She eats on the way, and it pleases me on some primitive level that it’s food I provided, even in so basic a manner. Every time I see her throat moving as she swallows, I want to pull off the road, undo my seatbelt, slide over to her, and kiss that creamy skin. I’d nuzzle up her neck to her jawline, over to her ear, then take her earlobe in my teeth and tug. Seduce her until she begged me to do more, do everything.
It’s a damn good thing she’s trying to ignore me, or she’d notice I’m sporting wood over here. The drive passes in silence, but it’s a heavy silence, weighted with both our thoughts. I force my mind into the most boring channels possible so by the time we park behind the boutique, I’ve got things under control again.
If only dealing with Zoe were a simple matter of willpower.
20
Intense
Zoe
The days fall into a pattern. Every night, one of the Wolf brothers sleeps at my place, and the next morning takes me to work. At the end of the day, the other brother picks me up and takes me home for the night. They trade off religiously, so if Alex is there one night, it’s always Lucas the next night.
Despite what Alex said before, they’re staying here even though I have a new security system. When I asked about it, he explained that their control room is too far away. If anything did happen, they couldn’t get to me in time, so they’re going to be sure.
I’m secretly glad, but also on edge because they won’t tell me much about the situation, just that they’ve confirmed it as a credible threat. I have no idea what they’re doing to deal with it, or how long it’s going to take. All I know is that I’m constant
ly near them.
Whoever’s on duty at the boutique doesn’t stay there all day; there’s a whole team of men who rotate through, but there’s always at least one man within eyesight of me. I have to give the twins my schedule in advance — no spontaneous window shopping or lunch meetups. Or anything else, for that matter.
It’s driving me crazy.
Even my days off aren’t my own. If I want to stay in my apartment, sure, I can do that, with the knowledge that someone is just outside. But visitors or excursions have to be cleared with my jailers — excuse me, bodyguards.
I am a social person, but everybody needs some down time now and then. And being constantly under scrutiny is far more exhausting than I could have guessed. How do public figures deal with it?
It’s not just the lack of privacy. It’s having Lucas and Alex in my space all the time, sleeping on my sofa bed every night. They get downtime from me, but I don’t get any from them.
They’ve been utterly professional about it. They don’t leave their stuff lying around; they’ve restocked my coffee, my pantry, and my fridge; they help with dishes and cleaning and whatever needs to be done.
And despite our constant awareness of each other, and the heat that flashes between us whenever my eyes meet theirs, neither twin has made the slightest move on me, or said anything with even the barest hint of innuendo.
It doesn’t help. In fact, it makes things worse, because it leaves me free to appreciate just how tantalizing they are and how much I still want them. Every night, I go to bed horny.
My vibrator is getting one hell of a workout.
After a week of near-constant Wolf companionship, I’m a seething mass of sexual frustration, even with the help of my battery-operated boyfriend. Meanwhile, the twins seem largely unaffected by me. They’re not unfriendly, but they’re cool and collected and a little distant.
It’s not fair. I need them to suffer like I’m suffering. Well, maybe not just as much, since I know they’re doing their jobs. But I want them to have a taste of what they’re putting me through.
So in the evenings, I start coming out of my bedroom for a final sip of water, or some other minor errand that lets me walk around in a silky robe that barely covers my ass. They can wonder what, if anything, I’ve got on underneath it.
Then inspiration strikes, and I buy some of the chocolate-hazelnut spread they used on me at Lucas’s apartment. That night it’s Alex’s turn, and after I’m changed I wander out in my mini-robe. Pulling out the jar and a spoon, I scoop some up.
“Mmm,” I all but moan, closing my eyes and licking the spoon with exaggerated motions.
When I look at Alex, with feigned innocence, he’s watching me, his eyes flashing with humor and something more. “Naughty girl,” he says with a crooked smile. “I’ll remember that.”
Then he goes back to his cell phone, answering emails or whatever with utter concentration, like I’m not even there. Hmph. I wander over to the sofa bed, jar and spoon still in hand. “Want some?”
The look he gives me scorches me from the inside out. “What I want, lovely Zoe, I can’t have. Yet.”
I spin on my heel and go back to the kitchen. Behind me, I think I hear Alex give a muffled snort. Grr. I march past him toward my bedroom without meeting his eyes. “Good night,” I say in affronted tones.
“Good night, princess.”
That stops me. I’ve worked hard for everything I have. “I am not a princess,” I declare, sticking my head back around the open doorway.
“Whatever you say, princess.”
“Gah!” I hurry to my room and flop into bed, too worked up and irritated at first to seek my usual relief.
The next night, I’m not certain whether I should try the same thing with Lucas. Actually, I’m sure I shouldn’t. But I just can’t help myself. He deserves equal treatment, and besides, I want to compare their responses.
His silver-blue eyes track my every move. When I pull out the spread, they flash and his jaw tightens. Unlike Alex, he is not amused.