Chapter Nineteen

If she could use one word to describe the ride home, it’d have to be unbearably tense. Shit, that’s two words. Oh well. Not like someone was going to charge her for sneaking in the extra adverb. Keeping her attention glued on the windshield, she clutched POC’s steering wheel tight enough the leather stitching dug into her skin. Though she deliberately kept Aiden confined to her peripheral vision, her body didn’t seem to take the hint to ignore his presence. Resisting the urge to glance down and ensure that her nipples weren’t poking merrily against the knit of her top, she checked the rearview mirror and noticed the Navigator trailing a few car lengths behind.

“You haven’t said much since this afternoon.”

“Neither have you,” she answered, her focus still fused to the windshield. “Guess that makes us even.”

“Have you made your decision on the claim mark yet?”

“No.” She uttered a strained laugh. “Deciding if I’m going to take the first step in tying myself to a couple of dragons for life requires a minimum of eight hours mulling time.”

Aiden remained silent for a long stretch. She adjusted the volume on the radio and surfed through the stations, hoping the mindless task would counteract the overwhelming urge to look in his direction. She was successful for roughly thirteen seconds. Peeking sideways, she discovered him watching her, his dark eyes filled with an emotion that tugged at her.

“If you think for one moment that I look forward to sharing you with my brother, you’re dead wrong.”

“Yet you’ll do it,” she said, not quite hiding the recrimination in her voice.

“To protect you. I’ll lay down my life, if that’s what it takes.”

Her heart knocked faster. She’d be a goner if he started in on his declarations of love again. Despite knowing the danger such a confession presented, a warm glow bloomed inside her. Desperate to keep the sensation from festering into a full-scale attack, she took a series of deep breaths until the glow diminished. Satisfied she’d regained a semblance of control, she accelerated on the gas and jumped on the expressway.

By the time she pulled into her driveway her nerves felt like they’d been pureed in a Cuisinart.

She shifted into park and cut the engine. All too ready to put some distance between her and Aiden, she escaped the confines of the vehicle and hightailed it into the house. Pulling to a halt in the threshold of the kitchen, she rubbed her shaking fingers over her face. Something small and furry bumped her lower calf and she glanced down at Ms. Whiskers. “Dinner time, I know. The fact I’m going through a nervous breakdown is no excuse to starve you.”

Ms. Whiskers yowled in agreement and skittered into the utility room. Halfway through the process of filling up the kitty dish, Dana remembered the load of wash she’d yet to throw in the dryer. “Damn it.” Gritting her teeth, she plopped the box of cat food onto the floor and went to investigate the condition of the laundry. What she found was way worse than a lump of semi-dry, musty-smelling clothes clinging to the interior of the washing machine.

Way, way worse.

Reaching inside the washer, she pinched the collar of Jace’s pink T-shirt between her thumb and forefinger. Crazy part was, she could have sworn it was white when she threw it in there earlier. Same went for his and Aiden’s socks and briefs. “Oh shit.” Leaning over the rim of the washer, she pawed through the rest of the clothing with her free hand. Beneath a pair of Khakis—which were now more flesh colored than Khaki—she found the culprit. A tube of cadmium red watercolor paint.

Her mind flashed to three days ago, when a telemarketer interrupted her during a painting session. In slow motion, she played back the part where she carried the tube with her into the living room as she rushed to catch the phone. Sometime during the process she must have tucked the paint into her pants pocket. “This is what I get for letting my answering machine crap out.”

“Dana?”

She gave a guilty jerk and whirled around, bunching the shirt behind her and stuffing the paint tube into her pocket. Remembering the trouble that action recently brought her, she retrieved the tube and flung it aside. It bounced against the side wall and rolled under the dryer. “I’ll, uh, be right there.”

Jace appeared in the doorway. “I just need to know where your ladder is.”

“Ladder?” She stared at him blankly.

“You know, one of those tall things with rungs?” He grinned, his teeth brilliant white against his golden complexion. “Aiden and I are going to clean out your gutters.”

