Tiger by the Tail

by Shelley Munro

  “Ambar?” Hari’s husky voice served as a prod for a decision and she came to a resolution. No matter what, she’d stick to it.

  Ambar stood and pushed her chair back under the table before she focused on Jake and Hari. “Just for tonight.”

  Ambar stared at Hari until he acknowledged her words with a curt nod. He thought he could change her mind. That was obvious, but it wouldn’t happen. Ambar intended to keep her freedom. She would travel soon. There would be no clipped wings for her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ambar insisted on taking her car so she could make her escape whenever she wanted. Hari and Jake drove back together in Jake’s vehicle. She pulled up outside Jake’s house, her stomach a tangle of nerves. Mistake or not, she wasn’t about to back out now.

  A deep inhalation did nothing to settle her trepidation. A sharp knock on her window made her head jerk up. Jake and Hari. Both men stood watching her.

  A united front. Waiting.

  She grimaced at the pain stabbing her heart. There went that damn jealousy again. It was a bit like being a new kid on the playground, unsure of the rules or social structure.

  Hari opened the car door and stood back, still waiting.

  “You’re not usually so shy,” Jake said.

  “Yeah, well. Things are a bit different now.”

  “Not really,” Hari said.

  “My boyfriend and his roomie spent the afternoon having sex. What’s not different about that?” And didn’t that sound like jealousy? Rats!

  “This is probably the time when I should mention the secrets you’ve kept from me,” Jake said, smoothly shifting the topic of conversation. “I’m not sulking.”

  “Are you coming inside?” Hari looked as if he was suppressing a smile.

  Ambar suddenly wanted to grin. They were right. She was acting like a child who’d had her party spoiled. “I drove out here, didn’t I?”

  Jake led the way inside and Hari walked behind her.

  “Trying to stop me from fleeing?” she asked sweetly.

  “Just appreciating the sway of your ass,” he countered.

  Jake turned, giving an approving nod. “She does move well.”

  “Stop discussing me as if I’m not here,” she said.

  “This doesn’t bode well for tonight.” Hari exaggerated his plumy English vowels especially for her.

  “Knock it off,” Ambar said, beginning to wish she’d said no and stayed at home.

  “I think we need a drink.” Jake stood aside to usher Ambar to the lounge.

  “I’ll get drinks,” Hari volunteered. “I bought some whiskey yesterday. Is that okay?”

  “That’s fine,” Ambar said in a faint voice as she dropped onto a dark brown leather couch. They were organizing her, treating her like something fragile or a wild creature about to flee. Her mouth twisted in a quick grimace. It appeared they knew her well.

  Hari came back with a bottle of whiskey and three glasses. He opened the screw top, poured whiskey in all three glasses and handed Ambar and Jake a drink each.

  “To the three of us.” Hari lifted his glass in a toast.

  “The three of us,” Jake echoed.

  Ambar stared at them, hesitating yet again. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Good idea, huh! It had the potential to blow up in their faces. Besides, Middlemarch was a small town and one where she and Jake held close ties. If things backfired between them, they couldn’t avoid each other indefinitely.

  Jake and Hari grinned at each other, communicating silently. They both crossed the threadbare carpet to reach her side. One sat on either side of her, the warmth of their thighs heating her body, making her crave more despite her brain trying to overrule her physical desires and make her see sense. A shiver stole down her spine, her nipples tightening against the fabric of her bra. Danger, Ambar. Danger!

  Hari set his glass on the nearby coffee table and took hers from nerveless fingers. A murmur of protest escaped her at his highhandedness. It didn’t make a difference to the outcome. Jake’s glass clicked when he placed it on the wooden surface. Like a well choreographed ballet, they touched her. Hands skimmed her jeans-clad knee, smoothed her back. Tremors sped across her skin as they petted her. Her breath caught in her throat. They were so close. Too close to her and impossible to ignore. Their scent twined all the way to her lungs, filling her senses until she felt dizzy in their presence. Their touch didn’t feel weird, it didn’t feel kinky. No. She felt as if they belonged together.

