MoonlightTemptation (17 page)

“Or maybe he wants you so much, he doesn’t know how to
express it. Dane’s never been good at dealing with emotion. He’s always seemed
like such a tight ass but he’s never been mean. Just kind of buttoned up. Know
what I mean?”

Yes, she knew what Cat was saying. It just didn’t help her
make what seemed like such a huge decision. “You know, maybe I’m thinking about
this the entirely wrong way. Maybe I should just be looking at this as a fling.
I mean, Ryan will eventually have to go back to his practice in Philly. And
with Ryan gone, Dane’ll stay away from me.”

Which would leave her alone. Again.

And maybe that would be a good thing. All this emotion
zinging around her body was making her nauseated anyway.

“I think you underestimate your power over those guys.”
Cat’s wry tone made Evie look up from her examination of the table. “But maybe
you should just go for it and worry about the consequences later.”

* * * * *

“How the hell long does dinner take?”

Ryan tore his gaze away from the television long enough to
see Dane stop by the front window for what had to be the hundredth time and
look out.

Ryan was no
lucani
but even he could sense Dane’s
agitation and it was beginning to affect him too.

Looking at the clock on the DVR beneath the TV, he realized
it was only five minutes after the last time he’d looked. It seemed like hours.

“I’m sure she and Cat have a lot to talk about.”

“Or she decided to go home and didn’t bother to tell us.”

“Evie wouldn’t do that. She’s not a coward.”

“I’m not calling her a coward. I’m just saying, maybe
everything’s happening too fast.”

Ryan heard something in Dane’s voice that made him turn off
the TV and give his full attention to his friend. “I don’t think we’re talking
about Evie anymore.”

Dane stiffened and didn’t turn from the window. “Who the
hell else would I be talking about?”

“What’d your mom have to say this morning?”

Ryan didn’t actually expect Dane to answer. He’d thought
Dane would probably tell him to fuck off then continue to obsess over Evie. “I
told her to have a good time in New York.”

“Are you still seriously thinking about mating Ione?”

Dane didn’t answer and Ryan felt heat move through him, a
vicious, searing anger he hadn’t felt in years. It made his hands curl into
fists at his sides and every muscle in his body tense with the need to tear out
Dane’s heart. Or at least dig into his chest to look for one.

“Damn you, Dane. What the fuck are you doing? You’re going
to hurt her and I’m going to tear your throat out, you bastard.”

Dane finally turned from the window, his expression lacking
the snide arrogance Ryan had been expecting. Dane looked almost pained.

It threw Ryan completely off track.

“I told my mother there was no chance for anything
developing between me and Ione.”

Ryan opened his mouth to respond then shut it before he
reamed Dane for something he hadn’t said.

“Well, shit, Dane. When the hell were you going to spill
that little bit of information?”

Dane just shrugged. “I didn’t realize I needed to vet my
every decision through you.”

Gaze narrowing, Ryan felt as if he’d been sucker-punched.
Which was stupid as all hell. He wasn’t Dane’s wife, for Christ’s sake. He
wasn’t his boyfriend.

But they were more than friends, damn it, and he deserved
more from Dane than he was getting. Especially considering the role Dane was
forcing him to play here.

Ryan rose from the couch and walked over to Dane. Since he
was a few inches shorter, Ryan had to stare up at him, which had never bothered
him. Until now.

Even so, Ryan knew if he slugged Dane, the guy would go
down. He might be able to turn into a wolf, but he couldn’t fight worth a damn.
He’d never had to.

Ryan had learned the hard way that sometimes the only way
out of a situation was with your fists.

Then he looked more carefully at Dane and saw the confusion
and frustration in his eyes. The guy looked emotionally fried.

And for someone like Dane, that had to be biting him in the
ass.

“Dane, what the fuck?”

Dane snorted, shook his head and turned back to the window.
“Yeah, that’s a good question, isn’t it?”

“So you wanna tell me what the answer is?”

“I don’t know the answer. Hell, I don’t even know the
question.”

“The question is what do you want?”

