Snared (4 page)

“I know what we saw, Quinn, but damn…she sure doesn’t look like a cat right now.”

Tayen turned, staring at the two men leaning against the doorframe. It was a tight fit, but somehow they managed to share the space and still look intimidating. A tremor worked its way along her spine as they each swept their gaze down the length of her body, lingering just long enough to make her squeeze her thighs together.

A wicked smile curled Quinn’s lips as he reached for the buttons of his shirt. His eyes locked on hers as he slowly flicked the first one open. Deeply tanned skin peeked at her from between the white edges as he inched his hands down, popping the next one free. Fire erupted low in her belly as she watched him undress, tightly banded abdominals ghosting into view when the shirt finally separated. She forced down a swallow as he shrugged it off his shoulders and snagged it with one hand. His body matched his face, all firm lines and gorgeous angles. He was the epitome of a Greek god, only there was no mistaking he was pure flesh. Her gaze shifted to Rogan, but the man merely smiled and nodded at her.

Tayen drew in a deep breath, but it only increased her arousal as their combined scent overwhelmed her senses. Though it’d seemed strong before, having them sharing the same room made it feel as if the very air was part of them. She mumbled a curse. She wanted to cover up, but her inner cat wasn’t about to back down. Instead, she raised her chin high and waited.

Quinn’s smile turned carnal as he stepped forward, his broad shoulders filling the view. A rough chuckle rumbled through the air as he held out his hand. Tayen dragged her gaze down to the offering, centering on the shirt draped across his forearm.

“As much as I love the view, it’s a bit too distracting for us. You see, we want answers.” Quinn held out the shirt. “It seems you’ve been keeping a secret.”

Tayen snagged the shirt and shoved her arms in. Anger mixed with sadness shuddered through her as she buttoned up the offering and crossed her arms over her chest, praying her expression didn’t show her disappointment. She’d secretly hoped she’d somehow imagined the entire incident. That they’d really gone out to dinner and the rest had been just a bad dream. But as she took a step back to put more space between them, the jolt of pain up her thigh was more than enough proof that the dream had been a living nightmare.

She looked down at her leg, drawing a sharp breath as she gazed at the large bruise just below the hem of Quinn’s shirt. A tight feeling squeezed her chest, and she grabbed the footboard to keep from losing her balance. Hurt speared through her and she glared at Quinn. “You shot me!”

A flash of pain crossed Quinn’s eyes, but he recovered quickly. “Technically, I tranquilized a bobcat. The fact it turned out to be you was…” He looked at Rogan then back at her. “God, I don’t even know how to finish that statement.”

Her anger faded as she stared at the pained look in both men’s eyes. Quinn obviously had a point, but that didn’t ease the panic starting to build inside her. This was exactly why she’d never crossed the line and let anyone get remotely close. Intimacy came at a price.

She let out a long breath, unsure how to reply, not that he’d exactly asked her a question. But the prolonged silence only added to the tension in the room and it wasn’t long before Rogan huffed and took a step toward her.

“Well. Aren’t you going to say something?” Rogan threw his arms up. “Jesus, Tayen. We just spent the night watching you sleep, wondering if you might suddenly transform again, and all you can do is stand there?”

“It’s not like that. Usually, I can control it.”

“Well, you sure as hell didn’t look like you were in control last night.”

“I only transformed because Quinn shot me with a dart. It’s a safety mechanism that kicks in when I lose consciousness. It’s supposed to keep me from getting hurt by the wrong people.”

Rogan grunted. “So we’re the
wrong
people now?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Isn’t it?”

Tayen palmed her hands on her hips. “Exactly what do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know…something…anything.”

“Okay, how about—guess what, guys? Remember when I told you, I’m not exactly what you think I am? Turns out, when I’m not saving animals, I change into one!”

Rogan glared at her and shook his head. “Not funny.”

“No, it’s not. But it’s the truth.”

Rogan clenched his jaw as his resolve seemed to falter. He looked at Quinn as if drawing strength from the other man. Quinn sighed and moved in beside him, patting Rogan on the back before stuffing his hands in his pockets. They both looked out of their element, and she could only imagine how it must have been for them.

Her strength waned, and she sank down on the bed, thankful her legs hadn’t completely buckled. This was definitely not going well. She closed her eyes and once again wished a hole would open up and swallow her. She felt the bed dip on either side and knew the boys had joined her. Strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, and she willingly laid her head on the broad shoulder. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know it was Quinn who’d pulled her close, though she could feel Rogan hovering beside her, his large hand reaching out to cup hers. Tears threatened, but she held them back, knowing if she broke down now, they’d miss their best chance to finally be honest with each other.

Quinn stroked her hair, murmuring soothing words. She cuddled against him, wishing they could just stay that way, but knowing she owed them more than she’d given. He released his hold when she pulled back.

Rogan brushed a thumb along her cheek, frowning at the hint of wetness he found. “Sorry, darling. We shouldn’t have pushed you like that. It wasn’t fair.”

“Yeah,” said Quinn. “I’m sure this hasn’t been easy for you to deal with on your own.” A playful smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. “Besides, we know better than to corner a cat.”

She smiled despite the racing of her heart. Between having to reveal her deepest secret and being sandwiched between her mates, it was all she could do to stay coherent. She all but purred when Rogan smoothed her hair off her shoulder and dropped an open-mouthed kiss on her nape before easing his hand down to circle her waist.

Tayen took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Before you ask, it’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, it’s just…I didn’t know how without sounding completely crazy.”

Quinn chuckled. “Believe me, seeing you change dispels all doubt.” He threaded his fingers through her other hand. “I just wish you’d trusted in us enough to tell us before. That was a hell of a way to find out.”

“That wasn’t exactly how I would have chosen to do it. But it’s not the kind of thing that comes up in idle conversation.”

