Be With Me(68)

The similarity between that night a year ago and tonight wasn’t lost on her. Much had been the same.

She’d driven over. They’d gril ed out then sat around joking and laughing. And somewhere in the middle of al of it, one of them had kissed her. She couldn’t remember who had instigated it. At the time she hadn’t questioned something she’d wanted for so long.

Tonight there was subtle tension. They were all thinking about that night, but they were probably also thinking about the fact she’d hightailed it the next morning.

It would be up to her to make any move. They wouldn’t push her. They didn’t want her to run again.

Her heart pounded as she gathered the nerve to do what she most wanted. They’d done the seducing the first time around, but tonight she would do it.

She pushed herself off the couch and walked slowly to the center of the room. She turned to see Sawyer and Cam staring curiously at her. Hutch returned from the kitchen and stopped behind the couch, his gaze on her.

She started to raise her hands to her shirt, but they shook too badly. She curled her fingers into tight fists and drew in breaths to regroup.

Nervous? Yes. But she wasn’t afraid. Not this time.

Slowly she uncurled her fist and began unbuttoning her shirt. She raised her stare to the three men in front of her as she shrugged out of the shirt and let it fal to the floor.

Hutch stood, hands shoved in his jeans pocket, his gaze riveted to her. Cam sat at the end of the couch, watching her every movement. Sawyer . . . he stared at her, peeling back her skin, digging deep. He simmered. She could feel the tension rol ing off his shoulders. Big, powerful . . . hungry.

“Reggie, what the hel are you doing?” Sawyer growled.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” she asked softly.

Cam scooted forward, perching on the edge of the couch, obviously torn between the need to go to her and the need to gauge the reactions of Sawyer and Hutch.

“But why are you doing it?” Cam asked in a steady voice. “We don’t want this if you don’t.”

“But I do.”

She reached to undo her jeans and shimmied out of the confining denim. She kicked off the flip-flops and stood before them in just her panties and bra.

Honestly, she’d prefer they do the rest. She hadn’t ever performed a striptease, especial y not in front of an audience, but she wasn’t a coward either. Not anymore.

Her fingertips glanced over her rib cage as she ran them underneath her bra, around the back to the clasp. One hook, then two, and the bra fel loose around her. She straightened her arms, letting it glide to the floor with her other clothing.

Their gazes burned over her skin, leaving prickly awareness in their wake. Her ni**les hardened painful y. When they stil didn’t move, a twinge of insecurity took hold, and she folded her arms over her chest protectively.

She scraped her teeth over her bottom lip and eyed them with growing nervousness.

Sawyer swore softly then shot to his feet. He closed the distance between them with two strides.

His hands closed around her shoulders, and he pulled her against his chest.

His strength, the power resonating from within him enfolded her, surrounded her, captured her in its strong current. She wanted so much to be in his arms, for him to touch her, to unleash that careful y hidden power she felt surging just underneath the surface.

His mouth closed over hers, demanding and lush.

The short hairs of his goatee scraped across her chin and at the corners of her lips, and she imagined what it would feel like on the rest of her body as he kissed and nibbled.

A long sigh escaped her as she met his tongue with hers. So much time wasted. But final y she was where she belonged.

Another warm body moved in behind her, and she found herself trapped between two hard chests.

Cam. His hands glided down her sides, pausing at her hips then pul ing her back until her ass nestled into his groin.

“Are you sure you want this, Reggie?” Cam whispered in her ear. He moved his hands back up, catching her hair and lifting it away from her neck so he could kiss her.

Shivers racked her spine when his teeth grazed the spot where her pulse hammered below her ear.

“I do,” she whispered. “So much. Love me. Please.”

Sawyer swung her into his arms and headed for the stairs. She looked behind him to see Cam and Hutch

fol owing

close

behind.

Their

gazes

connected, locked together in a bond she hoped tonight strengthened.

Then she looked up at Sawyer, at the determination in his face. Her heart fluttered and did a quiet flip. Would she break down his barriers tonight? Or would he hold himself away from her as he’d done the last time?

He walked into the bedroom. The one at the end that none of the guys used. Cam or Hutch flipped on the light as Sawyer gently deposited her on the huge bed in the center of the room.

“Tel me, Reggie,” Sawyer said quietly. “Tel me you want this. That you’re sure this is what you want.” Cam and Hutch stood at the end of the bed. They al looked at her, gauging her reaction.

Her mouth went dry. She swal owed and tried to get her tongue to cooperate.

“I want this. More than anything. Show me what to do. What you want me to do.”

“Just lay back and let us love you.”

Sawyer’s words sizzled over her skin, scorching her with a heat trail that felt as though the sun’s rays were beating down on her.