Dane didn’t answer for a few seconds. “I thought I was going
to have to sedate Alex when he got back this afternoon. He was practically
bouncing off the walls. I take it her session with the boys went well?”

And that was Dane telling him to back the fuck off.

God damn it. Ryan wanted to head butt the guy to knock some
sense into him. Or at least loosen up just enough to talk to him. But he knew
it wouldn’t do any good.

Ryan took a deep breath, reaching for calm and not finding
much to be had. Dane was going to screw this up with Evie. “It went fine.”

“Good. I…” He breathed out a rough sigh. “She’s coming.”

Ryan turned toward the window. He saw nothing in the dark,
not even the flash of headlights but he knew Dane could hear the car from at
least two miles away, maybe more.

“You asked me what I want.” Dane turned from the window to
look at Ryan. “I could ask you the same thing.”

The intensity in Dane’s gaze made Ryan go still.

Did he have an answer to the question?

No. Because he never let himself think about that question.

“You’ve got the life you always wanted, don’t you?” Dane
turned back to the window, as if speaking to his reflection. “Great job, even
better money. You can buy anything you want, sleep with any woman you want. Yet
you drop everything when I call.”

Ryan stiffened, his muscles bunching taut. “You would have
done the same.”

Dane shrugged as if that was a no-brainer. “But why isn’t
your life enough for you? Have you asked yourself that question?”

Ryan’s lips parted to speak. Nothing came out.

Dane’s mouth curved in a wry grin. “Not so easy to answer,
is it?”

Headlights flashed through the window as Evie eased her car
into the space beside Ryan’s in front of Dane’s house.

His heart picked up its rhythm until it beat almost
painfully as he waited for her to get out and come to them.

She didn’t open the car door for at least a minute and he
had to wonder if she was stalling.

Finally the door swung open and Evie stepped out of her
little white VW Cabrio, only to lean back in a second later. When she finally
closed the door of the car, she carried several shopping bags. And an overnight
bag.

Dane moved to the door and opened it before she hit the
porch.

Her tentative smile as she walked into the room eased the
tightness in Ryan’s chest as he took the shopping bags and set them on the
couch.

“Hey, babe. Looks like you had a busy night.”

Her smile widened. “Cat and I did a little retail therapy at
the mall after dinner. Nothing like spending money on clothes to make you feel
better. I got a couple of job applications while I was there. Can’t keep
slacking off like I have been.”

Dane shut the door and walked up behind her, taking the
overnight bag out of her hands. “If you decided to continue teaching the
children, you’ll draw a salary from there. Ryan said you had a good day with the
boys.”

She watched Dane set her bag by the hallway leading to the
bedrooms before turning back to walk to her.

When Dane bent to kiss her, Ryan watched how she lifted onto
her toes to meet him, reaching out to clasp his shoulders.

Her feelings for Dane showed in the way she clung to him,
the way her body bowed into his.

And Ryan had his first taste of jealousy. It licked through
him like a flame, hot and bright and—

Fuck no. No way. He didn’t do jealousy. Not with Dane.

Oh yeah, you do. But what are you really jealous of here?

He watched Dane bend her back even farther, watched the way
her fingers flexed into his shoulders and her breasts rubbed against his chest.

She arched into him as if she couldn’t get enough, her mouth
opening for Dane’s tongue to sweep in, the long line of her throat exposed.

She looked oblivious to everything but Dane.

Ryan wanted in.

And that was the answer to Dane’s question.

This was what he wanted.

He wanted to belong
here
.

The realization sent a shiver of reaction down his spine
even as his blood pressure began to rise. And his cock hardened.

Closing the few steps between them, he put his hands on
Evie’s shoulders and bent his head to the nape of her neck.

Nuzzling aside her hair, he opened his mouth on her skin and
sucked her flavor into his mouth.

She moaned and when Ryan stepped closer, she wriggled just
enough to make him understand she wanted him to come closer.

He gave her what she wanted, which was exactly what he
wanted.

