How to Love (38 page)

“Whatever,” he said. “You know I’m not into dating.”

“Yeah. I know. Me either.” She stroked his hair, the strands silky against her fingers, then dragged her index finger down the slope of his nose. “You have such a nice nose. It’s perfect.”

He grinned, grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. “Thank you. I’m very proud of my nose. I work hard to keep it in such fine shape.”

She giggled.

Matt’s phone beeped from the table beside the bed. He reached for it and read the screen. “Dylan,” he reported. “He’s in San Diego. He’s got his baggage and his rental car, and he’s just leaving the airport. Says he’ll be here in an hour.”

“I guess I should go.”

“No. Stay. I want you to meet him.”

She smiled at him. He was all excited about seeing his best friend—his other best friend, besides her. Though it was too bad Dylan was coming to visit because he’d been injured. She’d never met Matt’s old high school buddy because Dylan Schell was too busy traveling around the world surfing. Dylan had been on his way to winning the Billabong Pro competition in Australia until he’d taken a bad fall and smashed his foot up. Corey’s insides did a little roll thinking about someone in pain. The accident had ended that competition and now he was on his way home to San Amaro to visit his old friend while he recuperated.

“Okay,” she agreed. She lifted her arms above her head and did a whole-body stretch, feeling so relaxed and mellow after great sex. Mmmm. She could use a tiny little nap. She pulled the soft covers around her naked body, snuggled into Matt’s pillow, breathed in the so-familiar scent of him, his clean, spicy-herbal scent mingled with the laundry detergent he used.

“Hey, you going to sleep?” He nudged her with his bare knee.

She opened one eye and peered at him. “Maybe.”

“But I’m hungry.”

“So go eat something.”

He groaned. “I guess that means you’re not going to make me something.”

She closed her eyes and snuggled back into the bed without remorse. “Nope.”

He laughed softly, and she felt the quick brush of his lips over her cheek before he climbed out the other side of his bed.

She awoke to the sounds of deep male laughter coming from down the hall of Matt’s house. She blinked into the darkness and her stomach gave a growl of hunger. How long had she slept?

Gah! Three hours! What the…? She threw back the covers and sat on the side of the bed, pressing her hands to her cheeks. Yeah, she’d been exhausted. She’d been working like crazy lately so it was no wonder she’d crashed like that. But geez, she was at Matt’s place and holy crap, his friend Dylan was coming…no, she’d slept so long he was already there, and he and Matt were having a great time, from the sounds of their talking and laughing.

Clothes. She needed her clothes. She flicked on the lamp beside the bed, stood and stretched again, torn between wanting to climb back into bed and sleep for a week, and meeting Matt’s friend. She sighed. No choice, really. She had to get up early in the morning to make chocolate, which meant she had to sleep at her place, and besides, it would be kind of rude to ignore the guys.

She found her clothes on the chair, pulled on her panties and jeans, slipped on her bra and T-shirt. Still a little dozy, she ran her hands through her hair and shook it down her back, then wandered down the hall toward the voices she heard. She stepped into the living room, blinking a little at the bright light.

The two men sat on Matt’s couch, one at either end, each with a beer in hand, laughing again. Matt had Coldplay playing from his iPod, now docked into the speakers he’d paid a fortune for, and he looked up at her and smiled. “Hey there, sleepyhead.”

“Sorry I crashed so long,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “I guess I was tired.”

The two guys stood, which was so polite it made her smile. She looked at Matt’s friend. “Hi,” she said, moving toward him with her hand extended. “You must be Dylan. I’m Corey.”

Dylan took her hand in his, a big, strong hand with a firm grip. “Yup, I’m Dylan.”

Dylan Schell was tall, about the same height as Matt, and very muscular. Not that Matt wasn’t, he definitely had muscles, but Dylan was really muscular. He smiled, a broad charming smile that revealed white teeth, a contrast to his tanned face. His straight dark hair hung around his face and over his forehead. Although he stood, he hadn’t put weight on one leg, and her gaze dropped briefly to the plastic boot on his left foot.

