And what if they did? Did she want to date both of them?

  God, could she handle both of them? They were so different. Talk about a study in contrasts. Seth was sensuality personified, coupled with intelligence and warmth and caring, and he made her feel safe. Mike, on the other hand, was a walking, ticking sex bomb. He made her feel reckless and wild and utterly out of control, a heady feeling she didn’t mind admitting she enjoyed.

  Could she choose between them if she was forced to?

  Did she even have to?

  She didn’t want to think about it right now. Too many thoughts and conflicting emotions were trying to fight for supremacy. She didn’t know how she felt.

  To distract herself, she worked, focusing on the final paper that was due next week. It helped to take her mind off Seth and Mike, to concentrate on something else besides men and sex. Before she knew it, four hours had passed, and it was time to get ready for her date with Seth. Instead of calling, he’d e-mailed to suggest he pick her up at six. She saved her file and took a shower, then stood in front of her closet trying to figure out what to wear.

  Shit. She’d never even asked Seth where they were going.

  Damn, damn, damn. Now what was she supposed to wear? She supposed she could call him, but that would be lame. After debating a few minutes, she grabbed a flowered sundress and slipped it on with some low-heeled sandals. That would work for either semidressy or casual.

  She dried her hair and left it down tonight, put on a little makeup, earrings, and a bracelet and called it good.

  Tonight, she was going out as Abby Lawson, not someone else.

  As the minutes ticked by and she waited for Seth to pick her up, she was actually amused by how nervous she was. A few times she stared at the phone, wanting to call Blair or Callie. Frankly, she was surprised they hadn’t called her or showed up at her place, demanding every sordid detail about last night.

  Then again, maybe they thought she was still with Mike and Seth.

  Maybe she should still be with them. Did she make a mistake by running out on them so quickly?

  No. She hadn’t made a mistake. She’d done exactly what she wanted to do—had a magnificent night with two amazing men. And made a graceful exit after it was over.

  Her doorbell rang, and her heart leaped, excitement pumping adrenaline through her system. Seth was here!

  Smoothing her dress, she opened the door and let out a sigh of pure feminine appreciation.

  He wore jeans and a dark blue polo shirt, unbuttoned, revealing a smooth expanse of his chest. She inhaled and caught the clean scent of freshly showered man. Damn, that smell was always so sexy.

  “Hi,” she said, moving to the side to let him in.

  “Hi yourself. You look gorgeous.” He stepped in and gathered her in his arms. She went willingly, realizing how much she’d missed him in the few hours they’d been apart. His lips caught hers in a warm, gentle kiss, his tongue probing softly as he moved his mouth over hers. She melted into his embrace, right there at her front door. It was like something out of a romance movie where the hero takes the heroine into his arms and kisses her senseless.

  That’s how she felt whenever Seth was around—senseless.

  He broke the kiss and stepped back. “I guess I’d better stop that, or we may never get out of here tonight.”

  And that was a bad thing? “If you insist. Where are we going?”

  “If you don’t mind a repeat of the club, there’s a fifties and sixties band playing tonight. They’re doing hot dogs and hamburgers and fries. We’ll eat and do some dancing.”

  “Oh! I love that era. It sounds fun.”

  “Glad you think so.” He held out his hand, tilted his head down, and cast her his best smoldering Elvis look. “Let’s go rock and roll, baby.”

  the club was definitely rocking by the time they got there. Decorated like a high school prom with streamers and balloons and a band playing all her favorite oldies songs. Seth had grabbed hot dogs and fries for both of them, and they sat at a table and ate, laughing at some of the clothes people were dressed up in. Anything from rolled up jeans to early hippie garb was the theme of the night.

  She’d thought about changing clothes, but Seth wouldn’t let her. He’d told her she looked comfortable and sexy, and he liked the feel of her in her dress.

  How could she argue with him after he’d complimented her like that?

  “Thirsty?” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  “Beer?”