“Now?”

“Yep. Apparently they’ve been driving my brother nuts. There’s at least a couple hours of daylight left. Might as well take advantage of it.”

She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth in consideration. “Did you try the garage? It’s open.”

Jace nodded. “No luck.”

“Hmm, I could have sworn I saw one in there.” She swung her arms in front of her stomach and twisted the fabric clutched in her hands. It wasn’t until Jace dropped his gaze and frowned at her movements that she remembered what she held.

“Is that my shirt?”

“Umm…”

The scuff of Aiden’s boots on the linoleum announced his approach. “Any news on that ladder?”

She took his appearance in the kitchen as a perfectly timed interruption. He stopped next to Jace and clasped his brother’s shoulder. His gaze immediately dipped to the limp material hanging from her hand. “Is that Jace’s shirt?”

Oh for Pete’s sake. Where was a good distraction when you needed one? “I swear this wasn’t my doing this time. Not intentionally, anyway. Trust me, I learned my lesson after the steak disaster.” Shaking the fabric out, she inspected it closer. “Maybe it’ll help if I run everything through another wash cycle. What do you think?”

Neither Aiden nor Jace answered. She looked up and encountered their stares. Jace was the first to speak. “Steak disaster?”

Oh man, did I say that part out loud? An uneasy laugh trickled past her lips. “Funny thing about that…”

Aiden released his hold on Jace’s shoulder and crossed his arms, causing the sleeves of his Henley to ride up. “Care to let us in on the joke?”

Not really. They probably wouldn’t let her off the hook so easily though. Which meant coming clean looked like her only option. Damn. “All right, I admit it. I deliberately sabotaged the dinner I made for you guys.” Swallowing hard, she peered at Jace beseechingly. “I honestly had no idea about your allergy. And as far as your shirt goes, I really think that shade of pink will bring out your eyes.” Good grief, that was desperate.

Frown lines furrowed in Jace’s brow. “Why’d you do it, sweetness?”

More coming clean. God, this sucked. “I thought maybe it’d convince you both that taking me on as your sacrifice slash domestic goddess wouldn’t be too prudent.”

Jace blinked. “Then you really aren’t a bad cook?”

“No, I’m horrible. Just usually not that horrible.”

One corner of Aiden’s mouth quirked upward and he shook his head. “I don’t know whether to spank you for your devious subterfuge or give you an award for being so damn ingenious.”

“I vote for the former.” Jace’s voice held a smoky edge.

Her jaw dropping, she panned her gaze between the brothers. “Let’s not get carried away.”

“You never know.” Jace’s eyes twinkled devilishly. “You might like it.”

She snorted. “Only in your wildest fantasies, dragon boy.” Scooting sideways, she reached for the tub of detergent, all the while keeping a wary eye on Aiden and Jace. She twisted the knob on the washer but found out real quick that she wouldn’t get far without being able to see the dial settings. “I’m turning my back for a second. If either of you so much as look at my butt, there will be hell to pay.”

Aiden shuffled from the doorway. “Jace and I need to go search for the ladder anyway.”

A disappointed sigh fell from Jace before he traipsed after his brother. Left alone with only the splash of the washing machine filling, Dana finally allowed the tension to leach from her muscles. She’d been ninety percent certain Aiden and Jace wouldn’t follow through on their threats of spanking her, but she never quite knew what to expect with those two. Slamming the lid shut on the machine, she ventured into the kitchen and rifled through the fridge. The pickings went beyond slim to pretty much nonexistent.

“Jeez, maybe I should have taken Aiden up on his offer this morning.” Leaning her hip against the counter, she chewed her nail and considered her options. The deli in town made killer sub sandwiches, but they didn’t deliver. “What am I worried about? I’ve got two dragons at my beck and call.” Giving a chipper whistle, she headed outside.

