Embraced By Passion (3 page)

“You’re really getting married?” She squealed, almost bouncing in her chair. “To Daddy Gene!” She let out a whoop. She caught out of the corner of her eye both men smiling. Well, that confusion was cleared. “I’m thrilled, Mom. You so deserve what he’s got.”

“Brigit!”

She snickered. “Out of the gutter, Mom. I mean he’s good to you.”

“Yes, he is. The only drawback was the move, but it couldn’t be helped. You went to the offices looking for me?”

“Well, duh. I’m here with Slone and Ja’Rol.” She loved letting that roll off her tongue. “And I’m using their busy working time to convince them I’m safe and sane, although I know the latter is always up for debate.”

Her mother’s laugh was lighthearted. “Love you, sweetheart. Grab a pen. I’ll give you all the details.”

“Okay.” Glancing up, she found Ja’Rol holding a pen and the pad for her. “Go.” She swiftly got all her mother’s new information, with the dates she’d be back. “Do you want me to join you in Vegas?”

“Could you? What’s your schedule like?”

“Let me call you tonight.”

“Okay, honey. Kisses!”

“Kisses.” Then she handed the phone back. “See? Not only am I safe, I’ve just been included in the wedding.”

She fought the urge to stick her tongue out at them. At least to Ja’Rol. He’d get it. Slone was incredibly reserved. She didn’t want to insult either of her mother’s ex-bosses.

“Vegas, huh?” Ja’Rol asked.

“Two days.” Brigit ran her fingers through her hair. How was she going to pull that off? She didn’t have tons of cash and a flight forty-eight hours ahead was going to cost a fortune. A bus would be cheaper, but could she do it in two days?

“Let’s surprise your mother,” Ja’Rol offered. “We do miss her. She’d been with us for a long time.”

“How?” she asked, questioning them both.

“Tell us where you’re staying, and your number. We’ll arrange for you to be picked up. We’ll fly. A final gift to say goodbye for her.” Slone sat, looking at her, hardly blinking.

“Won’t that interrupt your week?”

Ja’Rol smiled. “It’ll be worth it.”

After giving them her information, she took a couple numbers with her in case something changed. She promised to be packed and ready by seven the next night to catch the flight with them.

Standing, she noticed again how they stood over her, tall and broad. Both watched her with a protective gleam, and with Ja’Rol, more than a hint of desire. She couldn’t argue with what she saw in him. She felt it too, but being attracted to them both confused her. Just thinking about it made her nipples tighten more.

Feeling off kilter, she shook their hands, fighting to hide the tremble as heat flared up her arm to land in her stomach. It oozed like a hot lava flow to settle between her legs, making her damp with want the longer she stood with them.

“Until tomorrow,” Slone said. His voice had dropped to a low timbre. The kind of voice that made women swoon off their feet. Because she almost did.

“Thank you for doing this,” she said, trying to keep herself grounded. He smelled as good as Ja’Rol.
Damn.
What did they wear? She was so buying it.

“We’re happy to. You should be with your mother when she shares vows with her soon to be husband.”

Decadent. She was staring at the personification.

She licked her lips. “Tomorrow night?”

“Seven sharp,” he replied. Still holding her hand, he lifted it and brushed the back of her knuckles with his lips, just the softest tease of heat to skin. Her body pulsed as liquid slicked her pussy.
Shit. I have got to get out of here before I combust.

“Let me walk you to the way out,” Ja’Rol offered.

Almost numb with need, she followed. Slone opened the door and with a hand to her back, she let Ja’Rol guide her to the elevator. “All the way to one,” he told her.

She nodded. “I can get a cab.”

“A cab?” He glanced at her, his eyes wider. “Not for Traci’s daughter. I’ll go down and call for the car. Are you already settled at your hotel?”

“Yes,” she answered, feeling breathless.

“Good.”

“It’s not an imposition? Doesn’t it take money to just drive me to my hotel?”

“You are now our guest, as we will be your guests to your mother’s wedding. We take care of our guests.”

She felt it was a losing battle, so she didn’t push. Riding in the elevator was a torture. Not as rugged as Slone, dark brown hair, honey gold eyes, he was perfection.

Decadence and perfection. And she was about to be ensconced in an airplane for hours with the two of them.

Brigit swallowed the groan, crossing her arms to conceal her arousal.

Chapter Three

“She’s perfect.”
Ja’Rol stayed still in the elevator, though it killed him to not touch her again.

“She doesn’t know. But we can show her. Patience. Now that we’ve found her, or she found us,”
Slone mused lowly, “
we’ll take the time with her to convince her she was meant for us.”

The second Ja’Rol stood in the doorway behind her, the sweetest scent of her body slammed into him with a physical punch. The swiftness of his arousal had shocked him, and in an instant he
knew
who she was. Conveying that to Slone had been a shout of victory. Maybe more cautious than Ja’Rol, he’d taken more time to evaluate their interloper, but agreed there was no mistake. Brigit was the woman they’d been dreaming of, their faceless desire that had left them both aching with a need neither could cure. Somehow, it made more sense to him that it would be Traci’s daughter, considering the friendship they’d shared over the years. Though before meeting Brigit in person, Ja’Rol had never even entertained the possibility.