  She arched a teasing brow and mockingly gasped. “What? No champagne tonight?”

  He shrugged. “Doesn’t go with hot dogs. And frankly, I’m a beer kind of guy.”

  She was falling madly in love with him. “A guy after my own heart. I’d love one.”

  He grinned. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared into the throng of people milling about. Abby couldn’t believe the number of people here. Seth had told her events like this always brought a huge crowd.

  “Fancy meeting you here.”

  Her gaze shot up at Mike’s deep voice. “Mike! What are you doing here?”

  He arched a brow and pulled up a chair. “I’m a member.”

  “Oh. Of course. I didn’t mean it like that.” Flames of embarrassment licked at her face. She felt as if she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t. But he knew damn well she was going out with Seth tonight, so why should she feel guilty?

  “Having fun?”

  She clasped her hands in her lap and forced the guilt demons away. “So far, yes. We had hot dogs. Seth is getting us beer.” And she felt stilted and nervous around him. But why?

  “Good. You look beautiful. Your legs look sexy as hell in that dress.” His fingers brushed the edge of her hem, just lightly grazing her skin, and she jumped.

  Holy shit! Now what was she supposed to do? Her body fired up under his touch, her pussy responding with a familiar ache of wanting. And she recognized it for what it was: a purely physical response. What woman wouldn’t react to attention from Mike? He was hands down one of the most dynamic, handsome, and compelling men she’d ever met. The kind of man that made a woman’s head turn. The kind that made a woman look twice. No, three times. And when a man like Mike Nottingham gave you attention, you wanted to start pulling your clothes off for him. He was that charismatic.

  But she was on a date with Seth! She wasn’t supposed to see Mike tonight.

  Now tell that to her body, which was jumping up and down in enthusiastic response to being near him.

  But when his fingers began to creep inside her dress, she placed her hand over his.

  “Mike, I . . . don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  He moved his hand away and shrugged. “If you say so. But I really don’t think Seth will mind. We share all the time. We shared you last night.”

  “That was last night, buddy. Tonight, I do mind.”

  Seth stood at their table with two beers in his hand, looking not at all happy to see his best friend and partner.

  mike was probably right. seth shouldn’t care that Mike had shown up tonight, that he’d slipped his hand up Abby’s dress, that he was fondling her in a way that normally would excite him just to watch.

  But goddammit . . . he did care. More than he wanted to. In fact, seething anger made him place the bottles of beer carefully on the table and take a couple deep breaths before he said or did something that would cause irreparable harm to their friendship or partnership.

  “You’re not serious.” Mike had a look of incredulity on his face that Seth found laughable. If the tables were turned, would Mike react in the same way?

  No. Of course Mike wouldn’t think anything of it. Mike never formed emotional attachments to women. Mike didn’t care about Abby. And that’s where the difference was. Because, like it or not, Seth did.

  “Mike, let’s talk. Outside.”

  “Hey, you two. I’m sorry if I caused any—”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong, Abby,” Seth said, keeping his attention on Mike.

  Mike arched a brow. “And I did? Come on, man. You know better.”

  “Outside, Mike. Now.”

  “Sure,” he said with a shrug. He scooted his chair back and looked at Abby. “I’ll be right back.”

  No, Mike. You won’t.

  The sultry summer heat slapped Seth in the face as soon as he opened the door, doing nothing to assuage his lingering frustration. He dragged his fingers through his hair and turned to Mike as soon as the door closed.

  “I want you to leave Abby alone.”

  Mike’s eyes widened. “Where did this come from? Last night it was fine for both of us to play with her.”

  “That was last night.”

  “I don’t think you get to make that decision, man. That’s Abby’s call.”

  The rational part of him knew that, the voice inside him telling him it wasn’t his choice to make. But he wasn’t exactly thinking rationally right now. “I care about her, Mike.”

  “So do I. Do you think I don’t?”