The thick carpet of leaves crunching beneath her feet, she scuffed toward the garage. She didn’t see Aiden or Jace anywhere. Crossing to the side door, she pushed it open and peeked inside the darkened interior. Her nose twitched at the stale odor of unused space. Forehead scrunching in confusion, she retraced her steps to the front of the house. Muffled curses came from the tent.

“Guys?” She started toward the tent and reached for the flap enclosure the same instant Jace poked his head out.

“Hey, sweetness. Perfect timing.”

“For what?” She tried peeking past him into the tent but Jace blocked most of the view. “I thought you were going to clean my gutters.”

“We came up with a better idea.”

“A bet—” She broke off with a squeak when Jace snatched her arm and hauled her inside the tent. The first thing she noticed was Aiden crouched behind one of the air mattresses, fumbling with something on the ground while he uttered another oath.

“You about done over there?”

Aiden looked up at Jace’s impatient demand, his eyes widening a fraction when he spotted Dana. “I thought I told you to wait before getting her.”

“Don’t blame me. She showed up outside. How am I supposed to resist such scrumptious temptation?”

Dana tried in vain to see what Aiden was working on but the bulky head of the air mattress made it impossible. Still, she was starting to get a bad feeling about whatever was going down. The tiny hairs standing along the nape of her neck wouldn’t let her deny it. “I…uh…need to go throw your clothes in the dryer.” She backed up. Right into Jace’s solid chest.

His arms slid around her middle, locking her against him. “Wash cycle isn’t done yet.”

The lazy sweep of his palm over her abdomen made her heart rate spike. “Give me a break. Your hearing can’t be that good.”

“No, but your brand of washer has a twenty-five minute cycle, even without the extra rinse.”

“What are you, the Maytag Man?”

“I’m a plumber, baby, remember? I know my washers.” Chuckling, he inched her forward. Apparently finished with his task, Aiden rose to his feet. The determined gleam in his eyes made her a tad nervous. And embarrassingly wet. Good God, she was easy. All the bastard had to do was breathe and she got freakin’ aroused.

“Let’s get something clear. No way in hell will I stand for either of you spanking me. Capiche?”

One of Aiden’s eyebrows lifted. “Who said anything about you standing?” Before she could even guess at his intentions, he swooped down and grabbed her feet the same instant Jace’s arms banded around her torso. Ignoring her startled shriek, Aiden swung her legs up and angled them over the mattress.

Self-preservation kicking in, she wiggled and flailed like a trout fighting a fisherman’s hook. “Aarrgh…let me go.” They did and she plopped onto the mattress, her whole body bouncing on the fluffy sleeping bag. Before she could flip to a sitting position, Aiden’s hands returned to her feet. He slipped off her shoes and wound something soft around her ankles. She attempted to roll to the side and escape but Jace clamped onto her forearms and secured them over her head. Literally. The bastard tied her wrists with the same type of fabric Aiden was using on her ankles and affixed her to something anchored behind the mattress. She was willing to bet the device was the mysterious task Aiden had been struggling and cursing a blue streak over.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Though she’d meant the question to sound righteous and indignant, it came out more breathless and anticipatory.

“Getting you prepped for your punishment, sweetness.”

“Well you’ve got a slight problem, dragon boy. I’m flat on my back. Kinda hard to deliver a spanking, wouldn’t ya say?” She couldn’t resist giving Jace a cocky smile.

“We decided against the spanking, seeing as how you might like it too much.” Jace cut off her sputtering retort by leaning back on his elbow and waving something in her face. “These look familiar?”

She stared at her paintbrushes. “What are you planning to do with those?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Jace said, mocking her.

Soon as she got out of these ties, she was so making him suffer. Grinning at the scowl she gave him, Jace traced the tip of one paintbrush along the shell of her ear. She gasped and tried jerking away. Jace’s smile stretched wider, his eyes twinkling. “You really are ticklish. This must be killing you.”

“Not at all,” she bit out defiantly.

“You’re a shitty liar, sweetness.”