  And that scared her most of all because they didn’t have a future. Not if she intended to keep to her plans. But was this so bad? The traitorous voice in her head said no. It urged her to greedily soak up the experience, to hoard the good feelings. Their time together would be something to think about later when she explored the world.

  Alone, the little voice said.

  She frowned, her scowl deepening when she realized her clothes were all askew, her shirt gaping open because one of the men had adroitly unfastened buttons while she argued with herself.

  “Lean forward,” Jake urged.

  “Why?”

  “Don’t argue. Just do it,” Hari said. “Let us make you feel good.”

  Good? Already she melted like her favorite white chocolate on a sunny day. “I don’t think—”

  Jake cut off her protest with his mouth. If he tried to conquer and exert his strength, she might have won her mental argument, called a halt and gone home. But no, he was smarter than that. He persuaded her with his lips. Cajoled. He sipped and stroked her mouth in a gentle manner that made her heart pound. While he tasted, the pads of his fingers massaged her scalp. Jake seduced her, and she let him, relaxing and letting the feelings and emotions flow through her. The sensations fell, layer upon layer, until she sizzled with urgency. Like a hot plate ready to cook, she thought with a flare of disgust before a second pair of lips nuzzled her ear. A second tongue explored the whorls of her ear and the delicate skin behind it. A moan broke free then, along with the last of her doubtable restraint.

  She surrendered—that’s what she did.

  Ambar relaxed into their care. The soft murmur of approval against her lips told her Jake knew he’d won her over. The fight had ended. All they needed to do was reel her in like a fish.

  “Let me take off your shirt.” Hari’s whispered suggestion sounded good to her.

  Jake took her right hand and tugged her to her feet while Hari removed her shirt and unhooked her bra, sliding it down her arms and tossing it aside. The rest of her clothes and footwear disappeared and soon she stood in front of them, naked. Her nipples pulled even tighter in the cool air, the swirl of nervousness in her stomach making her fidget.

  “It’s hard to know where to touch first,” Jake said in a thick voice. His eyes glowed with both excitement and desire, and when he reached out to delicately touch one pouting nipple, his hand trembled.

  The small show of nerves boosted Ambar’s confidence. Her attention turned to Hari, searching for anything in his face that might bring alarm. His gentle smile, his inherent approval helped her shed the last of her inhibitions.

  Ambar cupped her breasts, offering herself to the two men.

  “I think we should move this to the bedroom,” Hari said.

  “Good idea.” Jake scooped Ambar off her feet and carried her rapidly down the passage to his bedroom. They’d changed the bed linens for fresh ones. She’d scarcely processed the thought when she found herself flat on the mattress, jammed between two hard male bodies. A blip of excitement shot to her sex.

  A quick glance at Hari told her he knew. The golden flecks in his eyes glittered and his mouth curled with satisfaction.

  “She wants this, Jake,” he said. “I can smell how excited she is at the thought of two of us loving her.”

  “I’m starting to wish I was feline. I’m going to have to investigate at closer quarters before I can smell her excitement.”

  Sudden heat suffused her face. Jake saw it—curse him—because
he shot her a boyish grin, the one she’d never managed to resist. “Guys, I’m right here. You’re embarrassing me.”

  “You can smell us right back,” Jake said, caressing one breast. He leaned over and kissed Hari, taking his own sweet time.

  At first, astonishment filled Ambar then she started to get hot watching the two men interact together. Their kiss was slow and tender with none of the roughness she’d envisaged. They angled their heads to achieve the perfect fit, the affection morphing into need and desire. Jake moaned and the masculine sound rippled through Ambar. She stirred uneasily, aware of how wet she was and how much the physical exchange made her hot and bothered rather than uncomfortable. It made her curious.

  Who knew she’d harbored voyeuristic tendencies?

  Both men were breathing hard when they came up for air. They grinned, entirely comfortable with kissing each other and doing it in her presence. The very air hummed with undercurrents and sexual desire.

  “I’m starting to feel like an outsider.” At her protest they both turned to her.

