The Lion, the Leopard and the Wolf (3 page)

“Well, if you’re sure.” He stared deeply into her eyes as if trying to discern the truth. He seemed doubtful.

“Really,” she assured him, “I just needed to get away, and this works out perfectly.” Mac laughed. “No pressure to perform on the ski slopes.” She lifted her ankle and patted her leg. “Besides, it doesn’t even hurt unless I try to stand on it.”

Trent ran a hand through his hair, his expression looked worried as Aaron brought over the coffee. “Well, then, you’ll have to let us entertain you to make up for all this.”

There’s that “entertainment” offer again
.

She loved the way Trent’s gaze roamed her body while his smile promised that hard, hot sex could make up for her inconvenience. Or was she projecting those thoughts?

“No, no, you don’t have to go to any trouble on my account.”

Neither of them act like doing me would be a hardship. Not like Nathan. Stop!

“Trust me, you’d be no trouble at all.” The timber of Trent’s voice shot white-hot molten heat to her core. Hot, moist, liquid honey started flowing. She could feel herself melting. His nostrils twitched. He could smell her. His lips pulled back over his teeth, and she swore he snarled.

Aaron nodded at Trent as he put the coffee down. “I saw her first. She was supposed to tell you.” He gave Mac a look that questioned her integrity, before he sat down next to her, staking his territory. “Besides, she’s off men. Right?”

“R-r-right.” She agreed half-heartedly, looking Trent up and down, and then checked out Aaron again before she finally muttered with a certain amount of doubt still resonating in her voice, “I-I guess.” She hoped there wasn’t drool dripping from the corners of her mouth. Her tongue flicked out to check. “Did I mention...I meant...emotional involvement?”

Both men raised their brows at each other as if in challenge. Molten lava, yep, that’s the way she felt. Heat raced through her entire body and the heated pressure built.

“Wait, wait a minute. What is that look you just gave each other? What exactly does that mean?” Mac the unflappable was suddenly confused. “I certainly don’t want to be the cause of two best friends, not to mention business partners, bloodying each others’ noses for the second time or...do you even know the count for how many times?”

“Oh, that?” Trent looked at Aaron. And they said in unison, “Don’t worry about that. We’re used to it. We heal fast.”

All three of them laughed.

Mac spoke up first. “Okay, if you insist. What do you have in mind? I’m pretty limited right now.”

She watched both sets of eyebrows rise with interest and felt her insides go all soft and liquid. Her pulse raced out of control, and she warned herself to back down. It would be too bad if she ended up having to choose between them, because both of them enticed and aroused her in different ways. Both men elicited feelings from her she forgot existed. Since no one man could be all things to a woman, it would have been nice to get the scary, hard guy and the thoughtful, sensitive guy all-in-one gorgeous package. If that wasn’t possible, these two provided the best of both, and each was gorgeous in a different way too. Her mind wandered to places and possibilities she’d never considered before. Why not? It couldn’t hurt to wonder.

“How about a sleigh ride tonight?” Aaron asked.

She knew her eyes lit up when they looked at her. “A real sleigh ride? Horse drawn sleigh, jingle bells?”

“Absolutely,” Aaron replied. Watching her giggle like a little kid, he nodded at Trent. “See, good idea.”

Trent frowned. “Yeah? And who’s driving?”

“Oh, it’ll have to be one of us. You,” Aaron offered.

“Me? Right. Why would it be me?” Trent put on his tough guy face.

“Because I thought of it. And you’re the better driver.”

“You drive just as well as I do. Don’t try to snow me. We’ll toss for it.”

Mac raised her hands. “Wait!” She had to smile. “Are you two always like this?”

“No, we’re usually worse.” They said it together, and the three of them laughed again.

Trent tossed a coin at Mac. “You flip. Winner sits with you, loser drives.” He winked at her and stopped her breath. “I promise to keep you very, very cozy.” His voice dropped an octave and her temperature rose.

Aaron put his hand on hers before she could move and met her gaze. She felt the connection as if he’d run his hands up her body and down again. “Whoo hoo, you two are good.” She couldn’t help but admitting to their effect on her.

They both grinned, and for the third time spoke as one. “You have no idea how good we can be.” This time no one laughed. The two men looked at each other and gave each other a conspiratorial grin.

