Lingering lust burns inside me and my power hums beneath my skin, poking, prodding, singeing me from the inside out as it looks for an outlet. I want to gag.
I can’t fuck her, can’t kiss her, can’t ruin this for Gideon. She’s off limits. Full stop. Past, present, or future—no matter how much we would both like it.
I close my eyes and picture all that long, dark hair wrapped around my fist as I pump into—no.
Stop it, Callum. We can’t have her.
I repeat it like a mantra. Shit, I’ll keep reminding myself and my demon as long as it takes to banish the dirty thoughts in my head.
I’m in control.I’m in control, dammit.
My body doesn’t get the message. Gods. It's been years since a daydream made me hard, but here I am about to hop on an ATV with a stiffy. I’m disgusted with myself.
Unable to meet Gideon’s eyes, I shuffle into the barn, giving both of them my back and urging my body to cool off. Grabbing the keys from the lockbox, I toss one set in Gideon’s direction and settle on top of my four-wheeler.
I can feel them both watching me. The vine of anxiety inside me sprouts thorns.
I’ve got to have space. Now.
Without a word, I crank up the ATV and back it out of the barn. I’m acting like an asshole, but I need a minute. It’s not like I can even explain what’s going on. That would be even worse.
Sheena’s suspicious expression brands the side of my face as I take off. She’s just waiting for us to give her a reason to leave. Now I’ve given her one. Gideon is going to kick my ass, and I deserve it.
The cool wind beats against my face, and the vine loosens its hold enough for me to suck in a thread of crisp, wispy oxygen. The air may be thinner up here, but the view is worth the extra effort from my lungs.
Maybe I can salvage this.
When the hum of their engine joins mine, I try to just enjoy the ride. Unable to resist, I glance over my shoulder. Sheena is riding in front, short enough that Gideon can see over the top of her head with no problem. But with the way her body is pressed against him, I can sense the effect it’s having on my friend.
A shiny blue helmet protects Sheena’s head, while Gideon’s massive arms rest securely on either side of her body—a barrieragainst the occasional overgrown branches crowding the trail. We’ve had that helmet forever but never touched it. I’m not surprised Gideon made her put it on, but I wish he hadn’t—I can't make out her expression behind the tinted visor.
They look so good together.
Seeing Gideon folded around her like that is enough to make me hot all over again. I’ve obviously gone too long without feeding. My demon sees the makings of a delicious meal. I see the beginning of my end.
We ride for about an hour,exploring the trails around our home. It’s relaxing, and some of my unhinged urges fade to the background by the time we reach our favorite spot in front of a small pond. Nestled along the side of the mountain, the water is cold enough to take your breath away year round. It’s mostly made up of the runoff of melting snow from the mountain peaks. Despite the temperature, it’s both gorgeous and peaceful.
After the way I saw Sheena staring at the mountains this morning, I hope she likes it.
Climbing off my ride, I give my hungry incubus one last lecture. I’ll be damned if I screw a friend over because of a lack of self-control. Plus, this woman seems like she’s been through enough already.
I pop open the storage compartment, pulling out the quilt we brought along and laying it on the ground. By focusing completely on the task, I avoid looking at either of them for a full minute. Too bad I can still feel the way she watches me.
She knows something is up.
While a heavy silence lingers between Sheena and I, Gideon makes up for it by talking a mile a minute. He points out themountain range, the pond, the melting snow, and some random shit about the fuel efficiency of the ATV that I didn’t even know. I’ve never seen him so nervous, chattering like a fourteen-year-old on his first date. Sheena takes pity on him and asks how we found this spot, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Meanwhile, I plop down on the blanket and stare at the horizon like it’s the only thing I’ve ever cared about in my life. I dread finding out what this woman thinks of me now.
When they come over and join me on the quilt, Sheena settles on the very edge. Gideon takes one look at her hovering by the damp ground and drags her into the center of the blanket, right between his legs.Oh, for fuck’s sake.
Since that was a weird ass thing to do, Sheena noticeably stiffens.
“I’m sorry. That was...” Gideon stammers, keeping his hands at his sides awkwardly. “I was just... there’s dirt on the ground.”
I burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.
Sheena jumps at the loud sound, then relaxes against him, smirking.