“And you’re just a shit.” She squirmed when Aiden shoved the hem of her top upward and swirled his own paintbrush into her bellybutton. Gasping, she tried to evade his tormenting. “Both of you.”

Jace made a tsking noise. “Doesn’t sound like you’re anywhere near penitent.” Tucking his fingers into the sides of her blouse, he eased it past her rib cage, exposing the underside of her bra. He didn’t stop there. The fabric continued its torturous, slow journey, rasping over skin that probably provided home to a million goose bumps. He tipped her slightly and navigated her head through the shirt’s neck hole. While Jace guided her blouse along her pinned arms, Aiden unbuttoned her pants and coasted them over her hips and thighs. Rather than untying her and removing her slacks fully, he left them draped around her feet.

Then the torment began in full force.

Jace’s paintbrush made a reappearance, tickling from her wrist all the way to her armpit. She writhed and hollered, calling him every despicable name she could think of. He found a spot in the center of her armpit that made her thrash and giggle. Between bouts of hysterical laughter, she tried to bite his hand. Pretty damn hard to do when you’re trussed up like a turkey. “Y-you’re going to p-pay for this, you s-sons of bitches.”

“What are you gonna do, force us to eat your cooking?” Jace hooted when she took another lunge at him.

A new form of torture started when Aiden grazed his brush across the inside of her thigh. Every sensory nerve in her body went into overdrive and she shivered uncontrollably at the soft bristles leisurely advancing toward her thong-covered mound. She was so lost in the sensation that she didn’t even realize Jace had unhooked her bra until the caress of brushstrokes painting her nipple brought her crashing into awareness. Moaning, she arched her back.

“That’s it, sweetness. Let your body be our canvas.”

All she could manage was an incoherent slur. Aiden’s brush slipped along the elastic of her thong, teasing the ultra-sensitive skin around her bikini zone. His consuming focus was glued to her crotch. She knew he could see how wet she was and the knowledge only made her pussy slicker. A muscle working in his jaw, he peeled her thong down until it joined her slacks. The bristles feathering her nipples let up briefly as Jace watched his brother trace the paintbrush along her labia. She strained against the ties.

Aiden looked up from his ministrations and glanced at Jace. “Go back to what you were doing.” His voice sounded like he’d guzzled a gallon of battery acid.

The taunting of her nipples resumed and Aiden settled between her legs, his broad shoulders spreading her thighs further. He leaned down and inhaled, his eyes closing as his nostrils flared. His expression matched his rapturous groan, making her clit throb in response. Apparently reading her body, he whorled the bristles over the aching bundle of nerves.

“Aaaah…” Her hips bowed upward, both seeking and resisting contact with the brush. Aiden stopped his painting and flicked her with his tongue instead. Getting into his rhythm, he alternated the brushstrokes with lazy laps from his tongue. Soon enough he had her going wild.

“You like that, baby?” Taking a cue from his brother, Jace stretched forward and licked her nipple.

Hopefully he didn’t expect her to answer because at the moment she didn’t possess enough brain cells to formulate a thought, much less a word.

They worked in concert, driving her to a fever pitch, until all she could think about was coming.

On their cocks.

While they fucked her together.

“Oh God.” She shook, on the cusp of orgasm. If just the image in her head was enough to bring her there, what would the reality be like?

Aiden moved away from her clit and she released a frustrated bleat.

“Please…” Her chest heaved with the force of her panting. “I need you. I’m so close.”

Agony and indecision warred across his face. What was he waiting for? She got her answer a second later when Jace pulled back too.

“Sweetness, you can have us separately or together. If it’s together, we will claim mark you. The choice is yours.”

Aiden’s fingertips ran along the skin quivering above her pelvic bone. “I know you need more time, but we don’t have that luxury. It’s now or never.”

“You bastards did this on purpose.”

Jace’s mouth twisted in a pained grin. “Guilty as charged. We’ll make it good for you though, baby. You have our promise.”