“Nice to meet you, Corey,” he said. His light gray eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. He shot a glance at Matt as if he’d been unaware she was there, down the hall, in Matt’s bed.

She knew what he was thinking but as usual, wasn’t sure what to say to tell him it wasn’t what he thought. Her relationship with Matt was a little unusual, maybe, or maybe not so much, but it worked for them. People called it “friends with benefits”, which is what they’d both agreed it would be after that night they’d ended up in bed together a couple of months ago.

“Matt mentioned you, but he didn’t tell me you were gorgeous,” Dylan said.

“He didn’t?” She expressed mock outrage and sent a glare at Matt. “I can’t believe that. He’s always going on about how gorgeous I am, sometimes I can’t shut him up.”

Both guys laughed and Matt rolled his eyes.

Dylan still held her hand in his and still smiled down at her, and the admiring way he looked her over made her tingle inside. She couldn’t help but smile back at him. Holy hotness, this was one sexy hunk of man.

Their true colors are hidden…until one woman turns everything upside down.

Colors of Love

© 2012 Jess Dee

Speed, Book 2

Seth Pace, guitarist of the rock band
Speed
, is a born dreamer, and nothing stands in his way of making those dreams a reality. Except when it comes to band manager Luke Struthers. He’s everything Seth wants in a partner, but even after five years of perfectly explosive sex, Luke refuses to commit.

After a childhood ravaged by abuse, Luke knows he’s a potential danger to anyone foolish enough to love him. Seth is safer without him, but Luke has no idea how to cut him loose painlessly. Until he spots Seth’s kind of woman—pretty, smart, friendly. The plan: seduce her into a sexy threesome, then leave the two alone to fall in love. Problem solved.

A night of excitement with the two hottest men on the planet? Yeah, baby! Yet Kaz’s inborn ability to read auras tells her something isn’t right. It’s obvious Seth and Luke are madly in love, but subtle clues in Luke’s aura signal he’s up to something. She’s not sure what, but if she doesn’t do something quick, the two men she’s quickly come to adore will wind up without the happily ever after they both deserve.

Warning: One man + one man + one woman = a whole lot of steamy two-way and three-way M/M & M/M/F sex, a hero or two to drool over, and a heroine who recognizes true love when she sees it.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Colors of Love:

“When I look in your eyes, I see the sun rising.

“A new day on the horizon.

“You’re the one I always dreamed of,

“So paint my heart with colors of love.”

Kaz’s eyes shone. “Perfect.”

“Perfect, indeed.” Impulsively, Seth leaned forward, placed his hands on her cheeks, and planted a huge kiss smack bang on her lips.

She laughed in delight. “What are you kissing me for, you idiot? It’s Luke you should be kissing.”

“Luke didn’t help with these lines, you did.”

“He gave you the pen,” Kaz pointed out.

“You gave me the verse,” he pointed out right back.

“Yeah, but he’s your inspiration.”

Seth didn’t stop to wonder how Kaz knew that, he just went with the flow, thoroughly enjoying himself. “He is, but Luke doesn’t want my kisses, and I need to kiss someone in celebration, so you’ll have to do.”

He placed another huge kiss on her lips.

“Rubbish,” Kaz insisted—a little breathless. “Of course he wants your kisses. Just look at his face.”

Seth looked. And there stood Luke, wearing a smug, satisfied expression.

Smug?

His eyes didn’t seem smug. They were dark, molten hot, filled with desire, passion and…pain?

Seth blinked, taken aback, but when he looked again he saw only desire in Luke’s expression.

He turned back to Kaz. “His face is telling me he wants me to kiss you. I want to kiss you too. So that’s just exactly what I’m gonna do.” This time when he held her cheeks between his palms, he didn’t smack a huge one on her mouth. Instead he slowly lowered his lips to hers and pressed them gently together.