“Maybe not,” said Rogan. “But we’ve been friends for two years, not to mention begging you to go out with us for six months. You could have found a way to let us know there was a reason you couldn’t date us.”

Tayen broke their hold and pushed to her feet, turning to face them once she’d taken several steps away. “I’m standing here trying to explain to you that I’m a cat shifter, and all you’re curious about is why I wouldn’t go out with you?”

Rogan stood up. “It’s not like we aren’t blown away by the discovery. We are. But let’s be honest. Your reluctance to confide in us stems from the fact we’ve wanted to take this relationship to the next level for a long time, and this is obviously the reason why you’ve been saying no.”

“It’s not that simple, Rogan.”

“Then explain it to us.”

Tayen huffed and paced the room, not sure how to find the words to tell them she’d fallen for them long before they’d ever approached her for a cup of coffee. Discovering she was a shifter was only part of the issue. Confessing they were her destined mates might just be the straw to push them over the edge and out of her life.

Quinn stood beside Rogan, filling her view with smooth skin and taut muscles. He studied her face as if he was trying to read her mind. “It’s not just the shifter thing, is it?” He raised one eyebrow at her silence. “It’s us.”

He must have noticed the slight twitch in her lips because he cursed and walked over to the window, slamming his hands on the sill. “We’re such fools.”

Rogan looked from him back to her, his expression clearly showing his confusion. “What the hell did I miss?”

Quinn turned and motioned toward her. “She’s a bobcat, Rogan.”

Rogan gave Quinn a strange look. “Yeah, I know. I was there when she went all
Incredible Hulk
on us. So?”

Quinn scowled. “So…bobcats, like most animals, search for a mate.”

“I don’t mean to sound like an idiot but…yeah, so?”

“So, she’s not going to waste her time on someone who doesn’t fit the bill…let alone two someones.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets again, removing all emotion from his expression. “You said it wasn’t as simple as we thought. You were referring to the issue of us
not
being your mates.”

It wasn’t a question, and Tayen could only stare at him, wondering how things had gone so completely wrong. Here she was worrying that they wouldn’t want to commit at such an early stage, and Quinn was assuming she was the one who was backing out. She opened her mouth to reply, but Rogan jumped in.

“We’re not
mate
material? Why the hell not?”

Quinn stepped beside him. “I think the key word is mate, buddy. Not mates. Besides, we’re not shifters, and we both know that animals rarely look outside their own kind for sexual partners.”

“But…” Rogan sighed. “So the fact we didn’t run away screaming after watching you change doesn’t mean anything?”

Tayen closed her eyes and stomped one foot on the floor. Just like them to not let her get a word in edgewise. She opened her eyes and hoped she wasn’t making a fatal mistake. “Of course, it means something. Hell, it means everything. And you two not being shifters has nothing to do with this. But Quinn’s right about one thing. Me being a shifter is only part of the problem.”

Rogan’s energy dropped noticeably. “So you are looking for your mate. That’s why you wouldn’t go out with us.”

They both took a step back, and Tayen lunged forward, letting the truth slip before she had the good sense to crush it. “That’s not why I wouldn’t go out with the two of you.”

Quinn stopped. “But you just said—”

“I didn’t get a chance to say
anything
. You both just keep jumping to conclusions.” She shook her head. “I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact you know I can shift, and you haven’t turned me over to some military agency. I wasn’t quite prepared to confess my mating needs, as well.”

Rogan smiled. “Darling, legends about shape-shifters have been around for thousands of years. My grandmother was part Cherokee, and she told me more than a few stories about members of her tribe that walked the earth as both man and animal.” He shrugged. “Now, I never really put that much stock in it, but then, I don’t really search for aliens, though I believe life exists elsewhere.”

“So being a shifter…”

“Isn’t enough to scare us off,” said Quinn. “But not being your mates, on the other hand…”

Tayen groaned. “For God’s sake, you two have to be the most stubborn men I’ve ever met.” She took a deep breath. “Did you ever stop to think that maybe there was another possibility?”

Quinn furrowed his brow and pursed his lips into an adorable pout. “Another possibility? I don’t…”

Tayen snagged her bottom lip and worried it between her teeth as understanding dawned on Quinn’s face. He narrowed his gaze, studying her as if he would be able to read the truth in her eyes. His scrutiny unnerved her, and she turned away, certain she’d already said too much. She heard Quinn mumble something to Rogan then felt his hand cup her shoulder. She tensed, knowing her life was about to change but not sure which direction it was going to take.

Quinn’s warm breath coasted over her shoulder as his lips traced the soft hollow of her neck. “I had it wrong, didn’t I?” His tongue followed the same path. “You aren’t running because we’re not your mates…you’re running because we are, and that thought scares the hell out of you.”

“I’m not scared, it’s just…”

A dry feeling scorched a path down her throat, making it impossible to continue. She swallowed, but it only made her cough as Rogan’s lips claimed her other shoulder, kissing and nibbling at her skin as his hand snaked around her waist and snugged her close against them.

“Oh. God.” She hadn’t meant for it to come out as a moan, but that’s exactly how the raspy, breathy words had sounded to her.

Quinn’s hand joined Rogan’s, his fingers splayed out across her stomach. “Now, now, kitten. You aren’t going to stand here and start lying to us, are you?”

His hand drifted upwards, coasting over her ribs and between her breasts before stopping with his fingers pinched around the top button. Her breath caught when Rogan nipped at her earlobe, his hand claiming the second button. Neither moved, but the tips of their fingers teased the inner curve of her breasts as her chest rose rhythmically up and down.

The tiny sensations skittered down her body, culminating between her legs. Moisture eased along her slit and she could only hope their sense of smell didn’t detect her arousal. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Quinn. Not now.”