Raines, Elizabeth - Sold [Wicked Missions 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (7 page)

Rubbing his fingertips against his temples, Brandon tried to stop the dull ache building in his head. He’d figured his cock would be balls deep in pussy by now. Instead, all he had was a new houseguest who would probably drive him stark raving mad since he couldn’t touch her.

His own fault, he supposed. Carter got to make the trip into the city and had already spent hours and hours with her. He obviously knew her better. He was, after all, the more sensitive of the two. Brandon was no-nonsense and blunt to a fault. He’d just laid eyes on Lyrianna, and her beauty in addition to the hours and hours of fantasies of what he’d do to a woman once he got her here made him too horny to even think straight.

With a heavy sigh, he finally got a tenuous grip on his libido and started using his brains. “Fine. But we’re finding some alone time tonight or I’ll lose my mind.” Another sigh. “What do you want me to do about her?”

“For now, follow my lead,” Carter replied as he started walking toward the beach.

* * * *

The water felt like heaven. At least it would have if Lyrianna had been brave enough to take off her tank top and leggings.

Standing waist-deep in the surf, she turned to look back at the house. The men were talking, judging from how closely they stood. Brandon was rubbing his head as if he’d developed a headache. Not surprising. Her sister had always told Lyrianna that she was capable of giving a screaming migraine to almost anyone.

Was he angry they’d bought her now?

She’d seemed to create an easy truce with Carter, but she wasn’t at all sure what to think of Brandon. The man certainly spoke his mind freely, and the big bed declared exactly what he expected of her. Sex was, after all, what she’d been purchased for, no matter how she tried to spin it. The men had put a good deal of money on the table to get laid. If they weren’t the kind men they seemed to be, she’d already be flat on her back—whether she wanted to be there or not.

Carter and Brandon were considering her feelings and not forcing her. She found that endearing and not at all what she’d expected. Having read far too many old Earth books, she’d immediately thought of tales of the Old West, a place where men outnumbered women the same way they did here on Pagonna. She’d feared the men who purchased her would be middle-aged gold miners with long, unkempt beards and ragged clothing who hadn’t seen a woman in decades. She’d imagined men with rotting teeth and absolutely no manners. She’d feared uneducated brutes.

Instead, she’d won the interstellar lottery when she got Carter Verdel and Brandon Hunt.

Now she needed to figure out what she was going to do with them.

Brandon wasn’t as refined as Carter. Perhaps that was a personality trait or a by-product of not being around other people often. He was every bit as handsome, though. The goatee that framed his full mouth tempted her to trace the lines with her finger. He had eyes that were as dark as the semi-sweet chocolate she always craved but seldom found anywhere except Earth or Belusia. His emotions were right there for her to read, and they didn’t come as a surprise. Lust. Passion. Longing. The loneliness he felt touched her heart.

The farm was wonderful. A paradise, as Carter had described it. Lush. Tropical. The house was much more than she’d expected, although she’d never even considered there might not be a real bathroom. Where did they relieve themselves? Her eyes wandered, settling on a small building just to the side of the house. Perhaps that held a toilet…

Absorbed in her surroundings, she hadn’t heard the men approach. Both were standing on the beach, letting the waves wash against their bare legs. Thank heavens, they were both wearing shorts, although Carter’s shirt had been abandoned.

She couldn’t help but stare. What woman wouldn’t? Everything about them was perfect. Their dark hair. One clean-shaven face, one with just the right amount of beard. Broad chests, both with small patches of dark hair that made her mouth go dry as she pictured her fingers touching them. Narrow waists and hips set on deeply muscular legs. And their cocks were hard and big enough that she could see the outline on the front of their shorts.

Perfect.

Brandon held the bottle of shampoo as Carter cradled the soap in his hand. “You forgot something,” Brandon called, his voice teasing.

“A couple of things,” Carter added with a wink as he raised his hand and wiggled the bar of soap.

Here was a chance to start over, just as Carter had said. They were keeping their distance, probably concerned about pushing her too much too quickly. Why not be more open to getting to know them? It was clear she was going to be with them for a good, long while. Lyrianna decided to make the best of it. “Why don’t you both bring them to me?”

They ran into the water, splashing and laughing. Her heart did a little cartwheel at the joy they clearly received from such a simple errand. She waded closer and held out her hands. “Thank you.”

Brandon’s eyes fixed on her soaked tank top. “How are you going to bathe in your clothes?”

All she did was shrug in response, afraid to tell them she was too shy to show her body in front of them in the clear light of day.

“Can I ask a favor?” He took another step closer until she had to tip her head back to look up into his eyes.

“You own me,” she replied, modeling his bluntness and hoping he’d appreciate that tack. “You can do whatever you want and I can’t stop you.”

Brandon closed his eyes and tilted his head back for a few moments as if gathering some patience. Then he settled those dark eyes on her again. “Lyrianna… We can’t change how you came to be here. We can’t erase the past. I’m sorry about that, but I’m not sorry you’re here.”

“What are you saying?” She hoped in her heart he was as willing as Carter for them to have a fresh start.

“I’m saying that we’re going to be together for a long time. Can’t we just take some time to get to know each other and stop worrying about the fucking auction? You’re here. We’re here. Let’s make this farm a success. Together. I won’t deny that I want you, more than you could possibly know.
But
…I’ll never force you. When I make love to you, it will be because you want me to.” His reached out to brush his knuckles across her cheek, his touch surprisingly gentle from such a strong man. “Let’s learn to get along. Deal?”

