Amber Eyes (Amber Eyes #1)(33)

She had learned much from these two men, but she also had good instincts for what pleased them. Yet, despite the fact that that they’d made love to her together the first time, neither had made an effort to make it happen again.

Why it was so important to her, she wasn’t sure, but even when each made such sweet love to her separately, she felt she was missing a vital part of herself. She wanted—needed—both of them to complete her.

Tonight, the two men sat in the living room with her as they watched the glow of the embers in the hearth. It was the perfect opportunity to appeal to them both.

She rested in the crook of Jericho’s arm, her head pillowed on his broad chest. “Jericho?”

His fingers trailed lazily down her arm. “Yes, honey?”

“Why haven’t you loved me together? Like the first time…”

Her gaze drifted to Hunter as she spoke, and he went still, his eyes burning into hers. Hungry. It was the only word she could come up with to describe the gleam.

Jericho’s hand stopped its casual trail over her arm.

“Do you not wish to do so?”she asked softly.

Hunter lifted his gaze to Jericho. She was aware of the silent communication between the two men, and she wondered at the sudden tension that filled the room.

“We want to very much,”Hunter finally said. “We just wanted to give you time. In so many ways you’re still such an innocent, Kaya. We’ve got a hell of a lot more experience than you.”

“Do we really?”Jericho asked softly. “Want to, that is?”

Kaya turned her head up to see Jericho staring intently across the distance at Hunter. She frowned, not understanding what was going on between the two men.

“Yeah,”Hunter said.

“Are you sure?”

Again, Hunter nodded.

“Jericho?”

Jericho looked down at her softly spoken entreaty and ran his fingers over her cheek. “What is it, honey?”

“What is going on?”

Jericho sighed then looked over at Hunter who slowly got up from his chair and walked over to the couch to sit on the other side of Kaya. Hunter took her hand and linked his fingers with hers.

“I’m not sure how much of human relationships you understand, but having two…mates…is not normal.”

“I know,”she said solemnly. “It’s why I feel so fortunate.”

“Before we knew you, there was a woman that Jericho and I both loved.”

“Rebeccah,”she said softly.

“Yes, Rebeccah,”Jericho said.

“You lost her.”

“Yes, we lost her.”

“How?”she asked.

“She was killed in a rebel uprising in Africa. She…her foundation…furnishes medical aid to villages caught in the crossfire, particularly the children. Jericho and I provided the muscle—the firepower, so to speak. We often led a team in front of hers to clear the way so she could get into the places no one else could—or would—go.”

“And this is where you went when you left the cabin each time?”

Jericho nodded. “At first, before Rebeccah died, we stayed with her. After she was killed, we came here. It seemed easier. We could face going back if we had the distance between assignments each time.”

“You do it to honor her memory,”Kaya said in understanding.

“We made a promise,”Hunter said grimly.

She smiled and touched his cheek then turned to offer the same affection to Jericho. “You are noble men.”

“At any rate, we both swore we’d never put another woman between us again,”Jericho said, ignoring her statement. “That’s why I was making sure that Hunter is okay with this.”

“But why?”

Hunter sighed. “It’s complicated. Rebeccah…she didn’t trust our relationship. She was in essence waiting for it to fall apart. To fail. She didn’t believe we could continue on, two men loving—sharing—the same woman.”

Kaya stared at him in dismay. “She didn’t trust you?”

“She didn’t trust the situation,”Jericho corrected.

“She didn’t trust us,”Hunter said in agreement with Kaya.

Jericho went silent, his face turned away from them both.

“I’m sorry,”Kaya said quietly. “No wonder you didn’t want to involve yourselves with me.”

Hunter ran his finger up the underside of her arm. “But we do, Kaya. Despite our vow never to become involved with the same woman. You came into our lives, and neither of us is willing to let you go now.”

“We didn’t plan it,”Jericho said. “But we aren’t going to fight it. We want you, Kaya. With us.”

She reached up to palm his cheek. “And I want to be with you. Both of you.”

Jericho captured her fingers and slid her hand over his mouth. He kissed the pad of her thumb and then each finger.

“Do you trust us, Kaya? Do you believe we won’t hurt you or do anything to frighten you?”

She smiled. “Just love me. I want you both.”

Hunter slid from the couch and reached to pick her up. He strode toward the bedroom, Jericho just behind him. He laid her on the bed and took a step back to stand beside Jericho.