STORY EXCERPT

Courtney eyed her reflection in the freshly cleaned mirror above the dresser in the room she’d slept in as a child.

She didn’t know where Law and Zach would be taking her but figured the turquoise, long, flowing skirt, camisole, and lightweight shirt to layer over it would be appropriate almost anywhere.

Slipping on a pair of comfortable strappy sandals in the same color, she went back to the kitchen, grimacing at the stacks of dishes on the counter.

Deciding that she might as well start on them while she waited, she crossed the peeling linoleum floor to the sink, pausing when a strange sound came from high on the wall behind her.

Giggling at the groaning sound the doorbell made, Courtney turned and went to answer the door, still smiling as she swung it open. Her smile widened at the sight of Law and Zach standing on her sagging front porch.

Both men looked gorgeous and far too sophisticated to be standing on her dilapidated porch. Their size alone took up most of it.

Opening the door wide, she shook her head. “You’d better get in here before the porch collapses.”

Zach came through first, his black shirt and slacks giving him a sleek, dangerous look. Grinning, he reached for her, his brow going up when she took a step back, avoiding his touch. “Hey! I’m not fat.”

“No, but both of you are huge. You’ve both got to be six and a half feet tall.”

Zach grinned. “I’m six-four, and Law’s six-five.”

“Holy cow.” Aware of Law’s attention, she turned, heading back to the kitchen for her purse.

Their presence made the small living room feel even smaller, the sexual awareness that she’d fought earlier coming back in full force.

“What were you smiling about when we rang the bell?” Law’s voice came from right behind her, and when she spun, she ran straight into him. Gripping her arms before she could back away, he smiled down at her. “You have a beautiful smile. What was so amusing?”

Leaning back against the wall next to the doorway to the kitchen, Courtney took a steadying breath, trying not to think about the fact that only a few inches separated their bodies. “The doorbell. Ask Zach to push it, and you’ll see what I was smiling about.”

Frowning, Zach went back outside to push the doorbell, his frown even deeper when he came back in. “That’s awful.”

Law’s jaw clenched. “And probably dangerous. There might be a short in it. We should call Boone and ask him to come take a look at it.”

Zach moved around Law and went into the kitchen, stopping abruptly at the doorway. “Jesus!”

Courtney slid along the wall and away from Law, her face burning. “I know it’s a mess. I took all of the dishes out of the cabinets to wash them. I got the cabinets wiped down and then saw the time.”

Over her head, Law and Zach exchanged a look, their jaws clenching.

Courtney grabbed her purse from the table and started out, her face burning. “I know it’s a mess. You don’t have to make a big deal out of it.”

“You can’t stay here.”

Turning at Law’s tone, Courtney smiled at both of them as they followed her from the kitchen. “I certainly can. Now, are we going to dinner, or do I need to go get groceries? I’m starving.”

Zach sent a warning look in Law’s direction and brushed past him to her side. Smiling, he took her arm and turned her toward the door. “Of course, we’re going to dinner. We can talk later.”

Once on the porch, she turned, trying to pull out of Zach’s grasp to close the door behind her. “Where’s Law?”

“He’s right behind us. Come on. I’m hungry, too.” Wrapping an arm around her, he led her to the huge, dark blue SUV parked next to her little car. “Do you know when you smile your beautiful dark eyes get these amazing flecks of gold? Fascinating.”

Disappointed that he would be so transparent in his efforts to get her property, Courtney sighed and pulled away from him. “Okay, maybe this isn’t such a good idea.” Seeing Law’s approach, she divided her attention between both of them. “I don’t have gold flecks or anything in my eyes. They’re brown, dull, and bloodshot from lack of sleep. I’m not falling for any lines. I’m not sleeping with you.”

Irritated at their calm demeanors, she fisted her hands on her hips. “If this is about buying my property, you can get lost right now.” She tried to pull away, angry at men in general and disappointed that Law and Zach were assholes just like her father. She could have sworn they’d been different.

Zach grinned and hustled her into the front seat of their SUV. “She sure has spunk, doesn’t she?"

Law opened the driver’s door and climbed in, turning to frown at her as he took the end of her seatbelt from her and snapped it in place. “Yeah, but I sure as hell don’t appreciate that people think I would use sex to get a fucking piece of land. First Ace. Now her.”

He started the engine with a quick turn of his wrist, his anger evident as he put it in reverse.

Taking in his clenched jaw, she studied him as Zach slid into the back seat behind her. “This isn’t about my house?”

Shoving the SUV back into park, Law rested an arm on the steering wheel and turned to face her, his eyes hard. “I want this property, and I have every intention of having it. We’ll definitely talk about it, but when I kiss you—and I will—and when I make love to you, it won’t have a fucking thing to do with this property.” Leaning closer, he raised a brow. “Is that clear enough?”

