, not wanting their night to end so soon.
“Now?”
“Not now,” she laughed. “In the morning. Your ad said you both like the outdoors. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen these waterfalls and hiked some of these trails.”
She bit her lip, hoping she didn’t sound desperate. It was the first time in a long time that she’d enjoyed the company of another human being enough to want to spend some actual time getting to know them, even if it was a casual fling with no strings attached. It wasn’t lost on her that the only real connections she’d made with human beings was with shifters.
“I disagree,” he said, and her heart sank.
He grabbed her chin and tilted her head so that she was looking into his eyes.
“I would say that you haven’t lived until you’ve seen all those things from the back of a tiger.”
Samantha smiled, leaning into Dylan and resting her cheek on his bare chest. The water cascaded over them as the last of the suds slid off their bodies and disappeared down the drain.
Dylan turned the water off, stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. She held her hand out for it, but he shook his head and went to work drying her off. He took his time, squeezing water out of her hair, chuckling softly when he playfully blew cool air across her nipples and they puckered in response.
“You’re a tease,” Samantha said.
“I won’t argue with that,” Dylan said, finishing up before drying himself off and dropping both their towels in the laundry.
Samantha admired his body out of the corner of her eye, not quite as brazen as the pair of them. She felt exposed and a little chilly standing there, completely naked and raw from their lovemaking, but the feeling was delicious. She let Dylan lead her back into the room and to the bed.
The bed was freshly made, with fresh silk sheets that she’d bought and never taken out of the package. The deep jade was in perfect contrast to the light décor of her room, and the bed looked so warm and inviting.
“I hope you like them,” Dylan said. “I found them and thought they matched your eyes so perfectly I couldn’t pass them up.”
Jacob pulled back the sheets and Samantha made herself comfortable in the middle of the bed. They got in on either side of her, moving against her until she was wrapped up in them, completely surrounded by them.
Her eyes grew heavy as she burrowed down into the pillows and snuggled against them. Two sets of lips planted sweet kisses on her cheeks as the world faded away around her. She struggled to stay awake, but it was late and they were warm against her.
Her last thought before sleep overtook her was to wonder if they would be there in the morning, or if they would sneak out regardless of what Dylan said in the shower.
That would be just my luck, she thought as the darkness grew, I finally find two men that I want to wake up next to, and they’re only interested in sex. Wonderful, earth-shattering, sex...
CHAPTER FOUR
Mabel answered the phone on the first ring, excited to see Grant’s number pop up on her caller ID.
“Hi, Grant.”
“Hey, Sis.”
“I thought I’d see you after you had lunch today, but I guess you were too busy.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I had a meeting that couldn’t wait. I’m just now finishing up and I haven’t even had dinner yet.”
Mabel glanced at the clock.
“Oh, that sucks. It’s almost ten.”
“Exactly. It’s been a long day.”
“I haven’t seen Samantha, either. I thought you two hit it off a little too quickly, if you know what I mean.”
“I do, and you’re terrible,” he laughed. “She’s a class act, that woman. There’s no way I’d be taking her to bed on the first date. A woman like that deserves to be wined and dined.”
“So it went well?”
“So well. Oh Mabel, she’s perfect, you’re right. I think she might be the one.”
“Really? After just the first date?”
“I just have a feeling, you know? She’s amazing, and feisty and so strong. All the other women I’ve met who were into shifters were total damsels in distress, completely incapable of forming a coherent thought for themselves, let alone standing up for themselves. Samantha is a fiercely independent woman and just so spirited.”
“I’m glad you liked her. I’m pretty fond of her myself. Does that mean I’ll be seeing more of you up in the mountains?”
“Yes and no. Right now, I have a big project to finish before I can even think of getting involved in a serious relationship, but that will make it easy to take it slow. Once that’s done, I’m pretty sure you’ll be seeing me daily. I’m not letting this one get away, she’s something special.”
Mabel smiled. She’d had high hopes for a love connection between her two favorite people, but she’d been cautiously optimistic. What could be better than her best friend ending up with her brother? It was about time Grant settled down, and the news of their successful first date made Mabel a little giddy.
“How much longer do you think that project will last?”
“I’m not sure. That’s why I was hoping you could help me with something.”
“Of course.”
“I want to send her flowers, but I don’t have her address. Maybe you can take them to her house for me-”
“Don’t be silly. I’m sure she’d be delighted to get flowers from you.”
Mabel rattled off the address and listened while Grant repeated it back.
“Thanks, Mabel. I’ll pick out something nice and send them to her so she knows that I’m thinking about her.”
