Strands of Love (7 page)

She reached for him, wanting to stroke his cock, to learn
his shape and size, but he kept just out of reach. Frustrated, she started to
sit up, but the other side of the bed depressed and she fell back.

Then she was lifted slightly, her shoulders supported by
strong arms and a flat stomach. Darian was behind her, his thick shaft digging
into her spine. He cupped her breasts and teased her nipples.

Sam’s gaze flew back to Jace, wondering how he would react
to Darian joining them in bed. He gave her a reassuring nod before diving
between her spread thighs once again.

The two men surrounded her. With Darian behind her and Jace
between her spread thighs, she was totally vulnerable. They could do anything
they wanted to her and she wouldn’t be able to stop them. She had a feeling no
one in the castle would lift a finger to help her either. Jace and Darian were
obviously in charge here.

She should have been frightened out of her mind. Instead,
she’d never felt safer in her entire life.

Sam gave up thinking and reasoning. She shoved worry aside,
losing herself in the heat the two men generated. She reached one hand behind
her head and touched Darian’s face. He nuzzled his cheek against her palm. She
stretched out her other hand toward Jace, pleased when he lifted his face into
her touch.

His lips were wet from her cream and the sensual sight sent
a shudder of longing throughout her body. “Jace.”

He licked his lips before kissing her inner thigh. “Hmm.”

“Don’t wait.” She needed him and she needed him now.

His entire body tensed as he knelt on the edge of the bed
and lifted her thighs over his. His balls hung heavy between his legs and the
top of his cock was damp. She wanted to touch him, to feel him pulsing between
her palms, but there was no time.

Later, she promised herself. Later, she would touch both of
them, returning the pleasure they’d given her.

Jace fitted the head of his cock to Sam’s slick opening and
pushed his way inside. Her pussy was snug and he took his time, not wanting to
hurt her by going too fast. He clenched his fists, shoving them into the
bedding on either side of her waist to keep from ramming into her.

He met Darian’s gaze and relaxed slightly when his brother
nodded. She’d taken Darian earlier so she could take him too. He leaned
forward, pushing his cock inward, sucking much needed air into his lungs, as
her vaginal muscles rippled around him. He was breathing as though he’d run ten
miles by the time he was fully seated.

Sam reached for him and he leaned forward, pleased when she
yanked his head down so she could kiss him. Her tongue teased his, rubbing it
and then pulling back so he would chase it into her mouth.

His balls were tight against his body and he knew he was
running out of time. Sam had to come before he did. He needed her pleasure,
needed her to know he’d always put her first.

Jace tucked his hands beneath her, cupping the firm mounds
of her ass. Then he began to move. Slowly at first, he rocked in and out of
her. When she moaned into his mouth, he sat back and began to move faster.

Darian stilled cupped her breasts and played with her
nipples. They looked so pretty, a lovely shade of pink. Jace leaned down and
lapped at one of the puckered tips before sucking the nipple into his mouth.

Sam’s pussy clutched wildly at his shaft and, for a moment,
Jace wasn’t sure he could hold back. Somehow he managed to keep from coming,
but it was a close thing. He released her nipple and began to thrust heavily,
loving the way her channel squeezed him on every stroke.

“Come for me.” It was part plea, part command. Jace reached
between their joined bodies and found her clit, stroking it with his thumb.

Sam’s head jerked back against Darian’s chest. Her mouth
opened and she screamed Jace’s name as she came. Her pussy spasmed and Jace
couldn’t hold out any longer. He yelled, coming hard and long, emptying his
seed into Sam. Maybe it was wrong of him, but he longed to give her a child,
wanted that more than anything.

He collapsed and his cock drove even deeper. Burying his
face between her breasts, Jace struggled for breath and composure. Somehow,
someway, this woman had taken his heart. And she was still determined to leave.

He tightened his arms around her, wondering how he was ever
going to let her go.

