Belonging to Them - By Brynn Paulin Page 0,6

glass—mostly glass. It appeared that the men used the space for recreation. Three large couches were grouped in an arc to face a big-screen television and a bank of electronics that spoke of the bachelors’ disposable income. The setup of seating and entertainment center in no way dwarfed the room, leaving the area with room to spare.

Distractedly, picked up a few magazines and stacked them neatly on the coffee table centered in front of the couches.

“Excuse the mess,” a deep, Irish-tinged voice said from the shadows of the opposite room, startling her since she’d thought she was alone. She spun toward the speaker and saw him leaning against a doorway to one side of what appeared to be a dining room with an oval table large enough to seat at least ten. A faint light behind the man, revealed a kitchen that matched the front areas in size. A dream…

Unfortunately, being illuminated from behind, left the man’s face in even deeper shadows than it would have been without. He took a sip from a soft drink can as he regarded her from the darkness of his hoodie.

“You must be the fourth O’Keefe,” she said.

“Jamie O’Keefe at your service—except in bed. I won’t be joining the four of you.”

She almost blurted “why not” but stopped herself before she sounded more wanton than he probably already thought her. “Oh…o-okay.”

Brilliant, Rayna.

“I’ll try to stay out of your way,” she told him.

“Sweetness, you’re not in my way. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more beautiful woman than you. I don’t mind that you’re here. I’m just not sleeping with you.”

Disappointment kicked her hard. He was the one she wanted most. She’d felt it since she’d seen him walk down the street. Was it possible to feel such an urgent connection without speaking to a person, without seeing his face? Yet she had, and it was pulsing through her now, telling her she needed him badly.

Her tongue darted across her bottom lip as she tried to force back her desire. Jamie groaned. She looked at him curiously. But he didn’t want her, right?

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“Fine,” he replied, sounding a bit choked. He took a chug of his drink. Outside, lightning speared across the sky brightening the room, but not enough for her to see him clearly.

Silence fell between them as rain pummeled the ground outside and pinged against the panes of glass in the large, solarium-like windows of the east wall. “The ground’s so hard right now, this stuff’s gonna be slick as slime.”

Rayna nodded.

“I’m gonna go upstairs and make sure you’ve got clean linens on your bed.”

“Thank you.” She wanted to go to him, to push back the hoodie and see his face. Her hands fisted as he set his drink on the table and moved past her toward the stairs. When he was even with her, he paused. She heard a tortured sigh and watched his fingers flex.

“Close your eyes,” he murmured.

“What?”

“Close your eyes. I’d…I’d like to kiss you. Just once.”

She did as he asked, and he traced her bottom lip with his finger.

“Keep them closed,” he murmured. His hands splayed over her cheeks then into her hair. His breath feathered across her lips a moment before his mouth covered hers. Electricity zinged through her, and she moaned, pressing into him.

“Jamie,” she murmured. She reached for him, but he grabbed her wrists and held them clamped at the small of her back.

“Just let me kiss you,” he whispered. He nipped at her bottom lip, pulling it between his teeth then laving it. His mouth pressed over hers again, and his tongue thrust inside. Her entire body trembled for him, and she felt her cream flooding her folds. The other men aroused her, but Jamie enflamed her.

Crazy. Purely crazy. Surely, it was the mystery of him.

Her breathing grew choppy as he kissed her over and over, his mouth completely possessing hers, his hunger evident in the sweeps of his tongue. She groaned, pressing closer even if she couldn’t touch him. Her fingers flexed up into his hands where he held her, the excitement of being held captive making her pussy clench. Her breasts were tight and her bra chafed her nipples as she flattened against his chest.

Suddenly, he let go of her hands and she reached for him, but he was gone, already out of her reach.

“I’ll see to your bed,” he said roughly.

What the…

Confused by his abrupt behavior, she sank onto the couch. Her fingers traced her tingling