“Don’t rush off, Kate,” Josh cajoles. “Sit and finish your wine—”

  “Eight a.m.,” I reply.

  “Thank you. Good night.” With a nod in our direction, she escapes the restaurant.

  Josh watches her go with a curse. “I’d ask what you’re doing, encouraging her to run off—”

  “She wanted to go.”

  “And you couldn’t wait for her to leave because you like her—not just her tits and her ass, which are admittedly fantastic—but her. That terrifies the shit out of you.”

  I hate that he’s right. “Fuck off.”

  “Not a chance. I have a feeling about her. My gut is usually right.”

  Marcus lifts a dark brow. “Remember Taylor?”

  “Stop throwing my one mistake in my face.”

  “Just pointing out that you’re not always right. And you’re coming on strong. You should back the fuck off before she feels harassed and calls a lawyer. Chad would have your ass.”

  “Don’t give me that excuse. You flirted with her, too—hardcore. And now you’re trying to deny there’s something between the three of us.”

  I stand. “There shouldn’t be. She’s made it abundantly clear that she’s determined to keep things professional. You should probably do the same. Charge dinner to our room. I’m going up for a shower.”

  Josh curses. “Another one?”

  Ignoring his question, I head upstairs. He follows ten minutes later, half empty bottle of wine and a clean stem in hand. I greet him with a towel wrapped around my waist and motion to the vino. “You going to get wasted?”

  “It’s better than eight hours of sleeplessly fighting the need to jack off.”

  He has a point…which is why I took another shower. My hand might have taken the edge off my need, but I don’t have any illusions. It’s going to be a long night.

  “Besides, if I’m drunk, I’ll snore louder.” He gives me an acidic smile. “You’re welcome.”

  As I glare back, a clap of thunder rattles the glass of the ancient door to the lanai. Wind rattles. Fat raindrops pound the pane in dull, rhythmic thuds. A glance outside tells me it’s been raining for a while.

  “Welcome to paradise,” I quip.

  Josh sighs. “Damn it. The grounds around the property will be a mess tomorrow.”

  True, but we’re here for ten short days and our to-do list is miles long. “It’s not like we’ve never encountered challenges before.”

  He nods. “And as issues to overcome go, this is minor.”

  I hear his subtext. Keeping our focus on something besides our sexy-as-fuck coworker will be the real problem.

  “What do you think happened between Kate and her ex?” he asks.

  “It’s none of our business. Drop it.”

  “I won’t unless she asks me to, point-blank.” He shrugs. “I can’t.”

  Shaking my head, I sigh. When Josh gets a notion into his head, there’s no dissuading him. “Goddamn it.”

  “C’mon,” he coaxes. “What’s your best guess?”

  As much as I’ve tried to avoid wondering, I’m admittedly curious. “Honestly? I have no idea.”

  “She doesn’t seem like the type to cheat.”

  “She’s not.” My gut tells me that.

  “She’s clearly not a drinker.”

  I shake my head. “That wasn’t the problem.”

  Josh sighs as he starts to unpack his suitcase. “There’s nothing obvious.”

  “Except the fact he hurt her.”

  “Yes. That’s abundantly clear.”

  And Josh sounds pissed. I am, too. I don’t know what happened or what role Kate played, but I wouldn’t mind meeting Derrick in a dark alley and giving him some payback for whatever pain he caused her.

  I slip into the bathroom to put on a pair of shorts and brush my teeth. Hopefully, when I emerge again, Josh will find a new subject.

  The second I reenter the room, he squashes that hope. “Unless she opens up to us, we can only speculate.”

  “Seriously, dude. It’s not smart for us to get involved with her personally. We work together and this project is important.”

  Josh rolls his eyes at me. “You can’t tell me that if she knocked on our door right now and either wanted to confide in you or fuck you that you wouldn’t be all over her.”

  Damn him for being right. “I don’t see either of those things happening, so forget it.”

  “Maybe she married too young? She’s midtwenties and already divorced, so maybe—”

  Suddenly, there’s a knock on our door. I frown at Josh. He looks back at me with a shrug and heads across the room. I really hope it’s the hotel sucking up for their snafu by sending room service or some similar explanation.