Her whole life, Lyrianna had been convinced that luck had never been on her side. The day she’d been sentenced to the penal colony on Delta, she’d been convinced it never would be. Today, she realized she’d been wrong. Because by ending up in the hands of these two wonderful men, she had a chance at a new life. She was attracted to them, to both of them, and suddenly felt no reason not to explore that attraction.

Luck had finally come to her.

“Deal,” she replied. “Now I need a bath.”

“Well, then,” Brandon said, “would you like some help with your hair?”

“My hair?”

He took her hand in his. “What I’m asking is if you’ll let me help wash your hair. It’s been ages since I spent any time with a woman. I just want to touch you, to run my fingers through your hair. It’s so beautiful.” His lips curved into a shy smile as he reached out to rub a tress between his fingers. “I promise I won’t attack you or anything.”

Lyrianna smiled back, empathically picking up on his sincerity. She also read the concern for her feelings and couldn’t help but be touched by it. With another smile, she sucked in a deep breath and turned to dive into the water. She swam beneath the surface a few yards away and then a few yards back before popping back up to her feet. Giving her head a shake that sent the wet tendrils flying, she grinned at Brandon. “Well, it’s good and wet. Think you can work some shampoo through it for me?”

His hands trembled as he tried to open the cap on the bottle. She finally took pity on him, flipped the cap open, turned her back to him, letting her head fall back so her wet hair hung away from her body, and closed her eyes.

Brandon was tender as he worked the shampoo through her hair, rubbing his fingers over every inch of her scalp and combing them through the strands. He acted as if he thought she was delicate and in need of gentle handling. Since her eyes were closed, she never knew where he’d touch next. Soon, she began to gasp each time his hand brushed her shoulder or her neck. She caught his hushed growls, and each one sent a wave of longing through her. Such a mundane task, she’d never once considered that the sharing of it could be so intimate, so exciting. Every touch of his hands on her scalp or his fingers threading through her hair sent a jolt to her pussy.

She let out a squeal and opened her eyes when he suddenly swept her into his arms.

“Close your eyes again,” Brandon said. “I’m just going to help get the soap out.”

Lyrianna obeyed, wrapping her arms around his neck as he tilted her down until she felt the water lapping against her scalp. A second set of hands worked through her hair. Carter had joined them.

A wet hand smoothed over her forehead. “Just wiping away the suds so you can open your eyes,” Carter said, his voice a bit hoarse. “Okay, Lyrianna. We’re done.”

Her eyes fluttered open as Brandon cradled her hard against his chest. Since her hair was done, she should probably tell him to set her back down. But she didn’t want him to. Being held in his strong arms felt so…right.

“Can I…can we…?” Carter seemed nervous. “Can we bathe you too, honey?”

Hearing the endearment this time didn’t raise her temper. It raised her libido as the nickname rolled off his tongue as if he really felt something for her. “Bathe me?”

Brandon pressed his lips to her ear, sending shivers over her skin despite the heat of the water. “We want to touch you, to put our hands on that gorgeous skin.”

“I thought you wouldn’t force me…”

“No force.” Carter gently stroked her arms. “Just touching. Just helping you wash. No sex.” An appealing smile made a dimple crease his right cheek. Shit, but this one was too charming to ignore. “Unless you want it.”

As if two horny men could run soap over her body and not want to have sex when they were done.

On the other hand, they could simply
take
what they wanted, and she would have no way to stop them. Instead, they were asking permission before they put a single finger on her, and that kindness reached something inside her. These were not ordinary men—at least not like the “ordinary” men she’d known back on Rozale. Her own fault for dealing with black marketers and smugglers. These were men of value, of character, and of honor. If bathing her would give them pleasure until she could find the courage to offer them more, it was the least she could do to thank them for the wonderful way they’d treated her.

Lyrianna looked up at Brandon. “Could you please put me down?”

The disappointment on his face made her bite her lip to keep from giggling. When she was back on her feet, she reached for the hem of her tank top and started peeling it up her body.

“Wh–what are you doing?” Brandon asked, his dark eyes growing wide.

“If you’re both going to bathe me, I should probably get rid of these awful clothes.”

Chapter 6

The groan that came from both men made her smile. As she tugged the shirt off, wadded it into a ball, and tossed it at the beach, their groans turned to deep growls. If they liked her tits, she wondered what they’d think of her cunt.

The leggings were next to impossible to remove, and right when she was getting frustrated, a strong arm snaked around her waist, lifting her hard against a broad chest. “Let us help,” Carter whispered in her ear. His breath brushing against her sent a flood of heat to her pussy that heightened as his tongue traced the ridges and then tickled the little ear canal. Her giggle made him do it all over again.

Brandon stepped forward, put an arm under her knees, and lifted her out of the water. With the other hand, he peeled the leggings down her body and pitched them at the beach. “Nice,” he said in a husky voice as he stared at her black panties. “Very nice.” His eyes caught hers, and she smiled at how much they’d glazed with desire. He wanted her, and not just because he owned her. He wanted
her
. Lyrianna. “May I take these off too? You’re so beautiful, I’d like to see
all
of that gorgeous body.”

Tugging her bottom lip between her teeth, she realized that last lacy barrier was the only thing keeping her entire body from them. It might only be a pathetic scrap of material, but it represented so much more. If she let Brandon remove them, she was crossing a bridge and burning it behind her. She’d be giving in to what they wanted, what they’d bought her for.

Lyrianna realized what a hypocrite she was being. Now that they were alone, now that the auction had been put aside and her anger and fear from it had faded, she finally admitted that she wanted these men, that under any other circumstances, she’d already be kissing them. The only thing keeping her from making love with Brandon and Carter now was her stubborn pride.