That was just one of the problems, she didn’t know which one kept drawing her attention and was responsible for her body’s reaction. “Damned if I know. But it looks like I’m going to find out.”
“It has to be her,” Jon said for the third time as his cock engorged even more when he and Luc approached the bar. The tall redhead had caught both of their attention as soon as they entered the dimly lit bar, but Luc had insisted on making sure by moving that way via a circular route around the room.
“Looks like considering my dick is in danger of getting a permanent zipper imprint.” The woman his body was insisting was his mate was attractive with a wealth of dark red, wavy hair that framed a pale, pretty face. But she had attitude written all over her, a take charge, independent air that screamed challenge in several different ways, which meant she would not be an easy
conquest. “How do you want to play this?” Normally, they would simply approach a woman they were attracted to, put the moves on her, letting her know up front what they wanted, and move on quickly and painlessly if she wasn’t interested. But they wanted much more from this woman than just one night of hot sex.
“We could toss her over my shoulder and haul her back to the plantation, explain after we get her someplace safer than here.” Jon liked the image that idea provoked. The bar was similar to all the others up and down Bourbon Street with a small dance floor, a corner set up for Karaoke and, from the sounds of it, a separate game room for pool and probably darts. The long bar dominated the back wall, a mirrored backsplash making the space look bigger. For a Monday night, the place packed a good crowd, which meant it was popular for something other than the usual aesthetics.
“From those ‘don’t fuck with me vibes’ she’s putting out, we’d be eating our balls as soon as you set her down,” Luc responded with a grin.
“You’re right. Let’s try our usual, charming approach and wing it from there.”
“Couldn’t hurt.”
Caitlin couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of them as they approached her. Not only were they tall, several inches over six feet if she were to guess by the way she was having to look up as they neared the bar, but their thighs looked as big as tree trunks, their arms bulging around the short sleeves of their tight tee shirts. They radiated power and a discomfiting magnetism that wreaked havoc on her body that she didn’t understand, and definitely didn’t appreciate.
“Welcome to the Down and Dirty, gentlemen. What can I get you?” she managed to say coolly despite the way her body was humming with arousal. She never went for fair headed men, she bemoaned silently, noting their shaggy, ash blonde cuts that did nothing to soften the hard angles of their chiseled, almost identical faces.
“How about some of your time after work, darlin’,” Luc drawled, leaning on the bar, liking what he was seeing more and more, especially when her dove grey eyes snapped like quicksilver in irritation at him.
“Drinks are all I’m offering, boys.” Caitlin smiled despite her irritation at the come on. It wasn’t the implication she opposed, it was her body’s immediate reaction to the slow southern drawl she was pissed off about.
“Ignore my brother,” Jon said with an outstretched hand. “I’m Jon Preston, and this boor is Luc. I’ll take a beer, light, whatever label you’ve got.” Jon had tried to prepare himself for the jolt he expected to feel when he touched his mate for the first time, but nothing could have prepared him for the instant searing lust consuming him when her large silver eyes widened in shocked arousal she couldn’t hide. “Don’t let it scare you, sweetheart, we feel it too.”
Caitlin dropped his hand as if burned, taking a step back. Very little scared her, even less worried her, but right now, her reaction to these two did both. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Turning to Luc, she asked quickly, “Beer for you, too?”
“For now,” was all Luc said, refusing to back away from letting her know, in part, what they wanted. The rest, well, that might be even more of a challenge convincing her of than easing the sexual tension between the three of them. Jon sent him a warning look, but he ignored it in favor of keeping his eyes locked on hers, sensing she was a woman who wouldn’t back down from a challenge.
Okay, Caitlin thought with relief as she turned away from that compelling look to draw two beers, she could handle these two. They were just like any other man who had come on to her over the past ten years, ever since Dan had finally given in to her wheedling and nagging about moving up from her janitorial, after hours duties to waitressing. She was pushing thirty now, and knew every trick in the book to either turn men away or, if she was in one of her rare, lonely, nostalgic moods, lure them in. She finally decided it was the fact she was attracted to both of these men that had her body acting so outrageously, had her palms sweating and her heartbeat accelerating as she imagined spending a night exploring all that hard male flesh times two. Every girl’s fantasy, right? That’s all this was, she told herself as she turned back to hand them their drinks, a case of lusting after something forbidden, something she had never had before and was tempted to try.