“I’m so excited. Oh, I wish it wasn’t so late so I could call her.”
“Mabel, do me a favor?”
“Yes.”
“Please don’t talk to her about any of this. Pretend you don’t know. I don’t want her to get overwhelmed or feel like I’m too clingy. You know how easy it easy for a woman to go from interested to overwhelmed and this one is important.”
“Absolutely. I understand.”
“If she talks to you about it, listen to her, but don’t let her know I already told you. And if there’s anything you think would help me sweep her off her feet, you’ll let me know, right?”
“Of course I will, but isn’t that a little bit much. I mean, she is my best friend and I would feel a little like I was betraying her if I repeated everything she told me about you.”
“I’m your brother. Family trumps friendship every time. Plus, you’d be doing her a favor in the long run. We were meant for each other. By helping me make sure I don’t flub it up, you’re ensuring tha
t Samantha gets the happy ending she deserves. It’s a win-win.”
“I guess you’re right. I just don’t want to cross any lines. Samantha is a really private person.”
“I love that you respect that. You’re such a good friend, and the best sister I’ve ever had.”
“I’m the only sister you’ve ever had.”
“Exactly. That’s what makes you the absolute best.”
Mabel laughed. Since she could remember, this was always Grant’s go-to compliment for her. It was silly and annoying, which perfectly described their relationship. She couldn’t wait until Samantha and Grant started dating regularly. Until then, Mabel had to play it cool and pretend she didn’t know. It was going to be hard, but she would do it, for both of them.
They said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. Mabel danced around the room, quietly humming a love song and imagining her brother’s wedding. It would be lavish and perfect, and Mabel would be the Maid of Honor.
Mabel stepped outside and looked towards Samantha’s house. She couldn’t see the actual house, but since there were no street lights in Barnes Point, she could see if her lights were on from her front porch. She didn’t see any sign that lights were on. She was disappointed, but she understood. Samantha had been burning the candle at both ends for almost a week to catch up with her workload. As much as Mabel wanted an excuse to have a little girl time this late at night, Samantha was probably more than a little tired.
“I guess I can wait until tomorrow,” she said aloud, feeling more than a little lonely up here on the mountain alone.
Samantha had her books and probably Grant. Grant had his many business dealings and was never alone. Mabel needed someone to keep her warm at night. Someone to make her house feel like a home. Maybe, after things settled down with Samantha and Grant, Mabel would try one of those online dating sites.
It was about time she settled down.
***
Grant hung up the phone and smiled. Sweet Mabel was so trusting and never questioned anything he’d ever said, no matter what. His date with Samantha had been far from perfect, but he knew women, and Samantha was a woman who wanted to be tamed. She might not know it, but he saw it in those jade green eyes, and the way she flipped her curly, touchable hair. She wanted him, but she wasn’t just going to give in. Not Samantha, she wanted to be hunted. He knew her type and knew she would fight herself and him until he showed her what she was missing.
He wasn’t against a little fight. He liked his women feisty, and Samantha had enough sass for two or three women. Grant smiled at the thought of what the next few months would bring. He would chase her until she caught him, and he’d pretend to have no idea that she’d planned it all along.
Lunch had been a prime example of just the type of woman Samantha was. He’d treated her how she longed to be treated, yet she’d balked. He’d back tracked carefully, giving her an out when she’d overwhelmed herself.
He understood; he was charming and much more sophisticated than most women were used to dealing with. Add to that his sex appeal and the fact that he was a mysterious shifter and it was no wonder women threw themselves at his feet.
But Samantha was different. She wanted him, but she wanted him to work for her. Grant was fine with that. Things worth having always came at a higher price.
Samantha was well worth the effort.
Grant pressed the accelerator on his McLaren MP4. The car leaped forward, eating up the miles with muscled elegance as Grant daydreamed about Samantha. That tiny little dress had left very little to the imagination. He could see her, writhing beneath him, begging him for release. Depending on how long she dragged this out, he might make her wait an eternity for her release, teasing her to the brink of orgasm over and over, leaving her unsatisfied until he was ready for her to achieve release.
He didn’t mind the games that women played, but Samantha was going to learn a thing or two about Grant in the next few weeks; he would play the game until she finally gave in, but once she was his, he called the shots.
His phone rang through the car stereo and he tapped the button on his earpiece to accept the call.
“This is Grant.”
“Hi, Mr. Daniels. This is Craig Walsh, the real estate agent.”
“Ah yes, Mr. Walsh. Do you have good news for me?”
“Good and bad. The property owned by Samantha Green was paid for in cash and has no mortgage against it.”
“And the good news?”
