“Well, maybe not. They needed dinner options and asked where the locals go. I suggested Dave’s,” Langston said. “We go tonight, stage the meeting so you know it’s happening—no being blindsided—and you can find out what they want. We get the information and then bounce. I tell them to leave Anchor Bay first thing in the morning or I’ll do it for them, with them in body bags.”
I blinked at him, trying to figure out if he was kidding.
And if I was good if he wasn’t.
West sat up straight, excitement practically vibrating off him. “It could be a date. The three of us. Kind of like a dinner theater type of thing, but real life.”
I shook my head, biting back a smile, but it slipped into a flat line when the worddateregistered. “West, did you not hear everything I explained about myself? Broken, not exciting, hates sex, trusting no one ever, ever again?”
West shrugged like my words went in one ear and out the other. “I heard you, but I like a challenge. I’ll make you see that bullshit for what it is, sweet cheeks.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” I murmured under my breath.
“Nope. That’s it.” With a gentle grasp around my shoulders, Langston hauled me out of the chair, spun me around to face it, and pressed between my shoulder blades, bending me over. My slick palms slapped the armrests, fingers digging into the soft leather to keep me from face-planting into the seat he’d just stolen from me.
Before I could get a word out about his manhandling, a fiery sting bloomed from my right ass cheek as the spanking sound filled the room. “We will not allow that horseshit here. What you say about yourself is what you believe, and we’re correcting that right the fuck now. Do you understand?”
Jaw slack, maybe a little drool sliding out of the corner of my mouth, I gaped over my shoulder at Langston. “You spanked me,” I accused.
He offered a clipped nod in response. “That’s what happens when you talk badly about yourself.”
“You spanked me,” I repeated like an idiot, because apparently, spanking not only turned me on in ways I didn’t want to examine at the moment but knocked my thoughts loose too. “You really did it.”
“I always follow through, Juno. Remember that. Especially when it’s mutually beneficial.” Face pinched in discomfort, he reached down and adjusted the very large bulge behind his jeans. “Fuck, I can’t wait to do that to your bare skin, see how pink I can make it.”
“Fuck,” West and I rasped at the same time. We exchanged heated looks that turned into wide smiles.
“So, what will it be, Juno? Dinner at Dave’s tonight, hoping those two fuckers show up, or avoid them until they come to find you?”
I blew out a controlled breath, debating West’s question.
The last thing I wanted to do, ever, was see either of them, much less together. My stomach knotted just thinking abouthaving to confront them, but it would be better to get it over with on my terms instead of giving my anxiety time to create horrible, embarrassing scenarios while waiting for them to find me.
“We can go tonight, but I have one rule.” I stood and turned, crossing my arms and flicking a no-nonsense stare between them. “We go as friends, not a date. I don’t want the pressure, and I really don’t think you two are grasping what I’m saying. I’m not who you think I am, and I honestly don’t want to end up even more damaged when you do.”
“That’s borderline talking badly about yourself,” Langston said with a single dark brow raised.
Rolling my eyes, I stuck out my tongue.
“Careful, shortcake. My restraint only goes so far before I snap and show you exactly where I want that tongue on me.” His gaze flicked to West. “Or him while mine is inside your drenched cunt.”
“Um, friends don’t say that to friends,” I whispered, not sure what else to say.
“No, they say it to their girl.”
Before I could correct him, Langston turned, stomping to his bedroom and closing the door behind him.
Arms slack at my sides, lips parted, I stared at the closed door, wondering why I felt the need to correct him for labeling me as “their girl” at all. Despite my best efforts at warning them away, they were persistent and, from what I could tell, genuine in their interest of me—and not just for sex. Each heated glance, every smile and laugh they pulled from me was like stripping away layers of protective film I’d carefully placed over my heart.
“We’ll win you over, Juno.” West stepped close, his hands gently gripping my waist in a way that was hot and protective at the same time. “Now, if we’re doing the staged encounter bit, you might want to go shower.”
My lips pulled down in a frown. “But you said I looked fine earlier.”
A shy smile grew, making only one of his dimples pop. “You look beautiful as always, but remember the smell you mentioned? It’s less about appearance and more about the unique aroma wafting off you that needs to be addressed.”
Oh, right. I’d forgotten about that with the whole Langston and West sandwich. But even as my cheeks heated, the normal embarrassment felt different somehow, not as gut-wrenching. It was West’s tone, more joking than accusing or disgusted, not making me feel like I didn’t live up to some high standard like Eric would.
It hit me what I didn’t feel.
