Read Paired Objective: Matched Desire, Book 2 Online

Authors: Clare Murray

Tags: #ménage;aliens;m/f/m;sf;futuristic

Paired Objective: Matched Desire, Book 2 (6 page)

BOOK: Paired Objective: Matched Desire, Book 2
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Abby was tempted to squirm against Cam’s hand, which surprised her, since she hadn’t enjoyed a man’s touch for years. But she wanted him to keep holding her, to stay pressed against his muscular side until she worked up the courage to initiate a kiss. Or perhaps she’d kiss Russ, since he was in front of her, and Cam could hold her from behind…

Her breaths came shallowly now, as Cam and Russ both continued to look at the door Snake Eyes had closed behind him. Abby didn’t dare move, fearing the loss of Cam’s warm hand, the crashing down of reality. Theirs wasn’t a stable situation. They couldn’t leave now without offending Uther, who would see it as justification for his distrust of the government. He might even use it as an excuse to do something crazy.

Like killing them. She’d seen the noose that hung to the rear of the courtyard. The rope was worn, as if it had been used before. Maybe that was because it had been hanging out in all weather, and she was overthinking the situation…

“I think Abby ought to feign sickness tonight,” Russ said as if resuming a previous conversation. She flicked her gaze between both men, realized they’d likely been mentally discussing the situation.

“I think
you
ought to feign sickness,” she shot back.

Both men’s faces lightened in amusement. “Twins don’t get sick, sweet thing,” Cam told her. “At least, we’re immune to most serious diseases. Scientists
still
haven’t cured the common cold.”

“Slackers,” she muttered, aware that his hand was moving, caressing her.

Having accepted Cam’s touch, she was still relaxed, but every brush of his fingers seemed to make her loins ache almost painfully. Unconsciously, she moved to spread her thighs, giving him greater access. Any embarrassment was immediately erased by the brush of his lips across her forehead. His other hand went to the fly of her jeans, tugging the zip down. Then his palm was against the thin fabric of her underwear, exploring yet not pushing, keeping a leisurely, unpressured pace.

Russ watched them from several feet away, leaning against the metal bedframe of the bunk beds. With glazed eyes, Abby took in his avid gaze and the length of his cock against his jeans. She trembled against Cam, letting him absorb her reaction.

Everything that had been ramping up between them seemed to be coming to a head. Was there really something to the idea that Twins and certain women had complementary pheromones? The glossy magazines had started to pick up on that right before the Invasion, distilling articles from the
Lancet
and other medical journals into layman’s terms, then jazzing them up for a different audience. Sex positions, pheromones, and relationships—those things sold a magazine.

Or used to, anyway.

Thing was, Abby figured there was truth to the pheromone idea. Certainly she was incredibly attracted to both men. And she’d always known some dudes just couldn’t intrigue her, plain and simple. They didn’t stink, but no matter what toothpaste they used or how much deodorant they slathered on, they never came across as
right
.

The movement of Cam’s hand against her—
that
felt right. He’d moved around to her front now, and was drawing her face up. Not for a kiss but to study her reaction to him as he touched her, flicking his finger against the thin fabric barrier that covered her clit.

She couldn’t help but breathe raggedly, staring helplessly into his eyes, unable to pull away from this sheer pleasure. He seemed to know exactly where to stroke her merely by observing her expression and the reactions of her body. It wasn’t long before she was on the verge of coming, unsteadily supporting herself against Cam’s outstretched arm.

When she looked over at Russ in mute appeal, his hand clenched around the bedframe, causing it to bend slightly. Releasing it, he stalked to her side and ran a hand down her cheek, studying her just as intently as his Twin did.

After a few seconds, something behind his eyes eased, and he went to stand behind her. “Relax, baby. It’s okay—I got you.”

He balanced her against his thigh, supporting her so that Cam had even greater access. With her jeans partway down, she couldn’t have stood on her own without great difficulty.

Now she was completely at their mercy. Far from being scared at the lack of control, she embraced the feeling wholeheartedly, her body crying for more. As Russ cupped her breasts, she inhaled in mingled shock and pleasure, arching her back as his thumbs rubbed across her nipples.

