“It looks like you took a shower with Dash.” Dane tossed the sweater onto the bed and put his hands on his hips, drawing all my attention to the V-shaped muscles leading rightinto his pants. “Were you planning on inviting me to your little party?”
“I was planning to spontaneously combust from embarrassment, actually.” I tried to step away from Dash, but my feet refused to cooperate. “Which is going spectacularly well so far.”
“You don’t need to be embarrassed.” Dash’s voice was a low rumble against my back. “We’ve seen women in towels before.”
“Glad to know I’m not breaking new ground in the towel-wearing department.” Irrational jealousy wormed its way into my brain, and my fingers tingled. How often did these men see women in towels?
Dane took a step closer. “You aren’t just any woman in a towel, though. You’re ours.”
I glanced between them, trapped in the most awkward and somehow thrilling moment of my adult life. Two gorgeous, shirtless men, one keeping my back warm, the other advancing with eyes that sparked with something dangerous.
“I should go find...” My voice trailed off. Find what? Dignity? Clothing? A fire extinguisher for the heat under my skin? “Why can’t I think straight when you all are near me?”
“That might be a side effect.” Dash’s fingers traced lightly up my arm.
I raised an eyebrow. “Of what? Magical reindeer pheromones?”
Dane’s laugh rumbled through the room as he took another step closer. “Something like that. We’re connected to you, Neve. You’re feeling it now because you’re allowing yourself to.”
The space between us shrank to nothing as Dane stood directly in front of me. I was officially sandwiched between them, my skin prickling with awareness.
“I’m not sure this was covered in the welcome packet.” I swallowed hard, looking up at Dane.
His fingertips brushed my cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Some things can’t be explained on paper.”
Dash’s hand slid around my waist. “We should give her space.”
I turned in Dash’s arms to face him, my back now to Dane. “I don’t want space.”
Dash’s expression darkened, desire replacing the restraint he’d been showing so far. “The nine of us can be a lot, and we don’t want to overwhelm you. It’s okay if you need to take things slow.”
My heart was beating so hard I could hear it in my ears. Taking on nine men was absurd. Well, eight since Rudy seemed to be the odd man out and not at all interested in me.
Dane’s hands settled on my hips from behind. “What do you want?”
The heat of their bodies enveloped me, making my head swim. I’d never wanted anything more in my life. “I haven’t kissed either of you yet.” I didn’t realize just how much it had been bothering me until the words left my lips.
Dash’s gaze dropped to my mouth, and his hand came up to cradle my jaw, thumb brushing my lower lip with excruciating gentleness. “We can fix that.”
When his lips finally met mine, the restraint in his kiss felt as if he was holding back an ocean. I pressed closer, silently asking for more. His control fractured, and he deepened the kiss with a groan.
Dane’s lips found the sensitive spot where my neck met my shoulder, sending electricity down my spine, and my knees nearly buckled. Every time I kissed one of these men, it was like discovering a new level of desire. I reached back blindly, my fingers threading through Dane’s hair, needing something to anchor me as pleasure rippled through my body.
I broke away from Dash and turned to face Dane. His playful smirk was gone, replaced by something far more intense. “Is this what you want?”
I nodded, unable to form words as Dash’s hands splayed across my stomach, holding me steady.
Dane’s kiss was hungry, and his tongue slipped past my lips as his hands threaded through my hair. I made an embarrassing sound as his teeth grazed my lower lip. They seemed determined to make me forget my name.
This felt like the most natural progression imaginable. It was as if my body recognized theirs before my mind could catch up.
Dash turned me back toward him, taking my lips again before he lifted me off my feet. I squeaked in surprise, my legs automatically wrapping around his waist as he carried me toward the massive bed. The towel gave up its valiant fight and slipped away, leaving me completely bare against him.
“You’re beautiful.” Dash’s eyes trailed down my body as he laid me on the bed.
Even naked, I felt powerful with how they looked at me like I was something precious and rare.
I propped myself up on my elbows, drinking in the sight of them both. “Seems unfair I’m the only one naked.”