Ryan plastered himself to her back and let his hands caress
down her sides to her waist. He felt Dane’s hands working on her blouse, so he
went to work on her pants. The formfitting material felt like sleek silk and
the button on the side of the pants released with only a push. Then he released
the zipper.

The pants were so tight, he knew they’d need help coming off
so he dropped to his knees and dragged them over her hips and down her legs.
She wasn’t wearing stockings and he loved the look of the black-patent
stilettos on her feet. So he left them.

The bare skin of her ass made his breath catch as he
realized she was wearing a thong. The tiny string of black satin curved around
her waist and another disappeared between her cheeks.

He couldn’t help himself. He plucked at the second string,
drawing it away from her body and watched as she shuddered in reaction.

She moaned aloud and he realized Dane had removed her shirt
and bra and bent to suck a nipple into his mouth.

Moving to the side so he could watch, Ryan saw her lift one
hand to cup Dane’s head and hold him to her. With her other, she reached for
him.

While she couldn’t grip Dane’s hair, she could his. She let
her fingers slide through the strands then grab and hold.

His breath caught at the thought that, even though she
writhed under Dane’s hands, she still reached for him.

Yes, this is what I want.

As she tugged on his hair, he let his fingers slide between
her legs. Moisture slicked her lower lips and he coated his fingers in the
silky heat. He could smell her arousal and the scent made him hunger for more
of her.

Not yet.

First they needed to show her exactly why she should stay
with them. Convince her this was where she needed to be. Always.

With one hand on her hip to hold her steady, he used the
other to tease her clit. Light flicks that had her gasping. Her entire body
trembled as he and Dane worked her between them.

Her clit heated and hardened, her scent intensifying. Her
thighs tightened, trapping his hand between them.

He’d just released her hip to use both hands to open her
legs when Dane stepped back.

“Ryan, bring her.”

As Evie blinked up at him, in shock over Dane’s abrupt
release, Ryan rose to his feet and spun her toward him.

He kissed her with a hard resolve and felt like thumping his
chest when she melted against him. Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her
off her feet. Her pants slithered to the floor, shoes dropping with a thump.

Damn, he should have told her to keep those on.

He forgot the thought a second later when she wove her
fingers through his hair and pressed him even closer. Her mouth opened for him,
welcoming his demands for her total surrender.

Lifting her higher with one arm under her ass, he waited
until she wrapped her legs around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder
before he walked past Dane to the bedroom.

He felt Dane behind him but Dane stayed in the doorway when
Ryan took her to the bed.

Ryan followed her down, pressing his mouth to hers. He
couldn’t get enough of her taste, the way her mouth moved under his. So sweet
and hot. His emotions tangled with his rising heat, his needs becoming more
demanding.

He devoured her mouth as his hands swept over her body,
caressing her breasts, molding them with his hands. Pinching the tips, he made
her writhe beneath him. His already aching cock pressed against the zipper of
his jeans, seeking relief.

When her hands slid from his shoulders to his back, his skin
heated and burned with the light caress.

And when she stroked to his waist and slid her hands beneath
his shirt, he shuddered.

“Take it off, Evie. I want to feel your skin against mine.”

Her eyes opened to glittering slits as she did as he asked,
gripping the hem of his shirt and pulling it up his back and over his head. Her
nails scraped along his skin, sending erotic sizzles shooting through him.

Dropping his head to her shoulder, he bit her earlobe then
strung a series of biting kisses along her neck as he lowered himself against
her. They each drew in a deep breath as her breasts pressed against his chest,
her hardened nipples poking into muscles.

“God damn, Evie. I’ve gotta be in you.”

“Yes, please. That’s what I want.”

Her voice whispered against his skin, driving him up to his
knees to unbutton his jeans.

Before he could work the zipper, Evie scooted back so she
could sit. “Lie down, Ryan. On your back.”

Her husky tone made his hands shake and before he could
move, she’d grabbed his shoulders and turned him until he had no choice but to
fall on his back on the bed.

His lips curved in a smile as she worked his jeans and
boxers down his legs then threw them over the side of the bed.