“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Charles raised one eyebrow as he climbed off the bed.
“I’m sure.”
“She’s not going to like it.”
“She’s not going to have a choice.”
Charles laughed deep and hard as he padded from the room.
Thank God Justin and Trevor had a big house with plenty of bathrooms. Reese wandered down the hall naked until he reached the other wing of the house and shut himself in a guest bath. No one else was home right now. Just the faint smell of Kara and her mates lingered from earlier. The three of them must have braved the cold to head for the barn. Probably to give the new mates some privacy.
Reese made quick work of his no-nonsense shower and padded back to the bedroom. He grabbed his jeans and pulled them on, not bothering with a shirt yet. He and Charles needed to get the car up and running and head back to Charles’ parents’ house ASAP. The storm during the night would only last as an excuse for their absences for so long. The morning was growing long.
Charles returned to the bedroom they’d shared for the night right behind Reese and donned his own jeans.
Like vultures awaiting their prey, they waited, stalked really, until Jessica came out.
Shyer than the cocky woman who’d entered the bathroom ten minutes ago, Jess had a towel held tight around her, showing not one inch of her delectable body from her shoulders to her thighs.
“Come here, love.” Reese kept his voice low, mellow. “She’s all shy now. It’s cute.”
She tipped her head to one side in confusion and gazed at him timidly. “What?”
“You do realize we are inevitably going to claim you, right?”
She nibbled on her lower lip, making his heart beat faster and his hand twitch at his side. “I suppose.”
“That’s not very definitive.” Charles chuckled. “She’s scared.”
“I’m not…”
“Not what?” Reese asked.
“Ready. I need to wrap my head around this. It all happened so fast. And unexpectedly … and I didn’t want it.” Her voice was barely audible.
He needed to be patient. She was scared. Of what, he didn’t know yet. But Reese intended to find out. Soon.
“While you are ‘wrapping your head around it,’ we need you to do something for us.”
Jessica didn’t move. She just waited, a tiny toe drawing circles on the hardwood floor beneath her feet.
“Hon,” Charles lifted her chin with a finger, “is the towel really all that necessary after all we’ve done together in the last twelve hours?”
She didn’t respond. Did she realize what they were going to ask of her right now?
She must have had a suspicion because her unease was palpable. Reese could practically smell it.
“Come over to the bed.” Reese tried desperately to impart a mixture of command and understanding at the same time. In the bedroom, he intended to earn her submission, but she was so new to sex and to men in general he didn’t want to frighten her before she realized the score—that any dominance on his or Charles’ part was meant to heighten her pleasure. They wanted her to scream their names. To feel worshipped and adored like no other female on earth.
Jessica lifted her face and walked over to the bed with only the slightest trepidation visible. She tried to appear strong and in control. And that was the moment Reese realized he was falling in love. Sure, a mating always started with lust, but this woman was piercing her way into his heart faster than a speeding bullet. Her strength and tenacity attracted him to her more than she’d ever know.
Charles sat on the edge of the bed. “I know what you’re thinking. She’s addicting.” When she reached his side, he tugged her towel and tossed it aside. “Lean over the side of the bed, babe. And spread your legs.”
She did as she was told. Reese had to give her that. “She’s so strong. So sexy.” Her hands shook as she grabbed the sheet, but she didn’t back down.
“Do you know what I’m going to do, love?” Reese soothed her by stroking her back.
She shook her head but didn’t turn toward him.
Reese grabbed the lube from the nightstand. “Just relax. I’m going to put a small plug in you. We want you to wear it for the day. It’ll help loosen your tight rear so, when we take you, you’ll be ready for us. We don’t want to hurt you.”
Jessica tensed, but she didn’t move an inch.
Reese swelled with pride. He didn’t want to force her to do something she couldn’t tolerate, but he did want her to trust his judgment. She walked that fine line, and she did it with grace.
Charles stroked their mate’s ass cheeks and then held them open for Reese.