They took their sweet time with her body, keeping her balanced between them and utterly dependent, until even the smallest movement threatened to send her over the edge. As she was beginning to writhe in frustration, Cam finally kissed her, easing back to let his brother dip in between her legs. Russ stripped the underwear aside, his bare hand nudging against her until she cried out against Cam’s lips.

“I think that was a
please
,” Russ said. Amusement and desire made his voice hoarse. “Was it
please
, Abby?”

“Mmm,” was all she could manage against Cam’s lips.

“No?” Russ started to withdraw his hand, then laughed as she thrust against his arm. “All right.”

His fingers settled against her clit, circling lightly but keeping the rhythm slow enough to be frustrating. Then Cam’s hand was there, one finger sliding inside her. He quickly made it two, and the pressure felt so good, Abby nearly collapsed. Only the combined strength of their arms kept her upright.

“Now, sweet thing,” Cam whispered, breaking the kiss. “Let yourself go.”

She hardly needed his encouragement. Russ gathered her to him as she rode through the orgasm, keeping his hand cupped against her sex. Cam withdrew his fingers, and the brothers swapped positions so smoothly that she hardly noticed.

Her eyes closed as Russ kissed her, a gentle caress that he broke almost immediately. It felt like possession, like he’d accepted her as his. But that was a crazy line of thinking. These days, relationships took a distinct second seat to survival. Could she really afford to distract herself like this?

“I could use a shower,” Abby managed.

“Conveniently, there’s one back here,” Cam said.

She let them lead her past the beds to the bathroom, which was surprisingly large, given that it was tacked on to the back of a shack. Self-consciously, she let her jeans fall to the floor, her underwear following shortly afterward. She’d bathed the afternoon of her escape, but she wanted to sluice off the memories of Headquarters—or try to, at least.

Abby peeled off her jacket, shirt and bra, tossing them atop the backpack that contained her personal belongings. Although she’d been extremely intimate with the Twins only a minute ago, the urge to cover her breasts was strong. She compromised by presenting her back to the men, who remained at the open door to the bathroom.

The shower itself was large enough for two—but not three. Abby hesitated on its threshold, wondering how to proceed. Then Cam withdrew, though his gaze was heated, and Russ lingered only a moment longer.

“See you in a few minutes, Abby,” he said.

You can watch.
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but the spray of tepid water killed the moment and the door closed behind the Twins before she spoke. She reached for the homemade shampoo, sparing a rueful thought for the strawberry-scented stuff she used to love. Suds spilled across her body and washed down the drain.

She wished they could wash away the months at Headquarters.

Once she was finished, she wrapped herself in a not-so-fluffy towel, bundled up her clothes, and went back into the bedroom. Russ lay on a bottom bunk, situated so that he could watch both the door and her. He greeted her with a nod.

“Cam will be back in a little while. You got fresh clothes?” he asked.

“In my bag.” She had one spare set left. They’d been talking about implementing uniforms at Headquarters, probably fueled by one of the senator’s obsession with maids. Abby shuddered at the thought of wearing a French maid outfit.

“You okay?”

Russ was still watching her. Abby glanced up, met his gaze, decided not to lie. “Can’t stop thinking about all the stuff at Headquarters.”

“You’ll always carry that shit with you. Can’t erase it. But you can get past it.”

“How?” She sank onto the opposite bed.

“Couple of ways. You can drink hard. Or you can act out, rely on external stuff to eclipse all those thoughts. I know Twins who do that. They’re off the rails, because being
on
the rails takes them to a destination too goddamn painful to handle.”

Abby nodded, bunching up the edges of the ratty towel in both hands. She’d seen plenty of acting out. Alcoholism, not so much. A person might be able to steal foodstuffs in Headquarters, but the senators were touchy as hell about their alcohol.

“Or,” Russ said, continuing, “you can make a conscious decision not to let your baggage define you as a person.”

“Easier said than done,” she snapped.

“Yeah, most stuff is. I’m not saying you ought to put that shit aside and waltz off like it never happened. That’s yet another coping mechanism, but it’ll bite you in the ass at some point.”

The shadows in his eyes made her think he had personal experience with that. She waited him out, interested despite herself in what he had to say.

“Do you still think of yourself as a slave?”

“Indentured servant,” was her automatic reply. Headquarters had banned the term “slave,” even in private conversation. Apparently the veneer of civilization wasn’t
entirely
gone.

