STORY EXCERPT

Saturday night at the masquerade party, masks were given to the people attending as they came inside the front entrance to the sprawling house.

“Looks like they’ve got a big crowd,” Tom remarked. “I’ll go check out the bar.”

It wasn’t long before Mark and Tom recognized Lacy and her new husbands, Trey Farley and Derek Adams, local sons of long lines of shape-shifters. She had a friend with her who was sexy looking even though they couldn’t see her face behind the mask. The masks didn’t keep Lacy from recognizing Mark either. She waved and started across the room toward him with her friend just as Tom rejoined him, holding a couple of beers in his hands. He handed one to Mark.

“There’s Lacy,” Tom said. “Who’s her friend? From what I can see she’s a knockout.”

“I think we’re going to meet her right now,” Mark said with satisfaction.

“Hey, guys.” Lacy removed her mask and gave them both a big smile.

“Hi, Lacy,” Mark said as he and Tom removed their masks and both gave her big smiles, happy to see her. Mark couldn’t keep from glancing quickly to her friend, who had also removed her mask. He watched her intently. She looked interested in him and Tom as her gaze made contact with his first and then Tom’s. That was promising, Mark thought, already anxious to get to know her.

“I want to introduce my good friend, Brenda MacRae,” Lacy said. “Brenda, meet Mark Wolfson and Tom Packson. They’re the amazing guys who helped rescue me from that dangerous old man named Wra.”

“Glad to meet you,” Mark said.

“How are you?” Tom said.

She smiled quickly first at Mark and then at Tom. “I’m fine, thank you. It’s good to meet you. Lacy has told me a little about how she met you and how much she appreciates your friendship. Thank you for keeping her safe. I wouldn’t want to ever lose Lacy. She’s my best friend.”

“We met at college, and we’ve been best buddies ever since,” Lacy said.

Mark noticed that Lacy was holding hands with Brenda, who didn’t look as much at ease as Lacy did. He figured Brenda must be a little shy, although he didn’t know why since she was gorgeous. Her wavy blond hair rested on her shoulders and spilled forward, nestling above her high, shapely breasts. He couldn’t help staring at her striking blue eyes that sparkled when she smiled at him and Tom. She was taller than Lacy, probably around five feet eight inches, and looked trim in her blue slacks and white knit top.

“Would you like to join us at our table over there?” Lacy asked Mark and Tom. She indicated a table at the side of the spacious room. Mark could see her two guys sitting there with someone he hadn’t met yet. Their friend looked like a bruiser.

“Love to,” Tom said.

“How do you like the band?” Mark asked Lacy and her friend.

“They sound great,” Brenda said.

The band started into a slow song. “Would you like to dance? Mark asked Brenda.

“Sure,” she said, smiling at him.

“We’ll join you after this dance,” Mark told Lacy. She smiled at him with a knowing glint in her eyes as she stood with Tom at the edge of the dance floor.

Mark smiled at Brenda as he held out his hand to take hers. He felt the warmth in her hand as her long slender fingers curled around his much larger hand. He led her into the edge of the dance crowd. When he turned her into his embrace, he was immediately aroused by her sexy, graceful body. She fit perfectly against him and was easy to dance with. Telling himself to be careful not to squeeze her hand too hard in his excitement, he turned her around the dance floor as they moved to the music.

The song ended too soon. With his hand at her waist, he continued to enjoy the seductive motion of her body as he walked with her back to where Tom and Lacy waited for them.

ADULT EXCERPT

Mark was handsome even in blue jeans and a western shirt, but with only trunks to cover his body, his darkly tanned skin complemented his handsome face and brown eyes. He was beautiful and so sexy looking. Tom was just as appealing, tanned with big, hard shoulder muscles and abs like Mark. His bottle-green eyes would make anyone jealous, his tanned skin accentuating their color. And his dimples didn’t hurt either.

If only they weren’t working in what sounded like dangerous jobs, she could fall hard for both of them.

Instead, her friendship with them would be for only fun. She had learned her lesson well from her experience with the guy she’d loved at college, that when friends took chances, dangerous chances that affected their lives, it could affect their closest friends badly enough to ruin their friendships and love life. She didn’t want to be in a similar relationship ever again with any man who had a best friend who took life-threatening chances.

Now, those two handsome-as-sin guys moved toward her, the expressions in their eyes predatory. She shivered all over in expectation. They each put one hand on her waist and guided her to the steps into the pool at the shallow end.

“Would you like to enjoy the pool?” Mark asked her.

“Sounds great,” she said softly, imagining the slide of the water over her body and Mark and Tom caressing her with their talented hands. She cautioned herself to keep things as impersonal as possible while she enjoyed sex with these two hunks. She knew she’d enjoy playing with them again.  

Mark and Tom slid their warm hands over her back and lower below her waist, cupping her hips, fingers skimming upwards and teasing her butt cheeks. She craved the pleasure they could give her and shivered at their touches.

They moved to the middle of the shallow end of the pool and stopped. Mark moved in front of her, and Tom shifted behind her back. Mark lowered his head, watching her eyes. She closed her eyes as his gentle breath wafted over her face. He brushed his firm, sculpted lips over hers and pressed, parting them. His tongue stroked hers. He tasted so good. His hands skimmed her arms and moved to her breasts. He broke the kiss.

“Does this feel good?” Mark asked softly as he cupped and stroked her breasts and brushed his fingers across her nipples.

“Yes,” she said, sighing with pleasure.

The flesh below her folds swelled and pulsed with need. She wanted more.

Tom pressed soft kisses with his firm lips along the base of her neck and across her shoulders before going down her back.