Double Dare: April Fools' For Love (3 page)

“That’s my bedroom. I have some of the more
interesting
views in the house,” she supplied dryly.

It took several beats for him to catch her meaning. Blinking, he swung his focus back to her. “It looks right into our living room.”

“Yep.” Her pointed stare filled in the remaining blanks.

Ah hell. He scrubbed his hand across his jaw, uncertain how to broach this. Might as well figure out precisely how much damage control he and Matt faced. “What exactly have you seen?”

“Let’s just say Tumblr has nothing on you two.”

Shit.
He rubbed his brow, desperately scrambling for an answer that’d hopefully ease her reservations. No wonder she acted like a nervous mouse around them. She probably assumed they’d go sex freak on her and try something funny. The thought didn’t set well on him. The makings of an apology forming, he opened his mouth. Before he could push the words past his tongue, the hypocrisy of the situation clubbed him upside the head.

Wait a sec, what did they have to be sorry for? He squinted at Dani. “Ya know, the blinds might have been open, but no one forced you to look.”

Rather than respond, she gnawed her bottom lip and veered her scrutiny to the grill. “Shouldn’t you flip those lobster tails or something?”

“No, they’re fine.” He continued eyeing her, the bright spots of pink riding her cheeks pinging his suspicions. “Maybe you didn’t look away because you liked watching us.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” The high-pitched octave of her voice and her refusal to meet his gaze spoke volumes.

The sneaky little voyeur. Biting back a grin, Graham glanced in Matt’s direction. The smirk on his best friend’s mug confirmed that he didn’t buy her act one bit either.

Matt dropped his feet to the ground and scraped his chair away from the table. His approach stealthy, he sauntered up behind Dani and trailed his fingertips along the slope of her bared shoulders. She jolted and whipped her gaze up to Matt. Ignoring her frazzled stare, Matt brushed lazy figure-eights across her skin. “I think we’ve got a Peeping Thomasina on our hands.”

“I—what—no.” Dani spit the denial out fast enough, it was a miracle her tongue didn’t get whiplash.

“Admit it, you enjoyed what you saw,” Matt prodded. “If you come clean, we might even reenact a scene or two with you.”

A shaky breath slipped from Dani. “What makes you think I want that?”

“Hm.” Matt ghosted his fingers down to the crook of her elbow. “Maybe it has something to do with how hard your nipples are right now.”

She dropped her attention to the perky nubs poking against the clingy fabric of her dress, and mumbled a curse. If he wasn’t dealing with his own
stiff
situation at the moment, Graham would have chuckled. Instead, he clicked off the grill and transferred the lobsters to a plate.

Dani’s perplexed scrutiny cruised from him to the tails and back again. “I don’t think those are done.”

“They’re not.”

“Then why—” She broke off with a hard swallow when he slid his fingers through her hair.

Holding her wide-eyed stare, he lowered his head. “Because this requires my soul focus.” He closed the scant millimeter separating her lips from his, a hungry groan working its way through his chest at his first intoxicating taste of her. Cupping her nape, he re-angled his approach, coaxing her into the kiss with a teasing flicker of his tongue along the seam of her lips. She leaned into him, a wispy breath snaring in her throat.

Instead of immediately giving into her sweet submission, he deliberately held back from deepening the kiss. She clutched the front of his tank top, her fingers bunching the material, pulling him closer. He wasn’t entirely certain she was aware of what she was doing, but either way the end result snapped the final thread to his self-imposed restraint. 

Nipping her bottom lip between his teeth with a growl, he wrapped his arms around her waist and hiked her tight to him. Her gasp all the invitation required, he delved his tongue past her lips. His senses reeled under her intoxicating spell. Groaning, he slipped a hand to the small of her back and followed the dip of her spine. The gorgeous ass that’d starred in countless of his wet dreams beckoned. Splaying his fingers, he filled his palm with the enticing softness of her right butt cheek and squeezed.

She trembled and squirmed, providing him the perfect opportunity to slide his mouth to her jaw. He cruised lower, stopping to bite her chin gently before licking a slow path down her neck. Judging from the sexy noises she made, he’d discovered a particularly sensitive zone. Armed with that knowledge, he waged a steady assault with his lips, teeth, and tongue, feeding the building flame until she was a quivering wreck. Her response stoked the primal caveman in him. He wanted to devour her whole. Strip her naked. Bend her over one of those lawn chairs and worship every inch of her before sinking his cock deep inside her.

Her effect on him was crazy. He never lost his cool with women. Never experienced these intense, consuming thoughts. He wanted to claim Dani in the most primitive sense of the word. Show her what it meant to be fucked by a man on fire for her.

Matt’s nearby haggard breaths verified he was turned on and riding the ragged edge right alongside Graham. Coasting his mouth to Dani’s ear, he made room for Matt to work his own devastating skill on her. He shifted slightly, the desire burning hotter when he glimpsed the wet mating dance of their tongues. When it came to watching, she wasn’t the only one who enjoyed a good show. And the one she and Matt provided stoked the raw, elemental lust overtaking Graham.