Russ gestured to the manacles still around her ankles. She’d grown used to them. Yet now they hung heavy, the thin metal slightly warmed by the water of the shower. They’d never truly impeded her day-to-day chores. She’d gotten used to walking with a slightly shorter stride, adjusting to the ever-present chain. Now that the chain was gone, she realized just how much of an impediment it had been.

“No. I don’t think of myself as a slave,” she whispered. “But…”

“But they did their damnedest to sculpt you into one,” Russ said when she couldn’t continue. He came over to her, lifted the towel from her body, and ruffled her damp hair. “When was the last time anyone mentioned you have gorgeous hair?”

“My mom, probably.” Abby smiled ruefully. She reached up to tug at it and winced. She had her mother’s curls—with the faintest touch of auburn, courtesy of her redheaded father. Going more than a day without working out tangles meant sporting a bird’s nest, so she’d have to dig out her brush this evening.

Russ draped the towel over her shoulders, sinking down next to her on the mattress of the double bed. Although he made no move to touch her, nor to ogle her naked body, Abby got the sense that he would, in a heartbeat, if she invited him to. She swallowed.

“I’ll have to get used to living on the outside, I guess.” She reached for her bag, pulling out a set of spare clothes. There
had
been some perks at Headquarters, like access to washing machines. Still, one grew used to scrubbing clothes by hand even if homemade detergent wasn’t as nice-smelling as pre-Invasion stuff.

Abby sometimes wished she’d done something wild and crazy when she was younger, like skydiving or backpacking in Peru. Now she didn’t even know if Machu Picchu even existed anymore, or if the ancient ruins had been obliterated by a descending mothership. As for skydiving, that had lost its appeal. Hiding from aliens gave her all the adrenaline rush she needed for a lifetime.

Russ’s gaze lingered upon the manacles still around her ankles. She pulled on a pair of pants, self-consciously tugging the cuffs over the metal. Having no connecting chain was a blessed relief, at least, but she could hardly wait to get rid of the bands.

“Need to get those off you,” Russ said abruptly. “They’re sure to have tools here we can borrow.”

“I don’t know about that.” Abby kept her tone light. “The way Uther looked at us made me think he’d charge us for the air we breathe.”

“He can try.” There was a flash of hardness behind the Twin’s eyes, reminding her of the men’s formidable reputations. Despite that, she hoped neither of them would be called upon to fight.

“Uther actively encourages infighting,” Russ said. “It takes the spotlight off his bad leadership if everyone else is kept busy settling petty shit.”

Abby got to her feet, restless at the mention of Uther. She hated people who played games. “So suddenly the big bad Twins walk in, and he’s got a new distraction for all the unhappy people he’s mismanaging?”

“That’s about the size of it, yeah.”

Pausing by the door, Abby regarded him. She was torn between going back to sit next to him and taking a walk outside to explore her new surroundings. If Russ would let her go out, that was. His eyes had sharpened when she headed to the door, the mattress under his thighs creaking as he sat forward. She decided to test him by reaching out for the knob.

“Abby.”

“Russ.”

Would he forbid her to leave? Half of her wished he would. The other half was too raw from her experience at Headquarters. So she simply stood there, gaze fixed upon him, in an almost-challenge.

He met it by rising to his feet and stalking toward her, never breaking eye contact. His body slotted against hers, warm and powerful and way too sexy. His head tilted downward, and she could feel the slight gust of his warm breath against her ear.

“If you’re going out, I need to come with you to ensure your safety.”

“Okay.” Her agreement was breathy, instant. She cleared her throat, abashed at her immediate capitulation. “I’m sure I’d be fine, though.”

His fingers skimmed across her shoulders, settling at the small of her back. “Uther’s men have a reputation.”

“Only the men?”

“Whoever carries out his orders. Those soldiers outside don’t trust him. This City is a major crossroads—if the soldiers cede control to Uther, they might as well be handing over the reins to highway bandits.”

“So why does the government let him stay in power?” Abby asked.

“They have to pick their battles.” Russ’s lips twisted as if in disgust. “Up until a few weeks ago, those battles seemed to focus on controlling us.”

BOOK: Paired Objective: Matched Desire, Book 2
5.66Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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