ADULT EXCERPT

Instead of looking down as she’d expected, Zach continued to stare into her eyes, his own glittering with something breathtaking. “You are so precious to me.”

He blinked, a slow smile playing at his lips. Lowering his gaze, he ran a finger over her now bare mound. “Beautiful.” He looked up again at her gasp. “I know it’s sensitive, darlin’. It feels good, though, doesn’t it? Hmm, much more sensitive.” His fingers moved slowly over her mound before dipping lower. “Spread your legs, Courtney. Lift your knees to your chest.”

Biting her lip again, Courtney obeyed him, stunned at the feeling of being so completely exposed.

Bracing a hand next to her head, he leaned over her, his fingertips light on her folds. “We’re going to keep you this way, you know? I like having you smooth and bare. Exposed.”

Courtney gasped, her breathing harsh and ragged. Every inch of her body trembled with need, her hips rocking in an effort to get friction against her clit. “Zach. Oh God. Please.” The feeling of being exposed proved more arousing than she could have imagined. “I didn’t know it would be like this!”

Zach smiled and bent to touch his lips to hers. “I did. You’re going to have to trust me, darlin’. See what a little daring will get you. Now, keep your legs up.” Running a hand down her side, he slid lower. “I plan to enjoy myself, and I don’t want anything in my way.”

Tightening her hands on her thighs, Courtney threw her head back and cried out in anticipation, her clit swollen and throbbing with every beat of her heart.

“Quiet!”

The slap to her thigh added a heat she hadn’t expected.

“I don’t want Bernard to hear your cries of pleasure. Not a sound.”

Courtney bit her lip at the feel of Zach’s warm breath on her slit, focusing on remaining quiet when the tip of his tongue slid into her pussy. Shaking everywhere, she kept her eyes squeezed tight against the need clawing at her.

Her breath caught at the feel of his hot tongue running over her slit, the sensation so extreme she lost her grip on her thighs.

Zach lifted them again, his eyes glittering with something so powerful it took her breath away as he slapped her sensitive inner thigh. “I told you to keep them up. I can see that we’re going to have to use restraints to keep you in place when we explore you.”

The thought of it sparked her imagination and had her gripping her thighs again and writhing for relief. Her clit burned, her pussy clenching with need. Her breathing became even harsher, the whimpers of need pouring out of her so intense, she pushed her face against the back of the seat to muffle them.

“That’s better. Don’t lose your grip again. I want to explore you with my mouth before we get to the office. I think Law’s gonna want to see you before I take you upstairs.”

Courtney whimpered again, the need so overwhelming she started to beg. “Please, Zach. Please. I can’t take it.” Shuddering when he ran his tongue from her clit to her puckered opening, Courtney cried out again at the sharp awareness in a place she’d never thought of as sexual. “You can’t.” Her ass clenched, the need he’d created there causing little ripples of release to overtake her. “God. Oh God. What? How? Oh, Zach! I’m coming!”

She lost her grip on her thighs again, crying out again when they dropped and cut off her orgasm just as it began. Groaning with frustration, she tried to raise them again, but Zach wouldn’t allow it.

Sitting up, Zach pulled her back onto his lap. “You didn’t do what I told you to do, did you, darlin’?”

“I couldn’t.” She couldn’t stop trembling, the waves of pleasure and need still racing through her. Pressing her face against his neck, she held him close. “I’m so sorry. I know I’m a disappointment.”

“You could do it—if you tried harder. We’re going to have to work on that. You didn’t get the orgasm I’d intended for you because you didn’t obey me.” He pushed her thighs apart when she attempted to rub them together. “No. Now you’re just going to have to suffer. The building’s on the next block.

Rocking against his thigh, she buried her face against his neck, not even caring that he chuckled. “Please, Zach. I can’t stand it."

Fisting a hand in her hair, he lifted her face to his, smiling down at her. “Then you should have obeyed me. Remember that the next time I tell you to do something.” Taking her hand in his, he kissed her fingers. “And don’t even think about trying to pleasure yourself. That pussy and clit are mine, and if you touch them without my permission, you’ll pay for it.”

To her surprise, he took a comb out of his pocket and fixed her hair. “There. You look beautiful—all flushed and slightly dazed. Law’s gonna come in his pants when he sees you.”

When the limo stopped in front of a huge skyscraper, Zach took her hand in his and helped her out. “By the way, darlin’, you really are sweet.”

“And you’re mean for keeping me this way. Why don’t we get back into the limo and you tell Bernard to drive us around the block a few times?”

Laughing, he wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her past two guards and into the building. He addressed each guard by name, smiling at each of them as he led her through the thick glass door and into a lobby. “Nope. You’re going to have to wait now. It’s gonna be even worse after Law gets his hands on you.”