Chapter Eighteen
The next weeks followed a predictable course. The days were spent with the cougar in front of the fire until she shifted back to human and went shivering into Hunter’s or Jericho’s arms.
At night, she and Jericho made sweet love in front of the fire, their shadows transposing erotic images on the wall. And though she couldn’t always see him, Hunter watched from those shadows. Sometimes she left Jericho’s arms to find Hunter waiting. He took her into his bedroom and mated with her with such urgency that it was like lighting a wildfire inside her body.
She had learned much from these two men, but she also had good instincts for what pleased them. Yet, despite the fact that that they’d made love to her together the first time, neither had made an effort to make it happen again.
Why it was so important to her, she wasn’t sure, but even when each made such sweet love to her separately, she felt she was missing a vital part of herself. She wanted—needed—both of them to complete her.
Tonight, the two men sat in the living room with her as they watched the glow of the embers in the hearth. It was the perfect opportunity to appeal to them both.
She rested in the crook of Jericho’s arm, her head pillowed on his broad chest. “Jericho?”
His fingers trailed lazily down her arm. “Yes, honey?”
“Why haven’t you loved me together? Like the first time…”
Her gaze drifted to Hunter as she spoke, and he went still, his eyes burning into hers. Hungry. It was the only word she could come up with to describe the gleam.
Jericho’s hand stopped its casual trail over her arm.
“Do you not wish to do so?” she asked softly.
Hunter lifted his gaze to Jericho. She was aware of the silent communication between the two men, and she wondered at the sudden tension that filled the room.
“We want to very much,” Hunter finally said. “We just wanted to give you time. In so many ways you’re still such an innocent, Kaya. We’ve got a hell of a lot more experience than you.”
“Do we really?” Jericho asked softly. “Want to, that is?”
Kaya turned her head up to see Jericho staring intently across the distance at Hunter. She frowned, not understanding what was going on between the two men.
“Yeah,” Hunter said.
“Are you sure?”
Again, Hunter nodded.
“Jericho?”
Jericho looked down at her softly spoken entreaty and ran his fingers over her cheek. “What is it, honey?”
“What is going on?”
Jericho sighed then looked over at Hunter who slowly got up from his chair and walked over to the couch to sit on the other side of Kaya. Hunter took her hand and linked his fingers with hers.
“I’m not sure how much of human relationships you understand, but having two…mates…is not normal.”
“I know,” she said solemnly. “It’s why I feel so fortunate.”
“Before we knew you, there was a woman that Jericho and I both loved.”
“Rebeccah,” she said softly.
“Yes, Rebeccah,” Jericho said.
“You lost her.”
“Yes, we lost her.”
“How?” she asked.
“She was killed in a rebel uprising in Africa. She…her foundation…furnishes medical aid to villages caught in the crossfire, particularly the children. Jericho and I provided the muscle—the firepower, so to speak. We often led a team in front of hers to clear the way so she could get into the places no one else could—or would—go.”
“And this is where you went when you left the cabin each time?”
Jericho nodded. “At first, before Rebeccah died, we stayed with her. After she was killed, we came here. It seemed easier. We could face going back if we had the distance between assignments each time.”
“You do it to honor her memory,” Kaya said in understanding.
“We made a promise,” Hunter said grimly.
She smiled and touched his cheek then turned to offer the same affection to Jericho. “You are noble men.”
“At any rate, we both swore we’d never put another woman between us again,” Jericho said, ignoring her statement. “That’s why I was making sure that Hunter is okay with this.”
“But why?”
Hunter sighed. “It’s complicated. Rebeccah…she didn’t trust our relationship. She was in essence waiting for it to fall apart. To fail. She didn’t believe we could continue on, two men loving—sharing—the same woman.”
Kaya stared at him in dismay. “She didn’t trust you?”
“She didn’t trust the situation,” Jericho corrected.
“She didn’t trust us,” Hunter said in agreement with Kaya.
Jericho went silent, his face turned away from them both.
“I’m sorry,” Kaya said quietly. “No wonder you didn’t want to involve yourselves with me.”
Hunter ran his finger up the underside of her arm. “But we do, Kaya. Despite our vow never to become involved with the same woman. You came into our lives, and neither of us is willing to let you go now.”
“We didn’t plan it,” Jericho said. “But we aren’t going to fight it. We want you, Kaya. With us.”
She reached up to palm his cheek. “And I want to be with you. Both of you.”
Jericho captured her fingers and slid her hand over his mouth. He kissed the pad of her thumb and then each finger.
“Do you trust us, Kaya? Do you believe we won’t hurt you or do anything to frighten you?”
She smiled. “Just love me. I want you both.”
Hunter slid from the couch and reached to pick her up. He strode toward the bedroom, Jericho just behind him. He laid her on the bed and took a step back to stand beside Jericho.
For several seconds, both men stood over her, staring as she lay submissively, waiting for what they would do next.
Jericho stripped off his shirt and hastily dragged his pants off. Hunter was more methodical, though, watching Kaya as he slowly undressed. Button by button, he bared the smooth texture of his chest and abdomen.
He parted the lapels and pulled them back, the material sliding over his shoulders and down his arms. It fell away, and he reached for the button of his jeans. It popped open, and the sound of his zipper rasped over her ears.
Jericho was completely naked now, and Hunter pulled his pants over his hips, freeing his cock from constraint. When he stepped out of the jeans, Jericho moved onto the bed, crawling onto the mattress beside her. He palmed her belly then slid his hand up her midline and then under one breast. He ran a thumb over her nipple, brushing back and forth until it tightened unbearably.
She turned her head with a gasp when Hunter settled on the other side of her, his fingers sliding through the soft folds between her legs. She sucked in her breath again when he tucked one finger inside her opening. He left it just inside for a moment before easing deeper. He withdrew, added another finger and then opened her a little wider.
“One of us will be here,” Hunter said as he stroked the inside of her sheath. He withdrew his fingers and ran them lightly up her belly, over her chest and up to her lips. They were damp with her moisture when he pressed them over her tongue. “And one of us will be here,” he said as he slid his finger deeper into her mouth.
Her eyes widened at the images his words evoked. Hunter over her, thrusting. No, that would be awkward. Behind her, mounting her like her animal brethren. A low shudder worked through her frame as she imagined being mounted like an animal. Jericho in front of her, using her mouth as a second sheath.
Both men closed in on her, lowering their heads until they each took a nipple between their teeth, sucking and nipping at the sensitive buds. She floated free of the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Dreamily, she ran her hands through their hair, holding them against her breasts.
Then she closed her eyes, content to just feel, to experience the love these two men offered.
Their mouths sco
rched over her skin. Hot. Breathless. Their ragged breaths filled the room, blew over her flesh. They turned her until she lay belly-down, and then their hands and mouths resumed their lazy seduction.
One moved over her, pressing his body to hers. Hunter. His rigid cock settled in the cleft of her behind, rubbing up and down, dipping between her legs. He thrust against her, not gaining entrance, rather teasing her with what was to come.