Roving his hands to her breasts, he cupped their bountiful weight before lowering his head and sucking her nipple into his mouth, fabric and all. He bit lightly, relishing the broken moan that fell from her. That slight marking wasn’t enough. Nowhere near. He cruised his hand upward, not slowing until he encountered the dangled ends of her halter ties. Closing his fingers around one tie, he tugged.

Dani snapped from her sensual trance. Her expression panicked, she pushed her hands against Graham’s chest and stumbled out of his and Matt’s embrace. “I—I can’t do this.”

Graham reached for her. “Dani—”

“I’m sorry. This was a mistake.” Without granting him or Matt a backward glance, she rushed for the gate.

CHAPTER THREE

Carefully tucking the finished watercolor in its cellophane overwrap, Dani replayed last night’s events for the thousandth time. What in the world possessed her to put herself square in the line of temptation? She’d known damn good and well that Graham and Matt would bring out the big guns in their war against her defenses.

Recalling the rock-hard pressure of their erections nudging against her belly and hip, she snuffed a whimper. It was particularly a hellish struggle trying to banish the memory of those
big guns
. In all of her past covert peeping sessions the dismal lighting had left most of the physical details to her imagination. Vivid as hers could be at times—especially when it came to Matt and Graham—nothing had prepared her for the staggering impressiveness of their equipment. Or how easily they could dissolve her into a mindless puddle of goo. Now that she knew precisely how weak they made her...

She’d have to avoid them the rest of her life. That’s all there was to it.

Fizzling a weary sigh, she abandoned her artist stool and trekked into the living room. Erin was on her cellphone. What a freakin’ surprise there. Rolling her eyes, Dani settled the watercolor onto the coffee table and headed to the kitchen. The banana nut muffin she’d scarfed down this morning only sustained her so long, and her stomach rumbled in demand for additional fuel.

She cracked the fridge door open and inspected the candidates. Leftover lasagna?
We have a winner.

Too bad she didn’t think to snatch her share of the empanadas before running away from Graham and Matt like a damn ninny. Was protecting her chastity really worth missing out on dessert?
Suck it up Buttercup. It’s the price you pay for keeping your panties in place.

Grimacing, she grabbed the casserole dish and plunked it on the counter, along with a plate from the cupboard.

“Hey, before you do that I need your help with something.”

She shot a look over her shoulder and spied Erin slouched in the doorway. “Can it wait until after lunch?”

“Nope.”

“What could possibly be so important it preempts lasagna?”

“Normally the answer would be nothing.” Erin shrugged. “But timing is of the essence here.”

Damn it.
Sending a memo to her stomach to pipe down, she pivoted and followed Erin back into the living room. Her sister tossed a pair of flip flops in her direction.

Dani groaned. “We’re going outside?”

“Yes, and the fresh air will do you some good.”

Grumbling, she jammed her feet into the shoes and shuffled after Erin. Her sister led the way to the station wagon and popped the rear hatch. Plastic tubs crammed the entire rear compartment.

Dani frowned. “What’s all that?”

“Oh, just a little something I like to call Operation April Fools.” Erin popped the lid off the nearest one, revealing the dozens of small rubber duckies packed inside. “Talia’s cook, Keith, knows a dude who manages a drop shipment warehouse. Apparently they had an overrun of stock.”

“Please tell me you didn’t buy fifty thousand rubber ducks.”

“No, they’re on loan.” Erin picked up the top ducky. “Except this one. I’ve already named him Donald, therefore he’s mine.” After lobbing Donald towards the front seat, Erin hefted one of the tubs into her arms and waddled in the direction of Graham and Matt’s house.

Dani remained stock still. No way in hell she’d return to the scene of her near downfall. She might be a glutton for punishment when it came to peeping on Graham and Matt, but she did have
some
self-preservation. Thank God.

A moment later Erin ducked back through the gate across the street and frowned. “You’re supposed to be helping.”

“You didn’t mention the part about trespassing.”

“Oh phooey.” Erin waved an arm in dismissal. “They’re not gonna care.”

“You don’t know that.” Although she’d hazard to guess it wouldn’t be a big deal to Matt and Graham. Sneaking into their backyard ranked a few notches under peeping on them fucking strange women in their living room. Or so she assumed.

“Admit it, you enjoyed what you saw. If you come clean, we might even reenact a scene or two with you.”

Deliberately shoving Matt’s sinful challenge from her mind, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not aiding and abetting you in whatever prank you have up your devious sleeve.”

“But it’ll take me twice as long to set it up on my own.”

“Shoulda thought of that sooner.”

Her elfin features stamped with a mulishness that made Dani long for an Extra Strength Tylenol, Erin marched back to the station wagon. “Fine. Just remember you’ll be the one who’ll have to post bail if they come home early and call the cops on me for trespassing.”

Dani shoved a cork in her frustration. “Two seconds ago you swore up and down that they wouldn’t care.”

“What if I’m wrong? Do you really want to take the chance?”

