Men Times Three (28 page)

Marnie and Holly looked stricken as they all ran up the drive toward the flickering light ahead. The first fire truck overtook them and roared past. A water tanker followed.

The veranda was already engulfed by the time they got to the clearing where they normally parked. Staying well out of the way of the working and focused fire crew, they stood in shocked silence as the red swing reduced to glowing cinders and collapsed under the chains they'd used for support.

Eli and Kylie joined them by the time the water hoses attacked the flame. “Think they'll save the building?” Eli asked.

“Maybe. But this doesn't seem big enough for five cans of gasoline.” TJ's comment fell into a moment of horror as they all saw flames lick along the veranda roof.

“We should check the cabin,” Deke said and started to run. The others followed immediately.

When a fifth man caught up to them as they edged the drive that led around to the back, Eli grinned. “Chuck! Glad you could make it.”

The officer tried to tell them to stand down, then gave up. “Never could tell you boys diddly squat. Smart asses, all of you!” His partner trailed behind.

TJ had never been so glad to see his old football buddy. “We think we've got an arsonist.”

Flames leaped inside the unfinished cabin and Chuck pulled out his radio. He called the fire department dispatch to send men with hoses behind the building. “Faster than running back to get the truck through here,” he explained to his young and dazzled-looking partner.

“Think the hoses will run this far?” TJ asked as they crashed to a halt in the eerily beautiful light from the cabin fire.

Deke ran to the garden hose and unwound it while Holly turned on the water. “I'm so sorry,” she shouted to everyone. “This must be Jack but I can't see him, anywhere. Deke, what if he's inside the cabin or the inn?”

Chuck grabbed the hose from Deke and aimed it at the outside walls. “I'll soak these good and maybe it won't spread to the trees.”

At Holly's words, TJ took off at a dead run toward the cabin. Deke followed, which caught Eli's attention and all three O'Banions disappeared around the corner of the burning cabin.

Kylie screamed. “Eli!” She started to run, but Marnie caught her by the elbow.

“No, if they're after Jack, they don't need us in the way.”

“Marnie's right, Kylie. I'm so sorry I brought this on. I'm—” She broke off as the firefighters appeared, dragging a hose. “Thank God,” she said. The women backed away to give the fire crew room to work. They huddled together, comforting each other, focused completely on the smoky haze on the far side of the burning cabin.

“I can't see anything, can you?”

“I thought I heard TJ yell Jack's name, though, did you?”

“Yes! Then I heard Eli, too.”

“Should we go look?”

“There's nothing we can do about the cabin—”

“I vote we go.”

“Maybe they need us.”

“Maybe one of them's hurt—” Kylie broke off and tore away from her cousins. “I'll kill Eli if anything's happened to him!”

Marnie and Holly exchanged a look and followed.

 

TJ tackled the man first, the smell of gasoline overwhelming. With loud grunts the two men went down in a pile of cedar chips and pine needles.

The spout of the jerry can sprayed gasoline in an arc across the ground. “Gas!” TJ shouted as he grabbed a fistful of gas-soaked shirt. “Stay back!”

But Eli and Deke paid no attention to the warning. TJ wanted to retch from the gasoline smell as he rolled closer to the burning cabin with the arsonist in a strong grip. “You're not getting away!” He grunted in the guy's face, but the eyes looking back at him were wild and he knew he wouldn't get through to him.

“Get back!” he screamed at his brothers as the madman's overwhelming strength threatened him. Terror licked at his insides. If his brothers were burned, he'd never forgive himself.

He could feel the heat edging higher. How hot could it get before his gasoline-soaked shirt went up in flames?

“Holly's gonna pay! She's gonna fuckin' pay!” Jack screamed in TJ's face. But the last word ended in a howl of pain that rattled through TJ's head. Had he caught fire? TJ struggled to get clear of him and scramble backward.

Suddenly hands grabbed his shoulders while another pair had him by the ankles. Both pulled and twisted him away from Jack, but through the haze of rising smoke, he saw Jack being pulled back from the burning wall.

Chuck flipped Jack flat to the ground and snapped cuffs on him while Jack howled in frustration.

“Get your clothes off! Now!” Chuck ordered. “You, too, asshole!” He stripped Jack's pants down his legs.

Gasping for breath, nearly overcome by the stench, TJ unbuckled his belt and slid his jeans off as fast as he could. He did the same with his shirt, while his brothers undressed as well. Adrenaline pumped through him and he leaped into the air with a wild shout, fist raised.

His brothers joined him in a victory stomp as Marnie, Kylie and Holly ran over. Each woman grabbed a brother and dragged them out of the firelight.

“You're okay?” Marnie asked, checking TJ over for welts and burns. Her hands felt cool and sexy as they ran over his chest and arms, down his back to his ass.

“My knuckles are bleeding, but they're fine.” He'd landed a couple of good blows to Jack's face, but the guy had been so wild, he wasn't sure he'd even felt them.

As Chuck dragged Jack to his feet, TJ saw a split lip and cheek. But Jack just screamed his rage at Holly. Chuck shoved him toward his partner and they escorted him away.

Holly collapsed against Deke. “I brought this here. This was all my fault.”

“Your fault for refusing to see the worst in a guy? He never hurt you before, did he?”

She shook her head. “No, not once.”

“He snapped, Holly,” Deke comforted her. “He snapped and lost control.” The flames crackled behind them as firefighters worked to dampen the walls. The trees that surrounded the clearing were sprayed with water. The cabin was lost, but the surrounding woods were safe.

