STORY EXCERPT

Lucas shook his head and leveled green eyes on her. “We’re not talking about playing around, Violet. We don’t share well with other men.”

Oh Lord. But I bet you’d share well with each other.

The horns of a dilemma. That was what people called situations like this. The Abbott brothers were undeniably attractive, but pleasing two men was more than she could handle. Committed ménage relationships required trust, and she’d never forget the betrayal she’d felt when she’d discovered Victor’s true feelings. She couldn’t afford to forget.

“I’m sorry, Lucas…Josh. I can’t.”

Josh’s blue-green eyes were laser-focused as he encompassed her fingers in his warm hand. “Was it a man who hurt you? Or men?”

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Why?” Josh asked, his tone riding the fine line between compassionate and highhanded as he held her gaze.

“It’s painful.”

The way his eyebrows knit said it all. “I’m sorry they hurt you.”

She pulled her hand back a little, but he kept it in his gentle grip. “How did you know?” Crap. “You overheard what I said to Jessica and Cassie?”

Josh gave a slight shrug and looked down at her hand. “I didn’t intend to eavesdrop. They must be dumbasses if they let you go. You know there are a lot of successful ménages in Divine?”

“Yeah, I guess I’m the odd duck.” Sometimes she felt surrounded by all the committed ménages around town, which served only to highlight her own failure.

Lucas smiled a little wider. “You know we’re planning on changing your mind, right?”

That’s what I’m afraid of.

Josh finally released her hand but left his lying on the table. “So Miss Play-the-field, what are you up to next weekend?”

That was a good question. “Why? Are you asking me out?” Poke the bear, why don’t you?

“I’m curious to know if you’re serious about getting out and being a social butterfly or if you’re just attempting to hold us at arm’s length.”

He licked his lower lip, and she saw the challenge clear in his eyes. Lucas seemed almost apologetic when she looked to him to see if he felt the same.

“As a matter of fact, I have plans for the whole weekend, at a…retreat in Morehead.” Yeah, that’s what it is.

Josh lifted an eyebrow, and his half-smile was starting to irritate her a little. “A retreat…in Morehead, huh?”

“Yes…for…um…business owners.”

Lucas raised his eyebrows. “You don’t say? We could consider ourselves business owners, even though it’s a family business. Dad might like us to check something like that out.”

Shit! “Well, um…it’s geared toward retailers like me. You wouldn’t be interested.”

Josh looked into his mug and smiled. “Sounds focused. Will there be a lot of people? Those things can have a high cost. You’ll want to make sure you get all the one-on-one attention you need.”

Her jaw dropped as a blistering-hot mental image of him giving her one-on-one attention made her panties even wetter than they already were.

Lucas nodded. “It’d be a shame if you came away from it unsatisfied.”

“Um…” Think, dummy! “The host is someone I know personally. I have a lot of trust in him, and I’m sure I’ll learn everything I need to know. I’ll be making a lot of contact—I mean contacts while I’m there.” Holy hell, stop with the double talk before you trip up!

 Josh and Lucas glanced at each other, and then Josh’s gaze returned to her. The concern in his eyes was obvious. “Be careful, baby girl.”

B-B-baby girl? Her inner devil’s chin hit the floor. Lucas grinned and tipped her jaw closed.

She shook her head as her cheeks went red hot. “Sorry, I guess I’m more tired than I thought.” Guilt settled uncomfortably in her heart. It wasn’t like her to lie.

Without further question, Josh left a generous tip on the table, and rose from the booth, his solid six-foot frame looming over her as he held out his hand. Relief filled her now that it seemed the retreat conversation was over.

She accepted his gentlemanly help but felt a little empty when he released her hand as he turned to go pay the bill.

Lucas laid his hand on her hip. “I know he’s a little pushy sometimes. Forgive him?”

She frowned and shook her head. “There’s nothing to forgive. I understand he’s protective. I like both of you, but I’m not ready for anything serious. I fibbed when I said that relationship ended a while back. I only told him today to not call me anymore. It’s been building up to that for a long while. That’s what the phone call was about.”

Lucas nodded, and kissed her temple. His kiss, and the one he’d given her on the forehead earlier, were as dangerous to her heart as the heated looks Josh kept giving her. Her body clearly knew what it wanted, going by the state of her panties, but she needed to think with her head and not her heart, or other body parts.

He gathered her long hair into a loose bundle at her back, sending more delicate ripples of pleasure down her spine. “You’re a good person, Violet. A giver. That guy sounds like a taker, and I’m glad you set limits. Don’t worry about us. We’re patient men.”