She was a perfect height, with luscious curves and breasts and hips that were made to be pleasured. Golden hair flowed around her face to end in wisps at her shoulders in a sheet of spun color, with a single soft curl over her right eye. Her eyes had captivated him, so blue. Once or twice, he’d even had to refocus from admiring her. Luckily, she’d had no idea how long he’d been gazing at her, or exactly where. It would be a wonder if he wasn’t standing beside her blushing at his own thoughts.

Now the elevator was filled with her beckoning scent, teasing him like slow strumming fingers of hunger through his body. When he’d thought he’d needed, he’d had no idea it would feel like this. She hadn’t looked at him again since the doors had closed. He wanted her attention, but instead, he kept his hands tucked deep into his slacks pockets and his eyes forward.

“Did you feel her reaction?”
Slone’s voice slid into his mind.

“Deeply. I can already feel the edge of her thoughts. She’s nervous, and unsure about us. She believes she’s taking advantage of the offer, that maybe turning it down would have been better.”

“You’ve always been more open to human thoughts,”
Slone conceded. “
I will get tomorrow cleared and ready the jet and the suite. It’s been a long time since we went to Las Vegas.”

Ja’Rol sensed the playfully sensual grin and had to tuck his chin to hide his own. “
Now who’s playing dirty?”

“Love you.”

He sighed in longing, shaking his head.

“Everything okay?” she asked, peeking at him from beneath her lashes. The ground was coming up at them in a hurry. At least there’d been no stops along the way. Perversely, Ja’Rol didn’t want to share the space with anyone other than Brigit. He also didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to learn more about her. Wanted to spend hours talking with her. And more. The male in him wanted to cage her against the wall of the elevator and devour her in slow, passionate sips. The gentleman in him kept his hands where they were to hide the affect she had on him.

“Just remembering. Your mother really was something special to us.”

“I’m sure she’d love to hear that.” She bit her bottom lip, then after a thoughtful hesitation, added, “Dad wasn’t always the best, rather condescending and mocking toward her. A good provider, a horrible example of maleness.”

“Is that why you’re so happy she’s marrying her Gene?”

“Her Gene.” She giggled. “Love that. Actually, yes. He treats her the way every woman wants to be, respectfully, adored, loved. He doesn’t change because I’m there or if his friends show up for poker night. He lets everyone know she’s the light of his life. I’d hoped for this. But they’re older and both cautiously set in their ways. It’s not easy to make that much of an adjustment.”

The car slowed and a moment later, the doors opened. Unable to resist, he settled a palm to her lower back and guided her to the floor desk. “Judy, could you call Carl, and have him bring the sedan? Miss Brigit needs a ride back to her hotel.”

“Certainly.” The woman hardly blinked, lifting the receiver to make the call.

“Then it will please her to have you there?”

“She’ll be thrilled.” Deep blue, like the Atlantic Ocean, her eyes regarded him.

“Then it will be our personal gift to see you make it there.”

“Really, you don’t—”

“And have her gift not make it? Travesty,” he teased, grinning with a lightness that warmed him from his soul outward. He’d do anything for this blonde-haired lovely to see her smile like she had at his poking fun. “Tomorrow night, seven. We’ll take off no later than eight-thirty.”

Indecision warred on her features. Lifting a hand, he touched her cheek. “For your mother.” His heart pounded at the simple contact. What would it feel like to kiss her? It had been decades since he’d kissed a woman. Not since he’d met Slone. Her softness would be unique, and addictive.

“He wants to kiss me
.”

Ja’Rol blinked, stunned that her thoughts were so clear, so quickly. If there had been any doubts, that destroyed it. Only souls who completed each other could hear or speak to another. After the shock of hearing her voice receded, he recognized what those words had been.

Not wanting to threaten her, he let his fingers slip away. God, yes, he did, but not yet. Not now.

“Sir?” A male voice interrupted them.

A drawn breath helped to center him. He stood straight. She only came to his shoulder, bringing up his protective nature once more. Carl was a trusted employee, though still a male. Ja’Rol dug deep to find his professional coolness, because the last thing he really wanted to do was let her leave with him.

“Carl, please take Miss Brigit to her hotel. In fact, if she has any needs for today or tomorrow, please take her. She will be traveling tomorrow and may need to make purchases.”

“Oh! I couldn’t.”

“I insist. Cabs are unruly, and simply put, unclean. As an aside, Carl will assist you if you need him to.”

“Assist?” she queried, her gaze flipping back and forth to land on Carl.

“He means protect you. It’s part of my job,” he informed her with ease.

She crossed her arms, a challenge in her stance. “For all his women?”

Carl and Ja’Rol shared a look, then both laughed quietly. Carl knew the truth about him and Slone, but he wouldn’t expose that either.