“Eli!” Kylie kissed him hard and clung to his neck, her soft breasts spots of warmth against his chilled chest. “I'd have died if you'd been hurt. I'd have killed you first, though!” She sniffled against his neck. “Don't leave me, Eli. Please. I love you.”

He cupped her cheek and held her still for a kiss. “I've wandered the whole world looking for you, Kylie. If I'd found you anywhere else, I'd have brought you here to live with me. Believe that.”

“I do. Oh, God, I do.”

S
ix weeks later, Marnie, Holly and Kylie stood behind the registration desk of the Friendly Inn and Resort, balancing on the balls of their feet. Excitement and edgy anticipation filled the room. TJ, Deke and Eli feigned interest in the tourist brochures set out on Jon Dawson's hand-carved coffee table.

Each man took up a station when the first car rolled up the drive. TJ leaned nonchalantly on the log mantel set into the stone fireplace, while Deke and Eli positioned themselves on the recovered love seats. They'd completed the veranda only an hour before. New furniture was on the schedule for next week.

“Are we ready?” Marnie breathed, nervous and excited and completely committed to the partnership.

“Ready as we'll ever be,” Holly said, happy with her future with Deke.

“I'm breathless,” Kylie said with a glance at Eli. “Thank you all for this.”

This
was her dream. The Friendly Inn
and Resort
, staffed by her own family, her partners, the people who loved her. The people she loved in the place she belonged.

The front door opened and a couple strolled in. Their faces lit when they looked around the inviting space the women had created. “Welcome to the Friendly Inn and Resort,” the women said in unison. “We're your hosts…”

“Slow Hand” (from
Pure Sex
)

Is that a furious runaway bride marching down the beach? Caribbean charter captain Jared McKay to the rescue. She's ready to pitch her wedding shoes overboard and sail away. Aye, aye. Whatever the lady wants. Hey, was that a garter flying by? And wait a minute—a white lace thong just hit the deck. His wildest dreams are about to come true…

“Bodywork” (from
The Hard Stuff
)

Lisa Delaney's classic Cadillac coupe needs work and she knows exactly who to call: Tyce Branton. The man has a reputation for making temperamental engines purr like kittens. And when it comes to women, he has some
very
satisfied customers…

“Rock Solid” (from
Built
)

Florida carpenter Jake McKay can't resist the honey voice insisting he travel cross-country to renovate a historic Seattle estate. When he meets Lexa Creighton, it's lust at first touch and skin-scorching pleasure all the way. But it's going to take a little help from some amorous ghosts to keep this rock-solid man where he belongs—in Lexa's bed.

JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT

Faye Grantham doesn't quite know what came over her except that her body was on fire. She knew what she wanted, craved, needed—hot sex. Right now. Tonight. But nice girls don't get to do whatever they want, with whomever they want…

 

Faye feels like someone's trying to tell her,
Go for it!
The long-gone ladies of the old bordello she inherited are with her in spirit—sexual spirit, that is. If the walls of Perdition House could only talk…oh my. But in fact, they do, and their ghostly tales of amorous encounters are awakening Faye's desire for flesh-and-blood men. Who is she gonna call? Mouth-wateringly sexy Mark or hard and handsome Liam? Her wildest fantasies are about to get very, very real…

ONCE IS NEVER ENOUGH

Living in a former bordello definitely has it pluses—especially when the house comes with the bawdy, opinionated ghosts of the women who once worked there. Faye Grantham's sex life has never been hotter, even if her
love
life is twice as complicated.

 

Because Faye has two in-the-flesh men to choose from. There's smolderingly sexy Liam, the lawyer who wants to help her get to the bottom of Perdition House's mysterious past. And there's Mark, the businessman with the gorgeously sculpted body, who's decided to settle in town for good. Two irresistible men, two times as many wildly delicious fantasies to play out…

TRIPLE YOUR PLEASURE…

An enticing collection of irresistibly erotic stories by Bonnie Edwards that reveals its delicious secret inch by inch—and goes deep into the very heart of desire…

“Parlor Games”

Total strangers Matt Crewe and Carrie MacLean have one thing in common, and it's brought them both to the mysterious Perdition House. When Carrie wins Matt's services as a sex slave, the amorous adventures that follow will lay bare the secrets of the house—and the exquisite ecstasy of all who pass through its gates…

“Thigh High”

Kat has been harboring a crush on her hot-but-shy neighbor, Taye, for ages, so when a pal dares her to seduce him, Kat can't say no. It's the perfect chance for Kat to try out the sex toys she sells—and, as luck would have it, Taye's a man who
loves
to play…

“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Thong”

Late-night DJ Daniel Martin knows he has some eager female fans, but it isn't every day one of them shows up on the gangplank of his boat, looking for a diamond-encrusted thong. Yet Frankie Volpe is here, breathless, and, yes, missing her very valuable underwear. The search begins…and they're both getting hotter…

“Let go. Let go for me…” It was a house of sizzling seduction with satisfaction guaranteed. Now the notorious bordello Perdition House bares all its secrets—and ignites your wildest fantasies…

 

Blue McCann longs to feel desired…needed…wanted. Now, thanks to a mysterious corset, she's a lush-bodied beauty back in 1913. And she's going to reward the caring, oh-so-capable hands of Dr. Colt Stephens with all the pleasure he can take…Tawny James has legs—and secrets—that won't quit. And since she likes her men big and bad, private investigator Stack Hamilton is uncovering
all
her luscious desires…And when Mariel Gibson needs artistic inspiration, she calls hard-bodied carpenter Danny Glenn to work his masterpiece—over and over again. Because you can never, ever reveal too much…