  “We wanted you to witness we’re serious about each other,” Hari said. “We’re not ignoring you. Both of us want you.”

  Jake dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Never doubt it, sweetheart. We intend to show you exactly how much we need you.” He lowered his head to her breast, taking a teasing swipe around the areola with the tip of his tongue.

  On her other breast, Hari mirrored Jake’s actions. It felt the same but different. Teeth nipped gently, before they licked and sucked on her breasts, both men knowing exactly what she liked. The dual sensations amazed her. Ambar ran her fingers through Jake’s brown locks and Hari’s short black hair while they suckled and teased her. Magical sensations writhed across her nerve-endings. Ambar wanted to plead for them to go faster, to give her more. Contrarily she hated to end the teasing and pleasure. Heck, she could smell her excitement now, and she started to think she might actually climax from their attention to her breasts alone.

  As if they sensed how close she was, they backed off a little, easing her down. They moved toward her feet, pausing to nibble and lick all the curves and hollows. When they reached her hips, she started to shiver, so close to coming her clit throbbed with a gnawing ache.

  “Part your legs as wide as you can,” Hari said.

  “Yeah. We both want to taste.”

  Ambar swallowed and silently obeyed them. Tomorrow her muscles might ache but the pain would come with wonderful sensual memories.

  Instead of diving in for the main course, they continued to dally, licking along the joint where leg and torso met. Hot, wet tongues left a damp trail, the contrasting cool air after their licks bringing another prickling sensation to her body. Ambar bit down on her inner lip, determined not to give voice to her pleas for them to hurry. Her eyes slid shut and her other senses ruled. The cadence of her breathing became increasingly louder. Her imagination danced ahead, almost feeling Hari’s raspy tongue sliding down her slit, the softer texture of Jake’s tongue as he circled the swollen bundle of nerves aching so incessantly for their attention.

  The duvet cover crinkled under her restless body. They moved. Ambar almost let out a cry of protest until she heard the whine of a zipper and the fall of cloth on the floor. The masculine figures in her mind lost their clothes. Still her eyes remained shut, her entire body tingling.

  The mattress depressed a fraction, telling her Jake and Hari had returned to her side. This time they didn’t tease. They went straight to business. Someone’s fingers parted her folds.

  “Look how wet she is for us,” Jake said.

  “She’s beautiful.” Satisfaction coated Hari’s voice. Ambar felt a spurt of indignation until the rasp of a tongue snared her attention. She waited anxiously, breath held, for another slow pass of that tongue. Instead, she felt a second tongue. She gasped, the air rushing from her body on a moan. That felt incredible. The first shimmers of her orgasm twirled down her legs, ending at her toes. Her heart thumped in hard beats, her body tense as she waited, balanced on the cusp of pain and pleasure.

  Although the temptation to open her eyes to see what they were doing drifted through her mind, she kept them firmly closed. Somehow, she thought it was better not to see.

  This time, lips pressed against her swollen folds. They met above her clit and pulsed together. Tongues flickered out and stroked. Her flesh. Each other. The result was the same. Ambar jerked her hips upward into the pressure of their tongues.

  Pleasure exploded, speeding through her sensitive nerve-endings. Ambar gripped the duvet cover with both hands, her body straining to experience every possible ounce of pleasure. Gradually, the tension left her limbs and she relaxed into the mattress. Her eyes flickered open and the first thing she saw was both men grinning at her. Her juices covered their lips and chins. Both sets of eyes glowed. They were beautiful.

  Jake crawled up the bed and kissed her, the spicy flavor of her arousal filling her mouth. Then Hari joined them.

  “We want to take you together. Are you okay with that?”

  Her brows rose in consternation, the tautness returning to her body. “You’ve discussed this?”

  “Of course we have,” Jake said. “The last thing we want to do is hurt you.”

  They cared enough to worry about her safety. Some of the stiffness eased from her at the knowledge. “I guess we can try. What were you thinking?” The idea of taking two men into her body at once…holy heck…her parents really would spin in their graves. Not only was she sinning without marriage, she intended to do it with two men at once.