“You’re going to have to toss that coin sooner or later. One of us is going to have to drive because the regular driver’s home sick,” Trent said.

“Well, we don’t have to do this then. I’m sure we can find something else to do.”

“Don’t worry. We promise not to start any physical fights—yet,” Aaron assured her. “So go ahead, make me happy, baby.”

Mac flipped the coin and asked Trent to call it in the air.

She was almost sorry until she saw his look of promise. “Don’t worry, I’ll get my turn with you later, when I dump the yokel here off the mountain.”

He grabbed Aaron in a neck lock and scrubbed his knuckles over his long blond hair, pushing him back toward the bar. He approached Mac and said, “Since I lost, I get to take you to your room.”

She started to say, “Oh.” Her mouth formed the word, and he put his finger to her lips.

Ohhh.
She wanted to groan and lick it.

His dark eyes twinkled. “I’m still on break.” He glanced at Aaron and sneered before telling Mac, “Your room upstairs is ready. I checked before coming back down here to the lounge.”

Then he swept her up like she weighed nothing more than a rag doll and headed for the door. “I’ll return for your coffee and your book,” he whispered under his breath, his lips skimming against her neck, “later.”

“Oh, oh, this isn’t necessary. I’ll use the cane.” She held on, her arms wrapped around his neck. His body felt so good against hers, she prayed he’d resist. She decided not to protest anymore in case he took her at her word and put her down.

“Nope. We feel responsible. Don’t we, Aaron? You’re our guest after all, Mac.”

She breathed a sigh, feeling relieved. He smelled of winter fresh air and man, smoke from the fireplace and something different. What a scent. She wanted to nuzzle her nose into his neck and drop her head to his muscular chest. The look on Aaron’s face promised reprisal as he watched her expression with keen interest. She saw his gaze drop to where Trent’s large hand cradled her hips, a little too close to her intimate parts for her comfort or Aaron’s. He adjusted the bulge in his jeans while she watched.

Mac blinked and opened her eyes wide at his size. Her skin flushed hot enough to let her know she blushed. He smiled a slow sly smile to let her know he’d noticed.

Although she tried to hide her arousal from Aaron’s scrutiny and tried not to show how much the two men had affected her, she doubted she’d fooled him with her bold act of indifference. She practically choked out the sentence. “See you tonight, Aaron.”

“I can smell it on you.” Trent whispered as they stepped into the hall. “Your arousal is affecting us both. If I slide my hand just a half an inch closer, would I feel how wet you are for us?”

His audacity would have been insulting if he hadn’t been so damn right. Mac’s drenched pussy throbbed with need. She didn’t look at him and didn’t answer. If Trent shifted his hand, he’d find out just how much she wanted them—both of them

Before today, she’d never been sexually attracted to two men at the same time. Although she’d imagined...being with two men, these two didn’t seem like the sharing type. A ménage a trios was a fantasy she’d like to try someday, and now she couldn’t stop herself from wishing her first menage could be with the two competitive military buddies.

Competitive. Neither of them sounded keen about sharing anything—certainly not a woman. And she didn’t want to be the cause of any problems between them. Mac stopped worrying. They’d all keep it light. She’d find her entertainment elsewhere. Maybe the doctor...

Trent frowned. Maybe she’d projected her thoughts too clearly by the expression on her face.

When they got to her room, he put her down on the bed, and to her surprise, he came down with her. If anything turned her on, it was the feel of a male body on top of hers. All hard muscle and great smelling man pressed her into the mattress. He nuzzled her neck and moved quickly to her lips before she could gasp out an objection. He kissed her, hard and demanding like the man himself.

His weight felt satisfying sprawled on top of her. His tongue tasted delicious in her mouth while his hands distracted her with his exploration of her body. She loved the roughness of his beard against her neck, his hands under her sweater...

She twisted her mouth free. “Ah, wait...” She couldn’t believe she stopped him. Her brain fought with her body for control, and the battle wasn’t easily won as she tried to sit up.

He rolled off her and groaned, still leaving his hand under the sweater, hoping she’d change her mind. His hand crept higher to positively influence her to his cause. Instead, she put her hand over his, halting its upward movement.

