Amanda's Wolves(21)

It was surreal. It couldn’t be happening. She had the eeriest sense of déjà vu, having experienced a moment identical to this one. Except the last time she’d been asleep in her room in her sister’s apartment.

Tonight she was seemingly awake.

Another set of hands landed on her waist from behind, and she realized Logan had approached and circled behind her.

She swayed backward into him.

“Come back and sit down, Amanda. Please,” he whispered into her ear. It was so sensual she swore it seemed as though his lips had actually touched her skin.

In fact, she melted at the feel of his breath wafting across her neck and shoulder. She could so vividly imagine what it would feel like to have his lips on her bare skin as if he’d kissed her a million times. In a way he had, just not when she was awake.

Sawyer eased back and let the hand holding her bicep trail down to grasp her fingers. He gently tugged her hand until she followed his lead back toward the seats. This time he passed the chairs they’d occupied earlier and guided her farther along the front porch until he came to a set of Adirondack chairs. He sat back in one of them, straddling the seat, and pulled her hand until she sat sideways between his legs.

Logan pulled the other lounge chair closer and sat on the edge of it, his knees nearly touching hers.

Amanda tried to figure out what to say next. “Uh…”

“I know it’s weird. And it’s going to take some explaining, but bear with us.”

“This is way more than weird. I feel light-headed. Did you drug me or something?” There. That had to be it.

Now she was scared.

Logan jerked back a few inches. “No. God no. We would never do something like that.”

“Then why do I feel like I’ve been lured into a trap?” She crossed her arms again and rubbed the goose bumps popping up on her skin. Every nerve ending in her body was on alert. She could smell Logan’s aftershave, his deodorant, his soap. God, everything about him was intoxicating. And familiar.

Sawyer leaned forward and set a hand on her lower back. “We would never hurt you.”

“Okay, then what’s happening to me?” She shivered again, and not because of the night air. It might have been chilly outside, but her body was on fire from the inside, burning with the need to get closer to these two men she’d barely met.

Where was Laurie? She’d left her with her brother and his friend. The stars of your dreams. Don’t forget that detail.

“Are you cold?” Logan asked.

“No.” She shook her head. Maybe her skin was cold to the touch, but inside she was so hot she wanted to take her clothes off.

“So, here’s the thing—” Sawyer began.

“You aren’t going to kidnap me or something, are you? Keep me here against my will?”

Logan chuckled. And then he quickly schooled his face when she glared at him. “Sorry. I’m nervous. And you have a vivid imagination. What makes you say that?”

“Well, there are so many of you. It’s like a commune. And so many men. Why can’t you each get your own woman? It’s like you’re all sharing or something. And it’s freaking me out. A lot. And you won’t let me leave…and I wouldn’t be able to drive if I did…and I’m so tired…and I dreamed about you…and I can’t think straight…and I’m rambling…” She pressed her temples with both hands and closed her eyes.

“You dreamed about us?” Sawyer asked.

She nodded, her face lowered toward her lap. “Crazy. I know.”

“More than once?” Logan asked.

“Yeah. Can we not talk about this? It’s weird.” She lifted her gaze.

Logan wrapped his enormous hands around hers at her temples and tugged them away. He stared into her eyes. “It’s not weird. Not for us, anyway. And we’re going to explain everything until it’s not weird for you either.”

She didn’t move. How were they going to explain anything? “Why do you all share women?” She needed answers.

“It’s not on purpose. Trust me. It just happens.”

She frowned at Logan. “What do you mean? That makes no sense.”

Sawyer cleared his throat. “We do what Fate chooses for us. It’s unavoidable.”

“Uh-huh.” She jerked her gaze to Sawyer. “So this is more like a cult, then. Right? Not just a commune, but a religious cult.”

“What? No. Lord.” Sawyer ran a hand through his hair and jerked his gaze toward Logan. “This is so much harder than I’d anticipated.”

“Hey, at least she dreamed about us.” Logan’s mouth lifted on one side in an endearing half grin. He looked back at Amanda and continued. “There are a lot of things you need to know about us, but we aren’t a cult, or any religion really, and this is not a commune. The only people who live in this house are Laurie and her two mates, Corbin and Zach.”