When Sam woke, the room was filled with light and she was
alone in bed. She pushed herself up until she was in a seated position,
grabbing the thick fur covering when it fell to her waist. She was naked and
yesterday really had happened. Two gorgeous men had kidnapped her. Either that,
or she’d been whisked away to an alternate world where it was okay for a woman
to have two or more men as lovers. In fact, it was expected.

She was getting a headache just thinking about it.

“Two more days,” she muttered. If they were telling her the
truth, then she’d be free to go in a little more than two more days. She shoved
aside the tiny voice in the back of her head that whispered that staying here
with Jace and Darian wasn’t such a bad thing. She had a life to get back to and
a farm to save.

Sam slid off the mattress and grabbed the thick robe lying
across the trunk at the end of the bed. One of the men must have put it there
for her. She felt her cheeks heating as she remembered last night. She’d really
had sex with both brothers.

She shoved her arms into the sleeves and belted the robe. It
felt heavy against her sensitive skin. Her nipples were puckered and not
because of the slight chill in the air. Her stomach growled, reminding her she
hadn’t eaten in quite some time. “Shower and clothes first, then food.”

The stone floor was cold beneath her feet as she padded to
the door in the corner, listening for a moment to make sure it wasn’t occupied
before she pushed it open. The wooden tub was filled with steaming water. She
frowned, wondering how someone had managed that without waking her.

Sam walked around the room and found a hidden door on the
far end. What she’d thought was a decorative panel on the wall was really a
door. There was no handle, but there was a slot built into the design that
acted as one. She curled her fingers into the opening and pulled. The door
opened easily. She looked out into the corridor but saw no one. She shut the
door again.

It seemed likely that the water elves had come that way.
Still, she wasn’t about to cut off her nose to spite her face. But she wasn’t
getting into a tub of water without finding some way to secure the door. No way
did she want some stranger walking in on her when she was naked.

The washstand wasn’t overly large, but it was sturdy. She
put her hands on it and shoved. It slid easily over the floor and she kept
going until it was in front of the hidden door. It wouldn’t stop anyone from
getting in, but it would hinder them. More importantly, it would give her
enough warning to jump out of the tub and grab the robe if someone tried.

Satisfied the door was as secure as she could make it, Sam
padded back to the tub and stuck her hand into the water. She nearly moaned
aloud when the heat permeated her chilled skin. She was sweaty and sticky after
everything that happened yesterday and dearly wanted to get clean. And since
there was no shower, the bath would have to do.

She slipped off the robe and draped it over a small stool
that stood beside the tub. A washcloth, bar of soap and a towel sat on a ledge
on the opposite side. Gripping the wooden sides for stability, Sam stepped into
the tub and lowered herself into the steaming hot water.

“Oh, this is wonderful.” Working on the farm left her little
time for relaxing. A quick shower in the morning and another one before supper
was what she was used to. This was sheer decadence.

The tub was large, probably because it had to be big enough
to fit Darian. No, scratch that thought. She didn’t want to imagine a naked
Darian, all the prime male flesh and muscles wet and aroused as he relaxed in
the water.

Sam groaned and slid entirely beneath the water, letting it
flow over her. No worries about it cooling off, not with the hot fantasizes her
mind was weaving. She pushed up to a seated position, shoved her slick, wet
hair away from her face and reached for the soap.

She examined the large bar first, sniffing it. A light
floral scent tickled her nostrils. It smelled a lot like lavender and seemed to
be infused with bits of herb or flower. She normally used a cheap brand of
soap—the same kind her brother had used—so this was a luxury. She rubbed it
over her arms and legs, enjoying the way it lightly bubbled.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled the light fragrance.
Immediately, her mind conjured an image of a bubble-covered Jace reclining in
the tub. She groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Stop it.” She had to
quit thinking about the brothers in such a way. In two days they’d go their
separate ways and probably never see one another again.

She opened her eyes, ignoring the tight feeling in her chest
when she thought about never seeing either man again. Looking around, she
didn’t notice anything resembling shampoo so she used the soap on her hair,
scrubbing her scalp and lathering her tresses. When she was ready, she slid
down in the tub again, using her hands to try to rinse it. What she’d really
like was a bucket of clean water, but this would have to do.