  “Why are you here tonight?”

  Mike looked around the parking lot, turning his head from side to side. Anywhere but meeting Seth’s gaze. He shrugged, then finally looked at him. “Nothing else to do. Thought I’d check out the party.”

  “You knew I was going to bring Abby here.”

  Rolling his eyes, Mike said, “Oh, so now I’m psychic? How the hell was I supposed to know you were going to bring her here? Should I have called you first before I came here?”

  Shit. Mike was right. He didn’t know Seth was bringing Abby here tonight. “This is going to be complicated.”

  Mike shoved his hands in his jeans and shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be.”

  “Maybe not for you. Goddammit, Mike, I don’t want you to see her!”

  “But I’m going to. If she agrees. I’m sorry, Seth.”

  “Fine. But if I happen to see the two of you when you’re out, I won’t muscle in on your date.”

  Mike nodded. “You got me there. I’m sorry, man. You’re right. I overstepped, and I shouldn’t have. I’ll see you at work, buddy.” He held out his hand, and Seth took it.

  “Thanks. I’ll see you at work.”

  He watched Mike walk away, then went back inside. Abby looked like a deer caught in the headlights at the start of hunting season. “It’s okay. He’s gone.”

  She turned to face him. “I’m so sorry. I just didn’t know what to say.”

  He pulled her chair closer, fitting her knees between his outstretched legs. “It’s complicated for all of us. I understand. And so does Mike.” Tucking a piece of errant hair behind her ear, he said, “If I had it my way, I’d keep you all to myself.”

  Her eyes widened. “You would?”

  “Yeah. What do you think about that?”

  She grabbed her bottom lip with her teeth, then let go. “I don’t know. This weekend has been a wild rush, and I don’t know what to make of all of it, Seth. I don’t know how to answer that just yet.”

  He bent in and pressed his lips to hers. “Fair enough. How about a dance?”

  She tilted her head and grinned as the familiar strains of “Unchained Melody” began to play. “And they’re playing my favorite love song.”

  “Then my timing is perfect, isn’t it?” He stood and held out his hand.

  Abby loved this song. Seth pulled her into his arms and against his body, his warmth erasing all the tension of a few moments ago. She had no idea what went down between Mike and him outside, but he didn’t seem angry at all, so they must have worked it out. Either way, she was relieved not to be caught in the middle anymore.

  Now she could enjoy her time with one man. The other one she’d worry about later.

  And this particular man was a great dancer. He twirled her around the floor, dipping her, turning her, holding her tight against his muscular body, and leading her like a master.

  “Where did you learn to dance?”

  “My mother insisted we take lessons when we were kids. I loathed them at the time. But now I can see the benefits.”

  When his hand pressed into the small of her back, driving her toward his thigh, her eyes widened. “You’re exceptionally good at it. I’m putty in your hands.”

  “Does that mean you’ll do anything I ask?”

  “Depends on what it is. You have something particular in mind?”

  The band moved from one slow song to another, so they kept dancing. She liked being in Seth’s arms. It felt . . . right, somehow. They fit together perfectly.

  “I have lots of things in mind.”

  “For example?”

  “Spending the evening with you alone for starters. I like this.”

  Despite the crowded dance floor and people bumping into them left and right, to Abby, they were the only two people in the room. Seth made her forget there was anyone else around them. “I like it, too.”

  “Do you know your lips part and you breathe through your mouth when you’re aroused?”

  She arched a brow. “I do?”

  “Yeah. And you tug on your lower lip when you’re thinking about something. Or you’re nervous.”

  “I do not.”

  “Yeah you do. And it makes me want to take that pouty little lip between my teeth and bite it.”

  Desire flooded between her legs, her nipples hardening. She realized just then that her lips were parted, and she smiled.

  “I want you, Abby.”