  Instead, Josh yanks the door open and steps back almost instantly, frowning. “Come in. What’s wrong?”

  The concern in his voice tells me it’s Kate.

  Fuck.

  Seconds later, she scurries inside, wearing a too-short, soft gray cotton nightgown that hugs her curves. Sheer lace trims the V-neck and plays peekaboo with her cleavage—clearly not infringed by a bra. And holy shit, she’s wrapped her arms around her middle as if she’s trying to protect herself while clutching her purse in her fist. Does she have any idea she’s pushing up the swells of her tits?

  Then I realize she’s afraid and shaking.

  I swallow down my lust and cross the room to her. “What happened?”

  She jerks toward me with a gasp. Then her stare wanders from my face to my bare chest and glues itself to my pecs before she whips her gaze away. “You’ll laugh.”

  “We won’t,” Josh assures, dropping a solicitous hand to the small of her back. “Tell us.”

  “When the rain started, roaches slithered out of every hole.” She winces and shudders. “I was in the shower, and one creeped up from the drain. I ran out and found them on the walls. One even crawled across my sheets.”

  My mother’s fear of insects is real. Logically, it’s not a genuine threat, but it seems that way to her, so I understand what Kate is feeling. “Do you want me to kill them for you?”

  She shakes her head. “I called the front desk. They sent maintenance up with a can of insect spray, but even he seemed shocked by the sheer number of them. He sprayed everywhere, and now the fumes… I can’t breathe in there.”

  “I don’t want you to even try.” Josh leads her to the nearest chair and sits her down before sinking into the one beside her. “Neither does Marcus. You can stay here as long as you need, right?”

  He sends me a pointed glare. I bite back a curse. Having her here when we’re all half-dressed is such a bad fucking idea. Still, she’s rattled, so what the hell can I say? “Right. Why don’t you give me your room key? I’ll go down there in a few minutes to see if the coast is clear.”

  Maybe it will keep me from kissing her breathless, stripping her bare, and working my stiff cock as deep into her sweet little pussy as she can handle. But no promises.

  “Y-you don’t have to. It’s not your problem, and I’m sorry to intrude. I didn’t know where else to go. When I saw those disgusting suckers everywhere, I just grabbed my purse and—” She looks down at herself, then bites her lip. “I should have changed, but I was freaked out the roaches might be in my suitcase, too. Then the fumes…”

  I’m not only pissed off that the maintenance guy fumigated her room and expected her to breathe that air, but I hate that he saw her half exposed and vulnerable. No man should see her that way except Josh and me.

  Gotta stop thinking such dangerous shit…

  “It’s okay.” My best friend takes her hand. “Deep breath. In”—he demonstrates—“and out. Good. Just like that. It’s going to be okay. Marcus and I are here for you.”

  With a shaky exhalation, she presses a hand to her chest. “Thank you. I’m really sorry. I know they’re just bugs and I’m much bigger than they are, but…”

  “Don’t apologize.” He takes her hand. “Just sit. Relax. You want to talk about something else?”

  “Please.”

  Her trembling voice gets to me.

  Despite all my sage warnings to Josh, I’m getting possessive. I can’t seem to stop.

  I grab a T-shirt from my suitcase. “Give me your key. I’ll check out your room.”

  “Really, I don’t want to trouble you.” She hesitates, and her eyes soften. “And I wish you wouldn’t go.”

  Those pretty blue eyes of hers tell me she feels safer when I’m here. Fuck if that doesn’t feed my need to protect—and my desire to touch her.

  Recklessly, I toss the shirt back in my bag. “Then I won’t.”

  “Let’s get your mind off it, sweetheart,” Josh suggests. “Let’s talk about the property. Do you have any other thoughts?”

  She gives us a short, jerky nod. “A lot. But I left my notes in my room. We need to understand zoning and any environmental-based restrictions or impacts…”

  “And?” my buddy prompts.

  “Sorry.” She shakes her head. “My head just isn’t focused on work.”

  “It can wait until tomorrow.” Josh squeezes her hand. “What do you normally do when you’re afraid?”

