“I might take that for sass, precious.”
But he wouldn’t, and his teasing tone made that obvious. She chuckled as she nudged his shoulder to move him away from her stove. “I’ve got this. Grab yourself a cup of coffee and relax.”
Skewing up one side of his mouth, Hammer lifted the coffeepot from the counter. “Um…”
He tipped the pot over, revealing that it was empty, and sent her a hopeful smile, thrusting it toward her.
She giggled. “You’re so helpless.”
Shaking her head, she stepped around him and filled the pot. She could feel his eyes watching her every move.
“Not at everything,” Hammer refuted in a rough drawl. “But you know that.”
Raine remembered. Every moment of the night she’d spent in his bed was seared in her memory.
“Like barking out orders and growling?” she teased to match his mood.
Suddenly, his smile disappeared. Hammer’s commanding Dom face took its place.
Uh-oh. Fun time is over.
“I have one question for you,” he said.
Raine held her breath anxiously. “Yes?”
“Are you absolutely sure this is what you want to do?”
Despite her earlier reservations, she’d never been more serious about anything in her life. The past was where it belonged, behind her. The present was winding itself before her, albeit on a unexpected path. The future…who knew? But she refused to give up on tomorrow simply because it scared her.
She lifted her chin with conviction. “Positive.”
“I hope you mean that.” Hammer’s stare held hers hostage for a long, silent moment.
Then his attention drifted toward the coffeepot, and he sighed.
So big and bad…until he had no coffee. She grinned. “It will be ready soon. Patience.”
“Watch yourself,” Hammer warned with an arch of his brow. “Don’t forget, your lily white backside is going to be in our hands soon.”
Their broad, strong hands. And the visual of them all over her blasted through her brain—of them stripping off her clothes with those hands, binding her to their bed, dragging their lips across her skin, driving their cocks deep inside her, pounding, claiming, overwhelming... God, she hoped they’d give her that chance.
The room felt hot, or maybe it was just her cheeks. Biting back a moan, she zipped her gaze down to the bacon sizzling in the pan, hoping Hammer couldn’t read her thoughts. Raine ached for something that might never happen, and she had to accept that. Or did she? The question that had haunted her earlier roared back with force. They’d said they would both top her…but what exactly would that entail?
Raine gathered up her courage and changed the subject. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Why are you trying to bury the hatchet with Liam and help me?”
Hammer moved in behind her, his warm breath caressing her ear. He pressed every hard inch of his body against her back, and his cock prodded her backside. No mistaking that he wanted her. Though she tried not to shiver, his closeness made that an impossible feat. He wrapped his big hands around her hips in a commanding hold and pressed into her. Raine gasped and melted into him. Desire flashed over her skin. God, he felt so good.
She wanted more—of both of them.
“Because you’re worth it, precious. You’ve asked for help, and no one on the goddamn planet is going to lead you down your path except us.”
Twisting from his hold, she turned and met his solemn stare. “But why? I mean, I know why Liam wants to guide me. He says he’s in love with me. But you…you’ve already gone above and beyond taking care of me for years. I would have thought that you’d be happy to cut me loose and let Liam teach me what I need to know.”
Resolution stamped across his face an instant before Hammer slid a hand around her back and skimmed it up her spine. Then he gripped his fist in her hair and tilted her head back, his stare intent. He meant to get some message across to her.
“Whatever you think, whatever has happened in the past, you belonged with me the minute you walked in the door.”
Hammer swooped down, his lips capturing hers. Impassioned. Reverent. The kiss branded her with fire…and something almost desperate. She’d never felt him so ardently gentle. Hell, she’d never known he was capable of it.
Beneath her tank top, her nipples drew up hard and ached as every muscle in her body went soft. The potent claim of his mouth soon had her dropping the fork to grab his shirt in her fists with a sigh.
Hammer poured himself into this one euphoric kiss. It held all the markings of a silent confession, and Raine wondered if she were imagining this touch to be Hammer’s nonverbal proclamation of love. Was that even possible? Or was he simply trying to provide caring so she’d let him “fix” her? After he had, would he slam the door shut between them again?
Immersed in his raw emotion, Raine stopped trying to answer the questions swirling in her head and gave herself over. She lost herself in his kiss, pouring out all the longing she’d barely had the opportunity to release in six years.
Hammer growled in approval. She savored each exalted second until he slowly pulled away. Still, he allowed his lips to linger on hers for another bittersweet moment.
Then she jerked away. Could she return his affection without Liam’s permission? Should she have kissed Liam without consulting Hammer? What were the rules of their new partnership?
As if he could peer into her soul, as he so often had, he sent her a reassuring smile and took her hand, pressing a delicate kiss in the center of her palm.
“Everything is fine, precious. Finish fixing breakfast. Then we’ll start fixing you.”
Chapter 14
As the sun hid just below the horizon, Liam led Raine outside toward his SUV, with her hand tucked in his. Hammer trailed close behind, his palm resting at the small of her back. The guys were so quiet. Tension hovered in the air. Now wasn’t the time to ask questions—but she wanted to.
Liam opened the back door. “Get in.”
Raine frowned. Two men occupied the front seat. Were they letting someone else take her somewhere? That didn’t sound like Liam and Hammer at all. She sent Liam a questioning gaze, then bent to see who sat in the car.
Beck swiveled in the driver’s seat and grinned. “Hop in, princess. Your chariot awaits.”
“Why are you going…wherever it is we’re going?” she blurted. “Aren’t you on call?”
“Hammer, you want to teach her some manners?” Beck suggested.
“I’ve got it.” Liam swatted her ass.
She yelped, then glared at him. “It was just a question.”