Outside the restaurant, she hit the button on her vehicle remote, and Josh opened her door for her, his expression unreadable.

She didn’t know exactly where she stood with him, and she paused, wondering if she should apologize, thank him, or hug him, the awkwardness increasing by the second. She didn’t want to leave him on that note. “Umm…”

Josh looked into her eyes, his bedroom gaze sending all the butterflies in her stomach into aerial maneuvers. “What, baby girl?”

Oh God, he said it again.

ADULT EXCERPT

Josh frowned and then grasped her chin in a gentle hand. “Baby girl, losing control is the whole idea.” She shook her head as if in denial of her need to do exactly that. “This is your fantasy weekend. Let us in. You won’t regret it. We won’t leave you hanging, either.”

Lucas heard the fierceness in his brother’s tone. He didn’t mean just for the weekend.

Lucas felt the same way. “Let us take care of you?” Let us love you.

Even in the dim light, he could see the high color in her cheeks as she shifted her doubtful gaze between them. “And Monday? I know it’s cliché…”

Lucas cupped her cheek in his hand. “We will respect you. Don’t doubt it for a minute. Say you’ll trust us to take care of you for the weekend, and you can decide about the future later.”

Lucas slid his hands into her hair, and she leaned toward him, his lips parting as they joined his. So warm and honeyed. Her soft intonation, as he stroked her tongue with his, shot sensation straight to his cock. He couldn’t wait to wrap his arms around her and sink deep inside. Pausing to draw a deep breath, he whispered, “You are so damn sweet.” He tightened his hold and devoured her lips again, inhaling her fragrance until she went limp draped between them.

“Enough,” Josh growled. “I need your mouth.”

Soft laughter bubbled up in her, and she looked at his brother. “Is that a fact, Mr. Pushy?” she whispered. She hesitated only a moment before she closed her palm over Josh’s erection.

* * * *

“Fuck yes, it’s a fact,” Josh growled as he held her firmly and rubbed his cock against her hand. “Answer Lucas’s question.”

Her pussy clenched yet again at his assertive tone, and she shivered, feeling as if she’d taken a shot of tequila and it’d kicked in in a major way. His erection filled her palm, and caution was suddenly a whisper on the wind.

“Yes. I’m yours…for this weekend.”

Josh growled as he traced his hands over her collarbones and threaded his fingers into her hair at her nape. She was prepared for him to jerk her to him, to ravage her lips, to kiss her roughly, and to overpower her with his strength and fuck her until she passed out from pleasure. He did none of those things.

He looked up at her and sighed softly. His fingers were gentle as he stroked her scalp and he gazed into her eyes, smiling as if the news surprised him. “We won’t let you down.”

“I’m on the pill, and Joseph has my health records on file, but I’d like to use condoms. I don’t go without. Sorry to break the mood by getting all clinical.”

“Don’t be,” Lucas said. “We’re prepared.” He produced the condoms from his pants pocket.

“Two? You’re pretty confident in me.”

Josh stroked her chin. “Of course. We’re the ones taking care of you, remember?”

She nodded, wondering if he was alluding to the same thing that came to her mind. Victor and Bodie. The concept of a ménage wasn’t new to her, but the idea of being the center was. In all their threesome experiences Bodie had been the center. She banished the thoughts and simply nodded.

Josh didn’t allow the awkwardness to hang in the air long before he drew her to him for another kiss as he slipped her thong down to her hips. Lucas helped her remove it before she returned to Josh, straddling his thighs. She was relieved it was dark enough that they might not see the dimples on her ass or her cellulite.

Feeling brave, she reached for the zipper of Josh’s slacks, feeling his thick cock against her knuckles as she lowered it, and he squirmed to lower the pants enough to apply the condom and give her access. Sudden hunger to feel him stretching her, thrusting inside her made her bolder, and she rolled her shoulders and pressed her cleavage to his face as she rubbed her mound against the searing heat of his cock. He raked his teeth against her breast, startling a squeal from her before he sucked her nipple into his hot mouth. A wave of desire shimmered across her skin as if she stood near a bonfire. He tugged at her nipple, and her cunt clenched in response.

“Oh, Josh!”

When she flexed her hips, her abundant wetness coated him as she rubbed her pussy against his cock, sliding her clit up and down on his length until she reached the edge of orgasm. He could’ve taken control and angled his hips to thrust his cock inside her, but he didn’t. Fully accepting she was the one with the control, for now, she rose up a little and arched her back, taking him deep with one sweeping motion.