Behind the Veil: 3 (Temptation Unveiled) (11 page)

The difference was amazing. She hardly recognized him. She
shook her head in stunned resignation. “I honestly don’t know, Fairy man,” she
whispered. “Ten minutes ago, I would have bet you anything that not even
Aphrodite holding a winning lottery ticket in her teeth and a cold beer in her
hand could have convinced the man I knew to shave that thing off, let alone
have a magical threesome. My partner is gone. This Kyle is a complete mystery.”

“He hasn’t changed, Sheridan. He’s just a man facing down an
irresistible set of temptations.” His breath came out slowly, as if he were
relieved. “I thought you’d still be raging over their arrival.”

He reached for her and every muscle in her body tensed.

“Don’t, Finn.” She couldn’t let him touch her. Not yet. Not
after that dream. She needed to hold on to a little of her anger, if only for
the sake of her reputation. And for Kyle. “I
am
raging. I’m just doing
it silently so I don’t humiliate my friend. He shouldn’t have to do this. I
mean it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that he wants to, but he shouldn’t
have
to
. If your kind had more control, this wouldn’t be an issue. As if I
needed another reason to be wary of the fairy.”

Large, warm hands cupped her shoulders and she shivered, her
body’s reaction belying her words. His fingers curled into her skin and she bit
her lip to hold back a groan. Why hadn’t she moved away before he touched her? She
had no sense of self-preservation.

He growled in her ear. “You didn’t seem to be raging a few
moments ago with the Dweller. Even now you can’t look away from him. What did
the two of you talk about in your bedroom?”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are you jealous
of
Dian
?”

He turned her around to face him and Sheridan’s heart sank.
A few months ago she would have been able to resist him. A few days ago, before
her dream, she would have wanted to. Looking at him now? The only voice
currently in her head was begging her to tear his clothes off and see if the
reality measured up to the dream.

“Of course I’m jealous. You took a complete stranger’s hand
and let him have something I’ve worked my ass off to earn—your trust. And now I
find you mesmerized by Kyle’s seduction.” He moved closer, lowering his voice.
“I lied when I suggested he wouldn’t enjoy knowing that. Knowing you’ve seen
him naked at last. That would be the icing on his already multilayered fantasy
cake. He doesn’t hide his thoughts that well. Especially the ones about you.”

Sheridan took a shaky breath and rolled her eyes
halfheartedly. “You’re giving your kind a bad name, Prudence. I thought
exhibitionism was all the rage down in Tinker Town. Besides, I’ve already seen
Kyle naked. Did you miss the part where he’s my best friend and I’ve known him
forever?”

Okay, that might have been stretching the truth a bit. She’d
seen Kyle mostly naked when they were both much younger, and never in a sexual
context. But what Finn didn’t know would drive him crazy. And then they would
be even.

“Oh have you now?” That intense violet fire leaped to life
in his gaze and he licked his lips. Oh God. Had she pushed him too far?

“Was I wrong?” he murmured, turning her back around to watch
the threesome. “Are
you
the jealous one, love? Two of my kind, highly
skilled lovers with infinite stamina are about to bring Kyle more pleasure than
he’s ever had the audacity to imagine. More pleasure than his fantasies of you
and
him
together—the ones we both know he’s had since he first realized
he could.”

Finn’s voice was positively wicked as he continued. “Imagine
being the focus of two pairs of hands, two tongues ensuring your climax. All
your pleasure magnified. All your desires met before you even know you have
them. And I can assure you, when it’s over, he’ll never regret it, Sher. Sex
with our kind will change him. He’ll never be satisfied with ordinary again.”

She took a breath when he paused, wishing he would kiss her.

“What he
will
be is able to walk freely among my
people, something that, as a rule, is unheard of. And yes. That is for you. All
of this…” The gravel in his voice deepened with an emotion she wanted to ignore.
“Everything I’ve done has been for you. So forgive me if I begrudge the Dweller
and your human their place in your sacred inner circle. My patience is wearing
thin.”

Oh hell. She couldn’t take it. Finn’s words felt like
foreplay. Her entire body was tingling and alive. Aware of him. Wanting him. His
words had been an unknowing seduction. His voice held the same magic it always
had. There was no way to respond to that. No coherent way. So Sheridan didn’t
bother trying.