Sam sat upright in the tub, swiping the water away from her
eyes. A towel appeared before her. She jerked around, sending water sloshing
over the rim of the tub and cascading onto the floor.

Jace crouched next to her, calmly holding the towel. He was
dressed as he’d been yesterday with leather pants, boots and vest, along with
those metal arm- and wristbands. Once again, he had two skinny braids on either
side of his rugged face. He was even better looking than she remembered. Or maybe
she only felt that way because she was coming to know him better. None of which
mattered. What mattered was he was in the bathroom with her.

“How did you get in here?” The secret door was still barred
by the washstand. She almost smacked herself in the head at her stupidity. She
hadn’t blocked the bedroom entrance. She’d assumed the closed bathroom door
would be enough to keep someone from coming in unannounced. Obviously, she’d
been wrong to believe that. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her
arms around them, feeling very exposed and vulnerable.

Jace sighed and wiped the water from her face. “Do you want
me to rinse your hair for you?”

“There’s no clean water.”

Jace reached around to the bottom of the tub and pulled out
a bucket. Somehow when she was pushing the washstand against the door, she’d
missed seeing it.

She chewed on her bottom lip. It would be stupid not to use
the water. “I can do it,” she began.

He shook his head and lifted the bucket, holding it
expectantly.

Sam sighed, recognizing the stubborn glint in his eyes. She
knelt, careful to keep as much of herself covered as possible. Maybe it was
stupid. No, scratch that, it was totally stupid. He’d already seen all there
was to see of her last night. But she’d never been one to flaunt herself and
wasn’t comfortable having him here while she was naked in her bath.

Lowering her head, she waited.

Jace slowly poured the clean water over her hair. Strong
fingers combed through the strands, making certain all the soap was gone. Sam
sighed, enjoying the feeling of being pampered and cared for. Moments like
these had been far and few in her life, especially coming from a man.

When he was done, he lowered the bucket and squeezed the
excess water from her hair. “Sit back.”

Sam maneuvered into a seated position, all the while keeping
her legs bent to her chest. Thankfully the soapy water helped to hide her.

Jace sighed and cupped her face in his hands. He leaned down
and kissed her, the quick movement startling her. He deepened the kiss until
their tongues were tangling together and Sam forgot why it wasn’t a good reason
to be kissing him.

Before she knew it, her traitorous body was responding to
his nearness. Her hands crept over his firmly muscled chest to his broad
shoulders, clinging to him while she lost herself in their heated kiss. Oh, he
tasted good, like apples, tart and sweet at the same time.

By the time he pulled back, she was gasping for breath, but
she wasn’t alone. Jace was just as affected by the kiss as she was. “Why?” he
asked her. “Why hide yourself from me. I told you to be sure last night. I will
not leave you now.”

She remembered him telling her that last night, but she’d
been too far gone with passion to care. “I’m not used to having a man see me
naked in the bathtub in the middle of the morning.” Or at any other time of the
day for that matter. She’d only ever gotten naked with a man in bed. This was a
new experience for her.

Jace smiled. “I am glad.”

Oh, yeah. No mistaking the satisfied male smile. But,
surprisingly, it didn’t piss her off. Instead, she found herself smiling.

“I will dry you.” Jace stood and grabbed the towel. Shaking
it out, he held it and waited. Sam sat in the cooling water, trying to decide
what to do. Should she let him dry her or should she send him away? In spite of
everything, she felt in her heart he’d leave her if she truly wanted him to.
The question was what did she want?

Sam took a deep breath, grabbed the sides of the tub and
stood.

Every muscle in his body was tense as Jace waited to see
what Sam would do. He’d risen early, as was his habit, and after breaking his
fast went to the stables to check on his new stallion. But he hadn’t been able
to stay away. The picture of Sam, soft and warm in his brother’s bed haunted
him. He’d held her through part of the long night, marveling at how well she’d
fit in his arms.