He looked up at her face and licked his upper lip as if still tasting her on his tongue. She squeezed his fingers and smiled. He groaned again and got up. “I’ll be right back with your stuff.”

A warning knock sounded on the door before Aaron opened it up on them. “I didn’t trust him with you alone. Trent can be a wolf. I brought up your things.”

“Is that right?” Mac asked before she looked to Trent who glared at Aaron.

“He’s right about that. I can be a wolf at times.” The man smiled a deadly sexy grin. “And you are definitely one of those times.” He shrugged and strode out, leaving Aaron alone with her.

He lifted her foot and placed it on a couple of pillows, brought a table around so she could reach her book and her coffee. Then he said, “Unless you’re playing favorites, you owe me.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked feeling the heat on her face.

“Your lips have been thoroughly kissed, and I see he left beard rash behind on your neck. Now that you’re primed, I’d like my turn at showing you what I can offer. Long, slow, leisurely, achingly hot is my specialty.” His voice turned rough and gravely with the sexual insinuations.

She didn’t want to make the decision. She wanted him to make it for her. She wanted to try him. Test those slow, sexual waters. Take in the heat he offered as his fingers slid lightly up her side, temptingly close to her breast. Her nipples tightened and peaked into taut points jutting through the light material of her sweater. He smiled watching them and bent over her, taking one pebbled nipple in his mouth through the knitted silk, and slid his hand under her sweater to clasp the other breast. She gasped in pleasure while he played with her nipples, before he slid up her body to taste her mouth.

His shoulders felt wide, sinewy under her hands, though not as bulky as Trent’s. His long body pressed against hers, and that extra large cock she’d watched him adjust earlier dug insistently into her hip. He tasted tart, like something she couldn’t quite remember. Lime! That’s what it was. He drank water with lime earlier when they’d been talking, and now the tangy scent mixed with Aaron’s special male fragrance.

He’d removed the vest he wore earlier, and the texture of his gold cashmere sweater felt so soft she wanted to pet him. Her hands ran over his shoulders, down his back and dropped to the great looking ass she’d admired before. It felt better than it looked. If she got any hotter, Aaron would get lucky this minute.

He reached down beneath her skirt to stroke her once between her legs. Pushing aside her panties, one long finger slipped into her wet cleft, and they both groaned simultaneously. She was so hot.

He lifted his fingers to his nose and sniffed. Then he reached down again, this time sliding his hand inside her panties and touching her folds. He stopped with a look of surprise when he found the little gold-balled bar piercing through her labia. He played casually with it, enticing her more with his tongue in her mouth, and kissing her slowly, languidly, suckling her tongue, exploring her mouth, tasting her neck. His mouth dropped lower as he applied more pressure to her cleft, rubbing her nub slowly with the base of his palm, firmly until she approached her peak—almost at her summit—right before the fall. He pinched her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and watched her tumble over the edge.

“I told you we were good. And this is nothing compared to what we’re capable of. Wait until tonight. Wait until later,” he whispered into her ear, sending more chills through her as she shuddered with satisfaction.

Limp, boneless, in her completion, she asked, “There’s more?”

He did laugh then. “Oh, so much more, Mac honey. More, more and more again. We haven’t even started.”

“But what about Trent?”

“Trent knows the rules of engagement. Don’t worry about him. I’m not. See you later. Dress warm. Oh, will you need help?” He grinned hopefully.

“No, I think I’ll be able to handle it.” She smacked his ass for emphasis.

“I noticed how much you admired that portion of my anatomy before. Are you sure you’ve had enough of it?”

She laughed. “No,” she answered honestly, “but I think you better get going or the bar is going to be sending out a search party.”

“Oh, and don’t forget to call your friend. Do you need me to get your phone or purse or anything?”

“Would you please? My purse is in the sitting room and the phone is in it.”

* * * *

Aaron went into the sitting room to get it and picked the whole thing up, deciding not to go through her personal things. A ring dropped out. An engagement ring. A big gaudy diamond engagement ring. There had to be a story in that, he was sure. He dropped it back in and carried it into the bedroom.

“If you need anything, here’s the number for the bar. Call me.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I look forward to helping in any way possible.”