At this point, Aiden could stick that damn paintbrush in her coochie and she’d have a screaming good time. Still, that didn’t sound nearly as appealing as the alternative. Unconsciously, her gaze traveled to the erection straining against the placket of Aiden’s trousers. She licked her lips. His eyes darkening, Aiden thumbed the hook free on his fly.

“I didn’t say yes yet.”

The yet part of her statement hung heavy in the air, but neither Aiden nor Jace called her on it. Instead, Aiden eased his zipper down, the metallic rasp of the teeth as they separated providing an erotic tune. “I know. But I figured I might give you some food for thought.” He stood and tugged his Henley over his head, tousling his midnight black hair. Tossing the garment aside, he kicked off his boots and shucked his trousers and briefs, stooping to free them of his muscular calves.

He straightened and her breath lodged in her throat. No matter how many times she saw him naked, she would always be bowled over by how gorgeous he was. His hand moved to his cock and gave it an indulgent stroke. The air trapped in her windpipe hissed free. “You don’t play fair.”

“Nope.” Aiden fisted his shaft and gave it a good jack. The muscles in his chiseled six-pack rippled in reaction.

Lust and need pooled thick and heavy in her breasts and pussy. “I want you inside me.”

Jace pinched her turgid nipples. “Both of us?”

She swallowed hard, her eyes following the path of Aiden’s fingers. “Yes. Please, just do it.”

A strange mix of resignation and triumph flared within Aiden’s eyes. He dropped his fist and crawled over her, resettling between her legs. Supporting his weight on his elbows, he ravaged her mouth. Still imprisoned by the ties, all she could do was suck on his bottom lip and parry the thrust of his tongue with her own. The sexy growls purling from his throat and the erratic thud of his heart against her breast were enough to skyrocket her over the edge. She tilted her pelvis, trying to rub on the delicious length of his cock. Yes, she was acting like a total nympho. Did she care? No. “Now. For the love of God, now.”

Frantic jerking on the ties at her ankles made her cry in relief. While Jace wrestled with her bound feet, Aiden rolled onto his side and reached for her closest arm. He made quick work releasing one hand then the other. Depositing the ties next to her, he pressed a kiss to each wrist. She turned her head and inspected the strips of cloth. “What in the world did you tie me up with?”

“One of Jace’s T-shirts.” Aiden gave a wry grin that made her tummy do a funny flip. “He probably wouldn’t have sacrificed it if he’d known all his other shirts would suddenly turn pink.”

“Nah. It’s still worth it.” Sinking onto the opposite mattress, Jace began unlacing his boots.

Aiden cupped her face, his touch gentle as his mouth returned to hers. Their kiss was languid this time. Exploratory. Slow, slick passes of tongue. Teeth barely grazing kiss-swollen lips. He stoked the fire steadily, until she wanted to climb inside his skin. The thought made her giggle. He pulled back, his ragged breath puffing on her cheek. “Should I be insulted that you’re laughing right now?”

“I was just thinking how I wanted to climb inside you.” Her palms coasted over his shoulders and collarbone, reveling in his silky texture. “But there’s probably not enough room in there, what with that fourteen-foot dragon hogging all the space.”

His lips curled upward. “Honey, he definitely wouldn’t mind sharing.”

“Speaking of sharing, can I get a taste of some of that sweetness?” Jace leaned over Aiden and cupped the back of her head. His tongue dipped inside her mouth in a sensuous glide. It felt beyond weird and very naughty to be naked and entangled in the arms of one brother and getting the daylights kissed out of her by the other.

Then again, it was fairly tame compared to what was about to happen.

Jace pulled back and licked his lips slowly. “Mmm, tasty.”

A warm palm molded over her breast. Glancing at Aiden, she discovered his hot, hungry gaze affixed to her. He kneaded her flesh, plucking at her nipples before he caressed over their peaked tips with his calloused knuckles. The abrading sensation was almost too much to bear. His head lowered to the crook of her neck and the light scrape of his teeth on her tendon made her whimper. Abandoning her breast, his hand coasted to her butt. With an encouraging squeeze on her left buttock, he dragged her thigh over his and shifted onto his back so she straddled him.