Her lips softened instantly beneath his, molding to their shape. She gave a soft sigh of surprise, and Seth took full advantage, dipping his tongue into her mouth for a taste. He gave himself a long, lazy minute to sample the subtle taste of champagne on her breath before he pulled away.

“Mmm. Nice.” His body hardened, his cock stirring to life.

Kaz blinked rapidly, and once again her cheeks blushed a becoming pink. “T-tell you what,” she stuttered. “You can give me as many…c-celebratory kisses as you like, if—”

“If?”

Her gaze moved to Luke. “If you kiss Luke now.”

Seth’s mouth twitched. This was a first. He’d never shared a woman with Luke who’d insisted the two men pay each other attention. In fact, he didn’t think any other woman had noticed what Kaz seemed to see so obviously.

He grinned at her. “Okay, then. You stay right where you are. When I’m done with Luke I’m coming to claim what you promised. And when I’m done kissing you, it’s Luke’s turn to sample your sweet lips.” Seth stood, and being so close to Kaz, at this angle he knew she’d see exactly what the taste of her had done to him.

Her sharp inhalation proved him correct.

“I’ll be back,” he promised and turned his attention to Luke.

Luke frowned at him. “Not a good idea, kid.”

He crossed the room, stopping an inch away from the man he loved. “I think it’s a great idea. So does Ms. Flaherty.”

“I do,” Kaz breathed, her gaze pinned on them.

“I didn’t bring her here to watch us, Seth,” Luke said very softly.

“I know exactly why you brought her here,” Seth responded just as softly. “And when have we ever denied a woman what she wants when she’s with us?”

He inhaled deeply, pulling Luke’s scent inside, relishing it. Kaz’s kiss may have woken his desire, but Luke’s proximity tore him apart. Lust washed over him, hot and hard. He stepped in and pressed his mouth to Luke’s, caressing the man’s lips with his own.

Lust turned to yearning. And love. And passion. Christ, he couldn’t get enough. He kissed him more firmly, hating how Luke gave just enough to satisfy Kaz’s need to see the two of them together and no more.

Fuck that. Seth was having none of it.

He groaned against Luke’s lips, hooked an arm around his neck, pushed his hips close and dipped his tongue in the other man’s mouth.

Luke’s body was a study in rigidity. His shoulders were inflexible, his body unforgiving and his cock rock solid against Seth’s.

Oh yeah, Luke may not want to give an inch, but he didn’t have a choice. He reacted as instinctively as Seth did, rising to the call of their mutual attraction.

Or maybe Luke had risen to Seth’s attraction to Kaz. Didn’t matter. He was aroused, he was hard, and he was in Seth’s arms.

Seth deepened the kiss, running his tongue over Luke’s, caressing it with sensual strokes.

Luke growled, the sound emanating from his throat. His hand landed on Seth’s back, slamming him against his body. Luke’s other hand tangled in his hair, holding him captive, keeping his face right where Luke wanted it.

Seth was trapped, caught in Luke’s embrace, and Luke wasn’t letting go anytime soon.

Suddenly it was Luke kissing Seth, Luke in control. Luke’s tongue was tracing devastating circles over his, his lips searing Seth’s. The tension eased from Luke’s muscles, and he molded himself against Seth, grinding their cocks together.

Fuck, when Luke took control it did Seth’s head in. Made him crazy. Made him want to rip off his clothes and sacrifice himself to Luke. He’d gladly give up his body for the other man’s gratification, because as much pleasure as Luke took, he gave back a hundredfold.

Seth would have kissed Luke forever had a strangled moan not echoed through the air. He pulled away reluctantly, hating the instant coolness of the air that wafted over his swollen lips.

Luke’s breathing was unsteady, irregular. But at least he had the presence of mind to make sense of the sound and respond to it.

“Kaz,” he rasped.

Seth twisted around.

Her face was flushed, her mouth rounded into an O. Those brown eyes were enormous, feverish even, staring at him and Luke with unsuppressed passion.

“Oh, God,” she murmured. “That’s sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”