She
was
jealous of Kyle and she wanted what Finn was
describing. As long as there was some way to duplicate him. Now
that
was
a fantasy that, if she were honest, thrilled her far more than the Viking
twins. Two of Finn.

Her body was wound so tight she wasn’t sure which way was up.
She glanced over her shoulder to find him looking at her the same way he had in
her dream, which did nothing to restore her equilibrium.

Damn that dream anyway. Memories of it were making it
impossible for her to pretend she couldn’t stand him. Wasn’t that the reason
why she was hesitating to continue their banter or make him apologize for Kyle’s
inauguration into the wonderful world of woo-woo? A part of her, the part that
was getting stronger by the minute, didn’t want to move away from him. Didn’t
want him to stop touching her.

She had no desire to fight him and she didn’t want to
pretend nothing had changed between them. That she was still Sheridan Kelly,
the one person in her family not impressed by the magical men who’d come to
change their lives. The only woman on the planet who didn’t melt at the sight
of the redheaded, magnetic Fae.

The lie was getting too hard to maintain.

Finn must have seen the give in her expression. He whirled her
around again until she was flush against his hard body, his erection pressing
insistently against her stomach, just as impressive—just as impossible—as it
had in last night’s fantasy. “Talk to me, love. What are you thinking? They can’t
hear us if you speak softly.”

“I’m thinking you should stop calling me that.” Her
whispered comeback was lacking its usual sharp tone. He smelled too good. Felt
too good. She needed to focus. “I’m also thinking I should leave. Now.”

Maybe another shower with her personal massager would help.

Finn shook his head slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. “Stubborn.
But even if you won’t tell me, you can’t leave yet. You’ve been asked to bear
witness. It would be an insult not to comply.” He took one deep breath, leaning
closer until his lips were pressed against her hair. “They will also know if
you don’t turn around.”

“You’re the one who keeps distracting me.” She tilted her
head to one side, baring her neck to his gaze. “You’re also the one who hasn’t
let go of my arms.”

He released her slowly, his fingers caressing her skin
before they stopped touching her completely, but she didn’t move away from him.
Why wasn’t she moving?

Finn’s jaw clenched. “Turn around, Sheridan. Now.”

Had he turned her or had she moved on her own? Either way,
the command in his voice was undeniably arousing. Before she knew the answer,
she’d forgotten the question. Who could remember trivial details while watching
the three naked bodies rubbing against each other on the bed?

Her partner and lifetime friend—the guy who’d never met a
bachelor cliché he didn’t embrace—was currently sandwiched in between the supernatural
couple and loving every minute of it.

A squeak of surprise slipped out from between her lips when
Dian rocked his hips against Kyle’s ass. Was he—? Were they—? Had she missed
it?

Her friend tore his mouth from Ceri’s breast, his attention shifting
to the shadows around them. “Did you hear that?”

Ceri’s laugh was a soft and musical sound. “Distracted
already? I know it’s been an age since I was this close to a full-blooded
human, but surely I haven’t lost my touch entirely.”

“Trust me, my darling one, you haven’t lost a thing. You
know I can tell.” Dian’s words were muffled against Kyle’s shoulder. Sheridan
tried not to notice the pale, smooth perfection of his body where it curled
against her best friend’s back. “He merely shares the concerns of our Druid
warrior that he’s being enchanted. Suspicious beings these…what do they call
themselves? Cops?”

Ceri slid her hand between Kyle’s legs, grinning with sensual
knowledge and delight when he hissed and closed his eyes in pleasure. “Sweet
boy, we wouldn’t do that to you. A claiming is too important to be forced. And
we don’t have to, do we? You strike me as a man who can handle everything we have
to offer. A man who wants so much more than he’s been given. Besides…” She
paused, her head tilting toward Sheridan and Finn as if she knew they were
there. “I know the Druid would never trust us if we did anything to take away
your free will.”

She was right about that. Sheridan would never forgive Finn
or his strange friends if they scrambled Kyle’s brain. But they didn’t need to.
He was more than willing. He was eager.