Need spiraled in a tight coil as Aiden’s cock prodded at her wet folds. She wiggled, enticing him to take the plunge. Taking the hint, he eased inside her, inch by slow inch. He buried his face against her neck and groaned, the sound vibrating against her skin.

His fingers stroked along her spine. “I love being inside you like this. Nothing between us but each other.”

She did too. It wasn’t in her nature to indulge in unprotected sex, even knowing her period would be starting in less than a week, technically making her pretty safe in that aspect. But being flesh to flesh with Aiden in the truest sense of the word stoked all kinds of forbidden thrills within her. Thrills she didn’t care to examine at the moment. Better to just immerse within the decadent sensations and leave the psychoanalysis for later.

Jace’s weight settled behind her. He traced the indent of her tailbone before trailing into the crease of her butt cheeks. Instinctively she tensed and Jace’s finger stalled.

“Sweetness, how much experience do you have with anal sex?”

“None,” she squeaked, thankful that her more-than-likely glowing red face was hidden from view.

Aiden muttered a curse but Jace splayed his hand on her lower back, keeping her anchored in place.

“It’s okay. I’ll take it slow and gentle, ease her into it.”

“You better. Because so help me, if you hurt her I’ll rip your tonsils out.”

The sudden click of a bottle cap opening cut off Aiden’s growl. Two seconds later, Jace rubbed something cool and slippery over her puckered hole. His finger pushed inside, working past the tight ring of muscle. She flinched at the foreign invasion, her mind not letting her get past how big his finger felt. How the hell was she going to be able to take his cock in there?

Apparently reading her troubled thoughts, Jace massaged her lower back. Aiden added his own brand of soothing by caressing her everywhere he could reach and whispering words of encouragement and love in her ear. Soon enough, they lulled her into a relaxed state.

Until Jace added another finger. He scissored the two digits, stretching her. Incredibly, she felt herself begin to loosen and even welcome the pressure against her inner walls. Biting her lip, she pushed back slightly.

Jace hummed in satisfaction. “That’s it, sweetness. You’re doing great.” He pumped his fingers a final time and slid them free. The blunt head of his cock appeared and nudged intently. Before she had time to freeze up again, he pressed down, fighting the resistance from the band of muscle. A burning sting seared her and she cried out in shock.

Aiden went rigid, deep lines of anxiety bracketing his mouth. Guessing that he was seconds away from calling a halt to the festivities, she leaned down and brushed their noses together. His breath shuddered from between his lips, making her smile. Jace chose that moment to thrust deeper, lodging his cock all the way inside her.

The feeling of fullness was almost overwhelming.

“Are you all right?” Aiden and Jace demanded in unison.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she nodded. Jace’s cock started to retreat and she gasped as he hit all sorts of undiscovered nerve endings. Her fingers dug into Aiden’s chest and she cried out again, this time in ecstasy.

“Ahhh, goddamn. You feel so fucking good, sweetness.” Jace palmed her butt cheeks together on his forward stroke, intensifying the sensations.

She opened her eyes and found Aiden staring at her, thinly leashed desire raging in his dark irises. Her nails grazed over his nipples and the fire in his expression turned into a three-alarm blaze. Arching his hips, he filled her on Jace’s departure, stuffing her to the hilt. Upon his brother’s re-entry, he eased off. They kept up their alternating strokes until she was shivering and out of control. Aiden’s hands tangled in her hair and held her steady for a full-on devouring from his mouth. Dimly, she became aware of her body heating, growing hotter and hotter until she swore she’d burst into flames. Instead, she broke apart into a million pieces, the orgasm crashing over her sending radiant sparkles exploding behind her eyelids. She barely registered the twin shouts of completion from Aiden and Jace as she fell blissfully into oblivion.