  Hari kissed her on the lips. “Thank you, love.”

  “What for?”

  “For trusting us,” Jake said. “Scoot over a little. Toss me a condom, Hari.”

  “You don’t need one,” Hari said. “Neither of us can catch or spread diseases.”

  “What about pregnancy?”

  Ambar took over the explanations. “Gavin gives us contraceptive shots. Pregnancy isn’t a problem.”

  Jake frowned. “So why did we use condoms before?”

  “You would have asked questions,” Hari said. “We try to fit in and act like humans as much as possible.”

  “Fair enough.” Jake rolled over on his back and grinned at them. “When you guys have kids, they don’t come in litters, right?”

  “No, thank goodness,” Ambar retorted. “And before you ask, we don’t go into heat either.”

  “What about the twins?”

  “Most shifters have single offspring like humans,” Hari said. “There aren’t many sets of twins.”

  Ambar snorted. “The world is probably rejoicing in the fact. Joe and Sly are a handful.”

  “You’re cute when you get feisty.” Jake stroked his cock, his rhythmic moves attracting her attention. His eyes sparkled with devilment. “Come over here and climb aboard.”

  Ambar groaned, especially when he waggled his eyebrows, but she obeyed his instructions. Only because it was what she wanted too, she told herself, straddling his thighs. A glistening bead of pre-cum tempted her, and she leaned over to lap it up with her tongue.

  “I never thought about it before, but your tongue is rougher than mine. Hari’s too.”

  “It’s the feline genes.” Ambar wondered briefly about how Jake had experienced Hari’s tongue before shoving it aside. This jealousy had to stop. They were all here together. Jake and Hari had driven to collect her, and together they’d seduced her. She had to remember that.

  The sound of a nightstand drawer opening snared her attention.

  “Focus on me,” Jake said. “We’re not going to do anything that you and I haven’t done before. Look at me.”

  Ambar shivered, seeing the swirl of passion in his blue eyes. Excitement filled his entire face.

  “Take me inside you. I want to feel the tight clasp of your pussy squeezing my cock.”

  Ooh, she wanted that too. Ambar swallowed and lifted her body a fraction before guiding Jake to her entrance.
She sank down slowly, savoring the stretch like a favorite treat.

  “Damn, that feels good without a condom.” Jake’s eyelids slid to half-mast, his low, husky voice dragging an answering response from her. Her pussy fluttered, grabbing at his cock.

  Ambar continued to push down, taking his rigid flesh into her body. It soothed the renewed ache of awareness yet made it worse as well.

  “I never thought I’d get off on watching the two of you together,” Hari said from behind her. “Watching Jake’s cock disappear into you is the sexiest thing I’ve seen in a long time.”

  Ambar jerked at the throaty sound of his voice, his accent more pronounced than normal. While she’d concentrated on Jake, she’d put his presence from her mind. Now he was there again, center stage.

  “You should be on this end,” Jake said with a chuckle. “No, don’t move. We want to wait for Hari. Lean forward and let me take most of your weight.”

  Ambar hesitated until Hari placed a hand on her back, silently encouraging her to follow Jake’s instructions. There was no doubt in her mind who was calling the shots here. Somehow, Hari had managed to seduce them both, and she couldn’t find it in herself to feel sorrow. Anger, she might feel that later, but right now Hari was doing a good job. She closed her eyes again, finding it easier to let go of the lingering reservations that crept in to question her judgment when she couldn’t see.

  Jake pressed his lips to hers, igniting a fire in her with the slow surge and retreat of his tongue. She shivered, recalling the way it had felt with both of them touching her pussy, licking and teasing her. Her sheath clenched around Jake’s cock as she imagined the two men shuttling in and out of her body, loving her together. No matter how much her brain disliked the idea of submitting to the pair of them, her body had no problem with the idea.

  A hand stroked over her back. Another cupped her ass, a glide of fingers trailed across her buttocks. She tensed for a moment before a groan from Jake made her eyes flick open. Arousal shone in his face.