“Yes, a nosy one,” Hammer said archly, digging into his pocket. “If you can’t mute your curiosity, I’ll be happy to help.”
He dangled a ball gag in her face. Raine’s eyes widened. She shook her head.
Seth roared with laughter. “This is going to be so entertaining.”
She gave a little huff and sent Seth a stare that let him know he wasn’t helping one bit. He just laughed more.
With her butt still stinging, Raine jumped into the back, as far from Hammer’s ball gag as possible. Liam stopped her from sliding past the middle when he eased into the back seat on the driver’s side. Hammer entered on the passenger’s side and shut the door, sandwiching her between them. She still hadn’t recovered from Liam’s kiss in the bathroom or Hammer’s in the kitchen. Now they pressed in tightly on either side of her. As Beck eased out of the parking lot and headed for the freeway, her heart raced. Perspiration dampened the skin between her breasts.
She had no idea where they were going. But with Hammer and Liam pressing their body heat into her, she prayed the drive wouldn’t be far. She sensed their gazes straying toward her, could feel their hunger. They even smelled fantastic. Damn! Raine closed her eyes and squirmed, looking for some space. There wasn’t any. Her pussy clenched.
Everyone relaxed into their seats, and Beck sipped coffee from a big travel mug. Raine held in a curse. She had a hunch this wasn’t going to be a short trip.
To her left, Liam planted a hand on her bare thigh, just above her knee. She tensed and blinked up at him. It wasn’t an overtly sexual caress, but he still made her heart race. She shifted and tried to cross her legs.
“None of that, love.” Liam stayed her, tightening his fingers on her.
“You never cross your legs around us,” Hammer growled in her ear.
Their deep voices caressed her. Raine pictured her legs open and them touching her intimately, possessively. A flash of arousal burned an electric supercharge hot through her veins. Blood rushed to her nipples, swelled her folds. God, she couldn’t breathe. Dizziness swamped her head.
Before she could recover, Hammer took her hand and slung her wrist over his thigh. His thumb whispered across her forearm in slow, sensual circles. No mistaking the heat rising from his crotch, maybe an inch under her palm.
And Liam didn’t seem to care. What the hell was going on here? He and Hammer were actually touching her simultaneously. Yes, they’d sworn to shelve the animosity between them and operate as one to help her, but Raine hadn’t entirely believed it. And they surely hadn’t discussed sex. Now, with her body on fire, need overtaking her and their hands on her, she felt more confused than ever.
Seth turned on the radio. The band coming through the speakers began singing about their sex being on fire. Yeah, she could relate. The man turned to her and grinned.
Asshole, she mouthed.
His smile disappeared. “Did you say something, Raine?”
Oops, he wasn’t in the teasing mood. Traitor. She shook her head.
Beck chuckled and caught her glance in the rearview mirror. She’d smack him upside the head for being an asshole too if she wasn’t sure she’d get in more trouble for it.
“Problem, Seth?” Liam asked.
Between the two men, she tensed and sent Seth a pleading glance.
“If there is, I’ve got a ball gag and nipple clamps.” Hammer patted his pocket. “Just say the word.”
Raine zipped a stare over to him. Was he trying to goad Liam’s temper? Or just drive her over the edge of desire? God, she’d been dropped into the Twilight Zone.
She drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Find your damn Zen.
Yeah, that shit wasn’t working. And it wasn’t even seven a.m. yet.
“No problem so far,” Seth finally said. “I’ve had a cup of Raine’s coffee. I get the big deal now. I’m feeling generous…at the moment.”
Kings of Leon were still screaming about their sex, and she sang along in her head, hoping it would distract her. It worked until Liam sidled even closer, his thigh plastered against hers. Hammer turned to ask Liam if he had enough room…and breathed on her neck.
Raine bit back a moan. How much more sensual overload could she take? As Beck had pointed out back at his condo, BDSM wasn’t about sex. But Hammer and Liam sure were making it hard for her to think about much else.
The sun began to spill into the car as Liam’s hand inched up her thigh. Every cell in her body held a collective breath, along with her, just waiting…
If she slid down and tried to get Liam’s hand closer to her aching clit, would he notice? Yes, and he’d never give her what she wanted. At this point, she suspected Hammer would back him up, too.
She dared a peek at Liam. He stared straight ahead, but wore a smug little smile. Damn it, he knew exactly what he was doing to her.
His fingers crawled up her thigh again, this time taking her skirt with him an inch or two. A little gasp slipped past her lips as her clit began to throb, begging for his attention.
On her right, tingles screamed up her arm with every little circle Hammer drew on her wrist. She could imagine that pattern around her nipples before he drew them into his mouth, sucking, laving, nipping. She blew out a shaking breath. That visual wasn’t helping.
The temperature in the car rose. All she wanted to do was arch to Liam and Hammer, straddle one or the other—or both—and plead with them to fuck her.
As the song finally wound to its screeching conclusion, the singer screamed that he was consumed by what was about to transpire. She wished to hell something would transpire here, too. If it didn’t soon, she might lose her damn mind.
“Seth, can you, um…turn the heater down?” she managed to choke out.
“Gee, I think it’s really comfortable.” Beck shrugged. “You hot or something, princess?”
“I think it’s fine, too.” Seth turned to her. As his stare fell to Liam’s hand on her thigh, a grin crawled across his face. “But the sun is coming up. It’ll warm the car up more, so maybe we should. She’s looking really flushed.”
If she wasn’t so turned on, she’d be totally embarrassed. And Seth was enjoying her discomfort immensely. She wanted to punch him.
“It’s a bit chilly back here,” Liam drawled. “But if you’re hot, you could take off your sweater, love.” He tugged on the edge of her cardigan.