Pride and self-preservation had driven him from her side,
but curiosity, need and, yes, a small sliver of hope had driven him back to her
side.

When he’d entered the room and found the bed empty, he’d
panicked for a moment, wondering if the tapestry had already appeared and taken
her home. The magic seemed to be working to new rules this time around. Ones he
didn’t understand.

His heart had skipped a beat and then started racing when he
heard the water splashing in the other room. Sam was taking a bath. The
temptation to see her wet and naked was too much to resist. He’d stood for
several long minutes in the doorway, watching her scrub her hair. She’d been
humming a tune he didn’t recognize and he’d been totally enthralled by the
sensual picture she made.

Her back was narrow, her neck slender. In his opinion, she
was a tad too thin. There were muscles under her skin though, proving that
whatever she did in her world she worked hard. He knew there were calluses on
her hands. Once again, he wondered where the men were—father or brothers,
uncles or cousins.

When Sam stood, every other thought fled. The water rolled
down her supple body. A bead dripped from the tip of one pert breast and Jace
had the sudden urge to lick the remaining water from her body. His cock was
hard and ready, but he restrained his urges. Today was all about Sam. About
showing her how good it could be between them if she stayed.

He took a step toward her and she nibbled on her bottom lip
again. It was a gesture he’d noticed she made when she was nervous or
uncertain. Another bead of water gathered on her nipple. Unable to resist this
time, he leaned forward and sipped the drop from her breast.

Sam sucked in a breath. “Jace?”

He straightened and licked his lips. She shuddered and both
her nipples tightened beneath his gaze. He was glad she was as affected by the
sensual pull between them as he was.

Jace reached for her hand and helped her climb out of the
tub. When she was steady, he wrapped the drying cloth around her and rubbed. He
dried her arms and back before turning to her full, pert breasts.

He paid careful attention to each mound, rubbing the cloth
over the tips. Sam moaned, but didn’t stop him. Her blue eyes seemed even darker
than normal, filled with a sensual hunger he longed to sate.

He worked the towel lower, over her torso and her stomach,
caressing more than he was actually drying her. Not that she seemed to mind.
Her body swayed closer and he almost shouted his pleasure. She’d allowed Darian
to touch her yesterday. Now it was his turn.

Jace dropped to his knees in front of her, ignoring the ache
in his balls and the throbbing in his cock. “Open your legs for me.”

Sam hesitated for a moment before doing as he asked. He ran
the cloth up and down her thighs, moving closer to her pussy with each stroke.
She was already damp, but he didn’t know if it was because of the bathwater or
if she was aroused or both.

Determined to discover the truth, he nuzzled her curly pubic
hair before delving deeper into her slick folds. She moaned and dug her fingers
into his shoulders for balance. He loved the slight sting from her short nails
where they dug in just past the edge of his leather vest.

“Jace.” Her name fell from her lips like a lover’s caress
and he shuddered with growing need. He wanted to fuck her. Desperately wanted
to slide his cock into her pussy. She’d be so tight around him and would milk
his cock until he came, just as she’d done last evening.

Jace used his iron will to clamp down on his lust and push
it aside. He wanted to pleasure Sam, feed her and show her around his home. He
wanted her to truly understand what kind of life she would have if she stayed
at Hunter Keep.

Using his thumbs, he pushed her slick folds of her pussy
wide, determined to make her come.

Sam hung onto Jace’s shoulders, knowing if she let go she’d
end up in a heap on the cold stone floor. She gazed down on his broad,
leather-clad shoulders. His blond hair fell over his back and shoulders and
stroked her thighs in a sensual caress every time he moved.

Jace was aroused. There was no hiding the large bulge in the
front of his pants, but he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to fuck her. She was
naked and obviously willing.

His tongue lapped and sucked at her pussy and she threw back
her head and cried out. Oh God, was she ever willing. There was something about
Jace and his brother that pushed all her sexual buttons.