“Here you go, Jon and Luc. On the house as you’re new customers. A little bribe to get your return business.” When she started to turn away, Luc stopped her with a light touch on her arm, a touch that sent heat curling through her veins and pooling in her already aching pussy. “What?” she asked as politely as she could considering how desperate she was to put some space between her and them so she could think rationally about whether or not she wanted them to continue pursuing her.
“Don’t go outside of the bar after dark, okay? There’re some rumors about a couple of…gang members out causing trouble tonight in the Quarter. It’s not safe.”
Arching a brow, she answered nonplussed, “I’ve got news for you, darlin’, the Quarter’s never safe.” Patting his hand, she smiled; secretly pleased and amused at the way they were trying to protect her. “And I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. Come back again soon.”
“Let it go, Luc,” Jon said. “We’ll stick around for another thirty minutes and by then dawn will be too close to keep the rogues out any longer.”
Caitlin rolled her head on her shoulders trying to ease the stiffness and fatigue of a long, stressful night. Ten minutes to closing, the place had nearly cleared out over an hour ago except for Jon and Luc. Still seated at the bar, she had tried to ignore the way they kept an eye on her, tried to ignore the constant pulse of heightened arousal they inspired and she couldn’t suppress. “I’m just horny,” she muttered as she gathered up the trash from the restrooms and headed out to the alley to dump the large plastic bag. A year without sex and anyone would react as she had been to two such prime specimens of masculinity. She was definitely going to dig out her long neglected vibrator when she headed upstairs. A long session with the eight inch cock substitute would feel great, but she had a feeling it was going to be a short, intense session instead. The way she was feeling, one touch on her clit ought to do it. Either way, as long as she relieved this itch, she didn’t give a damn how long it took.
Thankfully, getting to her small, one bedroom apartment above the bar was only a matter of climbing the stairs, and as soon as she could shoo the last lingering customers out the door, including two mouthwatering, distracting brothers, the sooner she could call it a night.
Sultry night air hit her in the face as she pushed open the back door. The way Jon and Luc had kept their attention focused on her the past few hours, she hadn’t been surprised when they attempted to get up and follow her down the hall. “I don’t need hand holding in the bathroom,” she had snapped and, much to her relief, they had both sat back down, although they didn’t look too pleased about it. As humid as it was, it felt good to step outside away from those enigmatic looks and the promise of erotic pleasures beyond her comprehension they conveyed.
There was only one dim light above the back door to illuminate the alley, but that was all she needed. “Really, Caitlin,” she scolded herself as she lifted the lid to the large trash bin and tossed the bag inside with a clunk before dropping the lid back down. “It’s not as if you’re a fucking virgin.” She may have been celibate this past year, but that was by choice, not because of a lack of opportunity or desire. The fact was, until tonight, she hadn’t been able to muster up much enthusiasm for sex with anyone, hadn’t come across a man she wanted to get naked with bad enough to do just that. Her last romp between the sheets had ended with a mediocre climax, and frankly, hadn’t been worth the trouble. Now, Jon and Luc, she was beginning to think, just might prove to be worth the effort, despite their overprotective, overbearing attitude.
“Hello, pretty lady.”
Caitlin cursed her inattentiveness as she whirled at the sound of that oily voice, the sudden stench coming from more than the trash bin. Her gut clenched with one of her intuitions that never presaged anything good at the sight of two creepy looking men standing several feet away yet too close for comfort.
“Thanks for making this easy for us,” the one on her right snickered, a disgusting line of drool dribbling from the corner of his mouth.
She had never seen a more chilling smile. A frisson of fear slid up her spine despite her experience in dealing with doped up cretins like these two. “Keep movin’, fellas,” she told them as she inched her hand slowly down her side toward the small knife she kept tucked away. “I’m closing up for the night.” She tried to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat when they fanned out and moved slowly toward her, malicious intent clearly evident on their faces despite the meager light.
“Just in time for us to have a little party,” the one to her left giggled, making Caitlin tighten her hand around the hilt of her knife
“We’ve got this, Caitlin.” Jon startled her as he appeared seemingly out of nowhere to lay a hand over hers. His grip was firm and solid, giving her the impression of controlled strength.