“There are three properties available within five miles of the property you’re looking at, all accessing the same network of nature trails from private entrances.”
“That’s not what I was hoping for, but that will do. Are they visible from the Green property?”
“No,” the man said, sounding a little confused. “The wooded area they have in common runs between the properties. Basically, the five-mile difference is as the crow flies and the woods make up almost the entirety of that five-mile distance from house to house.”
“That’s perfect. What about the other two properties?”
“These three properties border each other.”
“So I could feasibly connect the three and form one huge property?”
“Yes, and you would own that entire twenty-five-acre section off the highway.”
“I’ll take that then,” Grant said.
“Sir?”
“The twenty-five-acres with three homes on it. I’ll take that.”
“It’s after ten o’clock, sir. I can’t place an offer until morning. There are three different owners, which complicates matters.”
“How much to make things uncomplicated?”
“One million each property, plus closing costs, commission-”
“You write me up an offer and send it to my assistant to sign. I don’t want to hear from you again until you’re sending a courier to me with the keys, are we clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
Grant gave the man the contact information for his personal assistant and waited impatiently for the man to repeat the information back to him.
“One more thing. I want this sale closed by beginning of next week.”
“But tomorrow is Friday.”
“It sure is,” Grant said jovially and hung up the phone without another word.
He’d learned years before that giving people no choice but success pushed them to do better than their best. Grant had no doubt that Craig Walsh could make the sale happen and close it in record time. It was all a matter of not giving the man a choice.
Grant was more than a little excited. Everything was coming together so smoothly. Pretty soon, he would have a home close enough to Samantha to justify spending a bit of time there in the mountains. He wasn’t sure yet if he would bring her into the city every time he went, but he would cross that bridge when he got there. For now, she’d stay in the mountains that she called home and he would visit her when it suited him. If he had a fancy gala to attend, she’d be the perfect arm candy. Well-read and well-spoken, she would flow into conversations with an ease that would be unmatched.
Add to that the fact that she was a well-known author and gorgeous, he knew that she’d be perfect for the role. And when she wasn’t serving as his personal escort service, she could lose herself in her latest novel, as long as his needs were met.
It was the perfect setup for both of them. His smile was wide as he took a tight corner, wide tires hugging the curve effortlessly. Everything was going better than he’d hoped, and this time next week, he would surprise Samantha with a property worthy of her status in life as his companion, and someday, his wife.
Grant was tempted to call Samantha up, but a woman like her needed her beauty sleep. No, he’d call her in the morning when he got up. Or the afternoon, whenever he felt like it. It wouldn’t do her any good if he called her immediately like a needy puppy begging for a bone. Grant knew how to play the game, and he had a thing or two to show Samantha.
He pulled into his spaciou
s garage, parking the McLaren next to his Porsche Spyder and getting out of the car. He took the elevator to the third floor of his ten-bedroom mansion and walked off the lift and into a large spa.
His masseuse was waiting, long hair parted in the middle, barely covering her bare breasts. He’d phoned ahead, letting his personal assistant know that he was in need of his nightly massage and to have Kara ready for him.
As usual, she wore a sheer skirt that grazed the floor and dark red panties that were clearly visible through the fabric of her skirt. She went topless at his request, and Grant paid handsomely for the privilege.
He strode into the room, grabbing Kara roughly and kissing her on her hot mouth. Full breasts pressed against him, breaking the tenuous hold he had on the last bit of his control.
“I’d like a deep tissue massage with a happy ending,” he said, setting her back and taking in the sight of her.
“As you wish,” she said, smiling softly and dipping her hands into the warm, fragrant oil while he stripped naked.
“On second thought,” he said, stretching out onto the thickly padded table, “I’ll take that happy ending first.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Samantha woke up early the next morning, her body stiff and sore, but feeling completely sated nonetheless. Eyes still closed, she reached out in the bed, but they were gone.
You’re the one that signed up for an NSA encounter, she chided herself. No strings attached meant just that. She’d let herself down by believing it to be anything more.
She crawled out of bed, stretching deeply and trying to work the kinks out as she headed for the shower. Maybe she’d wait a week and contact them again, or maybe she’d move on. It would probably be better to move on. That way, she wouldn’t get attached and make a fool of herself.
The water was hot as it rushed down her skin, washing away the night before and bringing her firmly back to reality. She turned the showerhead on the hardest spray, moving side to side underneath it until her muscles began to relax. By the time the water cooled and she stepped out onto the plush mat and began to towel off, she was starting to feel normal. Normal except for the deep ache between her legs. It would be awhile before that faded.
Her Tiger Twins Page 4