  He bent her over his arm, then righted her, insinuating his hard cock between her legs. She gasped at the exquisite sensation. Between her thin panties and the silk sundress, there wasn’t much fabric between her clit and his erection. “Then get me out of here and fuck me,” she whispered.

  They were out of the club in less than two minutes. Seth tore out of the parking lot and onto the main road, nearly breaking speed records in his haste to get wherever they were going.

  Abby damn near hyperventilated the entire way, her body on fire with need for him. She would have thought after last night she’d be sated, but that wasn’t the case at all. It was like a dam had burst inside her, and she was flooded with the desire to fuck.

  Fortunately, Seth didn’t live far out of town. He pulled into a long driveway in front of a modest two-story home, shut off the ignition, and pulled Abby toward him, ravaging her mouth with a kiss that spoke of building passion. As soon as he broke the kiss, she unbuckled her seat belt and reached for the door handle, hurrying to get out of the car. There was no time to wait for chivalrous behavior like him coming around to her side. She wanted in his house and in his pants.

  He fumbled with his keys in the dark, then dropped them, and they both attempted to choke back their giggles like a couple of kids trying to avoid being caught smooching at the front door. When he finally got the door open, he yanked her inside, then slammed it shut behind him, pushing her against the door and covering her body with his.

  “Goddammit, I can’t wait to be inside you,” he murmured, his hands roaming her body. He cupped her breasts, and she moaned when his thumb found the sensitive peak of her nipple. When he moved down her rib cage, then over her hips and thighs, fisting the hem of her dress, she moaned out loud.

  “Then don’t,” she panted against his lips. “Fuck me right here.”

  He raised her skirt and found her panties, jerking them down her legs.

  “Shit,” he said against her mouth, then bent down to pull her panties off. He stepped back long enough to unzip his jeans and push them down, releasing his cock. Swollen, thick, he rubbed his thumb over the slitted head, capturing the pearly liquid gathered there. He brought his thumb to her mouth.

  “Suck it,” he commanded.

  She grabbed his thumb and swiped it over the crest, tasting his fluid, watching his eyes darken as she took his thumb between her lips and sucked it like a cock.

  “Fuck!” He jerked her leg over his hip, then positioned his cock at the entrance of her pussy, driving inside her hard. She cried out at the pleasurable pain of his invasion.

  Wet and ready for him, her pussy gripped his shaft, squeezing, pulsing around him as he reared back and plunged again, giving her exactly what she’d been craving ever since he pulled her onto the dance floor. She bit down on the pad of his thumb, then sucked it again.

  “Ah, baby, that makes me crazy when you do that. It’s like sucking and fucking me at the same time.” He gripped her ass and squeezed it, holding her tight against the door as he slammed into her repeatedly. With every thrust his body rasped against her clit, taking her closer and closer to a building orgasm.

  She pulled his thumb from her mouth and drew his head forward for a kiss, sucking his tongue as she had his thumb. He ground his lips hard against her mouth while he pounded her pussy.

  Abby was mindless with pleasure, needing this maelstrom of passion as much as Seth seemed to. She’d never felt these uncontrollable urges of animalistic hunger before, but right now she wanted to ravage Seth, to mark him, to make him hers in a primitive way she couldn’t explain. She tore his shirt aside and buried her teeth in the fleshy part between his neck and shoulder.

  He grunted and slammed his cock harder inside her, grabbing her ass and lifting her off her feet to hammer her with thrust after thrust until she lifted her head, meeting his gaze, feeling the eruption coming.

  “Yeah, baby, come on me,” he said. “Come on my cock, Abby.”

  She kept her gaze on his, digging her nails into his shoulders. Tears filled her eyes as he stilled and ground his pelvis against her. The sensation against her clit was her undoing, and she shattered, coming in shrieking waves of pleasure. Seth watched her, and she couldn’t help herself. She screamed and pounded at him, shuddering and crying as the sensations continued. He took her mouth and groaned, emptying his come inside her in one hard, final thrust.