  Kate hesitates, then responds with a self-deprecating smile. “This is the first time I haven’t had my dad nearby. Since I was a kid, he’s pulled me onto his lap and cuddled me. Somehow, that makes my world okay again. I didn’t realize until now how much I was going to miss that when I moved away.”

  “Can you call him?” I say, hoping to preempt Josh’s instinct to give her what she needs.

  It’s my instinct, too.

  She pulls her phone from her purse and glances at the screen. Her eyes well up. “It’s nearly midnight in Phoenix. He’s already in bed. He works so hard, and I hate to disturb him.” She sniffles. “I’m really sorry. You two must think I’m a wreck. Ninety-nine percent of the time I’m a strong, independent woman, but—”

  “Stop apologizing. We don’t think you’re a wreck,” Josh assures. “We all have fears. We all have our moments. It’s also been a long day with the flight and the time change. None of us are at our strongest when we’re tired.”

  Kate nods, but it’s obvious she’s still emotional and beating herself up over it. Sometimes, words help people find their center again.

  Sometimes, like now, they don’t.

  I sigh. This is going to go sideways before it goes to hell, but I can’t watch Kate suffer anymore.

  After crossing the room, I hold out a hand to her. “Come here.”

  Her startled gaze bounces up to me and clings. I see a thousand questions on her face, but she doesn’t ask a single one. The trust in her eyes is a lightning rod for my desire. I do my best to stifle it, but she can, no doubt, see my erection behind my shorts. Still, she slides her hand into mine and slowly stands.

  I get sucked into her blue stare as I bend and lift her into my arms. Her flip-flops tumble to the carpet.

  “Marcus…”

  As protests go, hers is weak.

  “Shh. You need comforting. I can help you.”

  With that, I cuddle her closer. She stops hesitating and curls against me, settling her head onto my shoulder and quieting altogether. Josh is right behind me, pouring her a glass of wine and plucking up the little tube of lotion the hotel provided. As I sink onto the edge of the bed, bringing Kate onto my lap and wrapping my arms around her, I slide my palm over her hip. She sighs in contentment.

  Immediately I realize that, not only is she not wearing a bra, she’s not wearing any fucking underwear. Right now, the only thing keeping me from her pussy are two thin layers of cotton. It’s all I can do not to slide my fingers under her hem and between her legs so she forgets everything but pleasure.

  Josh presses the vino into her hands. “Drink, sweetheart.”

  Wordlessly, she does, swallowing half the glass before settling the stem into my pal’s grip with shaking fingers. “Thank you.”

  “Just relax. We’re going to make everything okay.” He sets the wine aside, then opens the tube of lotion and squeezes a dollop onto his palm. He cradles her foot and thumbs his way up her arches until she moans.

  Josh and I are falling into familiar patterns. I’m a protector. He’s a caretaker. For us, Kate is dangerous.

  When we had Taylor to focus our energies on, we were both content. Hell, I can’t remember a time I ever felt happier. The sex was off the chain. Josh and I were so in sync, and we were both sure Taylor would come on board, adding more than her body to the equation.

  But she never did.

  After she left, I swore I’d never allow my heart to be vulnerable again. But here I am, holding Kate too tight, my lips too close to her temple, while Josh drains her tension with a thorough foot massage…that’s beginning to trail up her calves.

  I was fucking fooling myself that I could resist.

  For long minutes, I stroke her hip, skate my palm down her thigh, and watch her blond lashes fan her bare cheeks. She looks younger without makeup—and infinitely more fragile. I hold her closer.

  I glance up to find Josh staring at her, at the way I’m touching her, while he rubs at her polished pink toes. His eyes are fever bright. I know that expression. He’s not just aroused, but half obsessed. He’s burning for Kate. And I know me. If he crosses the line and woos her into bed—if she lets him between her legs—there’s no way I’ll have the strength to refuse. I might have had a completely separate sex life from Josh since the split with Taylor, but I’m like an addict. I love the high of sharing a woman, of hearing her cries echo off the walls while, together, we give her a pleasure so sharp and undeniable it’s like an out-of-body experience.

  “Kate?” he whispers. “Better?”

  Her lashes flutter up. “Yes. I feel safe again. I can’t thank you enough for your care and help. Both of you.”

