“I’m going to double them over, and insert them into your rectum. As Peter rouses you to even greater pleasure with his mouth and his gift , I’ll slowly draw them out. It’ll make you crazy.” Before she could think of a response to that, Peter was turning, taking a velvet box from Lucas. “We’ve all brought you gifts tonight.” Lucas leaned his hip against the table next to Peter. “Jon is giving you his device, the prototype, to keep for your private enjoyment. Ben has brought you the pearls. Peter and I picked these out together.” “One from each of us.” There was laughter in Peter’s voice. “I think you’ll like them.” He withdrew what looked to be a pair of genuine diamond chandelier earrings, and then she realized they were not earrings. He leaned forward, covered her with

completely vulnerable. Completely alive.   “Never.” His voice was rough with emotion, and he came close, held her face cradled in his hands as he pressed his forehead to hers, touched her lips with his mouth. She cupped her hands over his strong, warm ones. “I’ve wanted you to say that to me for so long,” he murmured against her mouth. “To hear that you trust me enough to ask it. Never, sweet Celeste. I’ll destroy anyone who causes you a moment of pain.” The totally male, totally unrealistic promise nevertheless squeezed her heart into her throat, stopping her breath as much as when he straightened and slid out of the shirt, his tanned skin a golden gleam beneath the room’s dim light. He had beautiful musculature under the fine layer of male fur, and she could not help following the sleek lines of him down to the waistband of his slacks. &ldq

Maybe Max was her midlife crisis. She could do far worse. Once back in the car, Celeste said little. She instructed Max to drive around the city, making loops through different districts until it was time to head for the doctor’s. Then she laid her head back on the seat as she studied the passing terrain. Glancing over at Max, Janet noticed him checking his rearview mirror. He’d been doing it even more frequently these past fifteen minutes, and now she realized he wasn’t watching traffic, but Celeste. Taking her legal pad, she scribbled the question, turned it in his direction. Problem? He shook his head, checked the mirrors once again. Janet followed his gaze. Celeste’s thick-lashed eyes were half closed. Her long blonde tail of hair fanned out over her shoulder. The woman was stunningly beautiful on a normal day. Despite the changes to her body, pregnancy had enhanced her attraction, making her blue eyes more vivid,

 The physical features of the two men were remarkably similar, dark-blond hair and gray eyes, both over six feet and possessing a large-boned build wrapped in a lot of military-trained muscle. However, to Janet’s way of thinking, their respective personalities gave each man a unique stamp. They both had the discipline and strong moral code of many servicemen, but there was a silent core to Max, seemingly impenetrable. When he met her gaze, she felt pulled into that silence, and it wasn’t a bad place to be. A gray, overcast day, no break in the cloud cover, somber but comforting, like a blanket being wrapped around the earth. She’d dreamed a lot about those eyes in the past six months. They’d gotten in the pleasant habit of interrupting her occasional nightmares, driving them away with their tails tucked between their legs. The limo he usually drove was parked in its spot along the back wall, pristine and

He was being just as cautious as she was, which meant they both understood the consequences of taking it into uncharted territory. She hadn’t realized a man who evaluated things so thoroughly beforehand could be so damn sexy. She guessed it was because of the barely restrained passion behind it. A powerful warrior more than ready for the heat and passion of the battle, but he was going to make damn sure he had it won before he even stepped on to that ground. Brawn and intelligence—how could a woman resist? Tonight would be helpful to clear her mind, figure out a counter strategy that would be an adventure for both of them. She had no doubt the ballet class would provide an intriguing neutral ground for them, full of more pleasurable innuendo. So far her interactions with him had been like the slow consumption of a flawless chocolate mousse, made perfect by the defined, precisely spaced experience of its taste and texture. Pulling