Sheridan was eager too.

Dian slid his hand over Kyle’s hip to cover Ceri’s where it closed
around Kyle’s erection. “We do this freely, to allow you safe passage so you
may protect and aid your dearest friend. We do this selfishly, knowing we alone
of our kind will be allowed to sample you during your stay. Others will still
try, but you belong to us. We protect what is ours.”

Kyle made a strangled sound in his throat and the bald
Tuatha grinned, obviously responding to something in Kyle’s mind. “The Fae have
never been averse to pleasure based on the form it takes. Male. Female. Both.
Other. Do not feel shame for enjoying a simple touch. We were all made to be
touched. To be loved. Danu herself was known to enjoy variety.”

She shouldn’t be watching this. Shouldn’t be intruding on
Kyle’s privacy. Or be this intrigued about the idea of Dian and Kyle together.
It was probably all kinds of illegal that she was enjoying it as much as she
was. But God, she was. She was also reveling in the feel of Finn behind her,
every part of him hard against her as they silently peered through this veil.
Two voyeurs in the shadows, savoring a pleasure that wasn’t meant for them.

Something occurred to her. “Have you ever done this to me? Watched
me without me knowing?”

Sheridan wasn’t sure why she’d asked. She didn’t want to
know. Her body was crying out for his touch. Begging to be free to follow the
ruby-haired Ceri’s example. That woman had no inhibitions. She took what she
wanted without hesitation.

At least, that’s what she seemed to be doing right now.
Taking Kyle. And Dian. Together.

Finn’s silence was telling.
He had
. At some point
since she met him, he’d spied on her. When? Where? Had he done it more than
once? Since they’d been together again?

She waited for the familiar rush of indignation. Now was the
time the old Sheridan Kelly would shout down the rafters. Or that damned voice
would tell her she was a fool and she shouldn’t trust him. She should grab the
nearest weapon and knock her pompous fairy nemesis right between the—

“Sheridan?” Finn sounded surprised.

She couldn’t blame him. She wasn’t behaving like the old
Sheridan Kelly at all. She leaned forward, laying her hands on the chair they
were standing behind. The movement pressed her ass against Finn’s hips. She bit
her lip. He was so hard. The pressure felt good. Too good. “You’ve watched me. Did
you enjoy what you saw? Did you imagine us like this?”

There was no excuse. No way to explain away her words or her
behavior, though she tried. She was lost in the eroticism of the moment. How
could she not be swept away? And she was desperate to re-create what she’d felt
last night in her dreams. For satisfaction.

Finn groaned. “Fuck, love. What are you doing?”

“Just a dream,” she muttered to herself. “This must be
another dream.” It was the only explanation she was willing to accept for her
behavior. No better than an animal in heat, she berated herself. No better than
the Fae.

His fingers dug into her hips, guiding her movements against
him as though he couldn’t help himself. And she knew it wasn’t wishful
thinking—he was just as aroused as she was watching Ceri straddle Kyle with
Dian kneeling behind her. Watching her take both men inside her as though they
were made for each other. Hearing three matching cries of pleasure.

Her jeans were too constrictive, too rough on her skin. She
wanted them to disappear. She’d done it before. If this was her dream, she
could control it. Maybe this time she could actually enjoy herself without her
nightmares following her in.

Kyle was moaning in ecstasy. His face seemed so handsome, so
different, and she wondered if she’d ever really seen him before. Seen the man
the boy had become. There was a soft glow around him, but her eyes were blurred
from desire. Ceri opened her mouth against his chest and bit into his flesh and
Kyle growled. Was this the claiming? She didn’t know the Fae were biters. Would
she glow like that if Finn took her? Bit her? Right here, right now? She wanted
to find out.

She reached behind her and grabbed his hand, pulling it off
her hip to guide it between her legs where she needed it to be. She needed relief,
needed dream Finn to give it to her.

“No.”

The one word was all she heard before that familiar and—at
the moment—hated light surrounded her. Without any fanfare, they were back in
her bedroom. Alone. And Finn was standing a few steps away, looking angry.

That didn’t make any sense. What did he have to be angry
about? And why had he taken her away?