  She could hardly have chosen her words better if she wanted to throw gasoline on the fire sparking between us.

  The softness of her skin under my hands inflames me. The scent of her vanilla-amber shower gel mixing with the arousal moistening her pussy jacks me up even higher. But combined with the soft trust she’s giving us? That completely undoes me.

  Fuck it. I’ll probably regret this, and I’m likely going to hell, but I can’t fight the attraction anymore.

  I tuck my finger under her chin. As her lashes flutter open, I lift her face to mine. “Baby girl?”

  Chapter Four

  I stare at her mouth. Kate knows what I’m asking her.

  Her tongue slides across her lower lip nervously. Then she looks at Josh, who’s leaning in and settling her foot onto his leg, perilously close to the hard inches straining behind his zipper.

  I hold my breath, waiting, half willing her to say no and quash what’s brewing between us. The other half of me is eager as fuck for her to say yes.

  Kate’s breathing turns choppy, dragging her hard nipples across the front of her nightgown with every breath. In that moment, I’d sell my soul for the mind-blowing bliss I know the three of us could share.

  “You want us to help you feel good and forget?” Josh asks softly.

  “I-it’s a bad idea,” she demurs. “We shouldn’t.”

  I drag my thumb across her pouty lower lip. “But what do you want?”

  “Whatever this is between us,” she whispers. “I want it so bad, I hurt.”

  The sexual tension I’ve held under a boil for hours bubbles out of control. It doesn’t matter how awkward tomorrow might be or how much it might hurt later. I’m too desperate to care.

  “Baby girl…” I cup her jaw and seize her lips, firm and soft and wine-laden, before nudging them apart and shoving my way inside.

  Her velvet sweetness makes me shudder. And when she opens wider, offering me more with a moan as she clutches my shoulders and rubs herself against me, I grip her like I’ll never let go.

  Because I don’t want to.

  Suddenly, she wrenches from our kiss, panting and staring at Josh with dilated eyes. “Oh, my god. You’re touching…”

  “Yeah.” My buddy moves his hand under her cotton gown with a groan as he drops a kiss to her knee, then looks my way. “She’s drenched.”

  His words burn me from the inside out.

  “He has his fingers on your pussy?” I ask Kate.

  She gives me a jerky nod. “His thumb is against my—” She gasps. “Oh, my god.”

  “Her clit,” Josh moans out. “It’s hard and swollen. Hmm…”

  Kate’s stare widens as she looks up at me. “A-and he’s pushing his fingers inside me.”

  Jesus, yes. “That feel good?”

  “Incredible.” Her eyes slide shut.

  I resettle her on my lap and pull her thighs wider apart. “Good. Let him make you feel even better.”

  Her head falls back against my arm. “Pleeeease…”

  “I got you, sweetheart.” More of Josh’s arm disappears under her nightgown as he eases his fingers in deeper. His stare bounces up to mine. “She’s damn tight.”

  “It’s been forever,” she whispers.

  “Since you’ve had an orgasm?” I murmur in her ear.

  “Since anyone has touched me. I ache so badly…”

  “Josh and I will fix that.” We’ll figure out later what this means for our working relationship—and our hearts. Right now, there’s nothing beyond this moment.

  “Please,” she implores.

  Impatiently, I slide the spaghetti strap off her shoulder. The scrap catches on her elbow, and without moving her—or dislodging Josh—I can’t get this goddamn nightgown off. I’ll fucking improvise because I’m dying to see more of her.

  “Push her hem up,” I demand.

  My buddy gives Kate a quick glance, but she’s putty in his hands, so he shoves the gray cotton to her hips. Suddenly, I have a stellar view of her slender thighs, her pink pussy turning even rosier behind her sparse dusting of blond hair, and Josh’s fingers working all her sweet spots.

  The sight is a fucking turn-on. Need scorches me.

  I take her mouth again and seize her nipples one at a time through the cotton. Her gasp is a reward all its own. So is feeling her tips tighten. I can tell by touching her that she has amazing tits. I need my hands on them, my mouth all over them, my dick between them. I need to squeeze them, nip them, and mark them with my seed.