Smothering her curse, she balled her fist and rapped it fruitlessly on the station wagon’s bumper. She could already visualize the major freak out by their parents if Erin got hauled into a cop station again. Yeah, more than likely Graham and Matt wouldn’t raise a stink.

Then again, they had plenty reason to be pissed after last night.

Shit.
Grinding her teeth, Dani snagged one of the tubs. Gripping it awkwardly against her boobs, she stalked to the opened gate. Awarding the grill a wide berth, she bee-lined across the yard. The last thing she needed was a vivid flashback of the nerve-tingling kisses she’d shared with her neighbors. The uncomfortable tightening of her nipples announced their refusal to accept that plan. Little jerks.

She spotted the other tub and headed in its direction. Erin had already unloaded the first troop of duckies into the pool. Stalling near the steps, Dani eyed the tiny rubber flotilla. “Well, there could be worse things to find in your pool.”

Erin staggered to a halt next to Dani. “I’m bummed Keith’s connection couldn’t come through with the rubber dog poop.”

She took in Erin’s crestfallen expression and shook her head. “How old are you again?”

“Nineteen going on twelve.”

Grunting, Dani upended the tub, sending her fleet of duckies into the wild blue yonder. The little rubber quackers bobbed on the surface, knocking into each other before scattering hither and yon.

“Oh Jesus Christ!”

Dani jumped nearly a foot in the air at Erin’s outburst. Heart pounding, she swiveled her gaze to the gate, half certain they’d been busted in the act. “W-what is it?”

“I forgot to take Daisy out of your tub.”

She slashed her focus back to Erin. “Huh?”

Erin pointed toward a cluster of ducks floating toward the deep end. “Donald’s life partner. He’ll be devastated without her.”

Oh Lord. “They’ll reunite later.”

“I dunno. Harold is making his move. Look at him trying to hump Daisy. This is gonna
kill
Donald.” Erin shook her fist. “Harold, you motherfucking home wrecker.”

Dani massaged her temple, her patience officially on sabbatical. She should never have encouraged Erin to join the drama club. Big freakin’ mistake. “We’ll look for a skimmer to fish Daisy out.”

They wasted the next several minutes hunting in vain. The entire time Dani sweated bullets over how long it was taking. If the guys came home suddenly, she and Erin would have a hell of a job explaining all of this weirdness. Ears trained for the familiar rumbling exhaust of their pickup, she tramped behind a screen of cypresses in the off chance fate might smile on her. Nada. She tossed up her arms. “How can they not have a skimmer?”

“Maybe if we grab that lounger over there we can knock Daisy closer to the sidewall.”

She squinted at her sister. “We are
not
doing that.” She could just see them losing their grip and having the damn lounger sink to the bottom of the pool. “I don’t think it’d reach anyway.”

“Then you’re just gonna have to rescue Daisy.” Erin adopted her best sad puppy dog stare. “You know I would do it if I could swim.”

“Damn it, I’m not diving in after a stupid rubber duck. I don’t even have my swimsuit on.”

“So go in your underwear.”

Dani plopped her hands on her hips and glared at her sister. “I’m not wearing any.”

“You’re commando? Holy shit, my sis is a freak.” Erin grinned. “Neither am I. Guess our loathing of underwear is hereditary.”

“Do you honestly think mom or grandma forgo underwear? And the only reason I’m not wearing any is because I was waiting until after I showered.”

“Well, see? Perfect timing.”

“Have I told you lately how skewed your logic is?” Grumping under her breath, Dani divided her stare between the pool and the gate. “This is a horrible idea.”

“It’ll take you two seconds. I’ll stand guard in case anyone shows up.”

“You would have to bring up that possibility.” She drilled a glare into Erin’s back as her sister rushed toward the gate. Transferring her attention to the pool, she gave the distant Daisy another scowl. How did she get roped into ridiculous things like saving a rubber duck? But it was either that or leave Erin to fend for herself. Knowing her sister’s level of insanity, she’d probably try the lounger trick on her own and end up sinking right along with it.

Steeling her spine, Dani shot a look over her shoulder before quickly shimmying out of her linen shorts. She kept her camisole top on. If it got stinky and discolored from the chlorine she’d live with it.

“You are such a cheater,” Erin hooted from behind.

Shooting up a middle finger, Dani scurried down the steps into the pool. The cool, silky water lapped around her legs and she waded out further until her feet no longer touched bottom. Keeping her sights firmly trained out the duck threesome smack dab in the deep end, she paddled toward her quarry and snatched the entire bunch. No way she’d risk Erin sending her back in because she fetched the wrong one. Doing a one-armed breast stroke to the edge of the pool, she pitched the rubber duckies onto the aggregate deck. “Daisy, get your shit together or Donald’s leaving your two-timing duck ass.”

Kicking off from the sidewall, Dani glided toward the far rail. Wiping the chlorinated water from her face, she frowned when she noticed Erin by the stairs, holding her shorts. “Damn it, you’re supposed to be standing guard, remember?”

“Sis, I’m doing this for your own good. You’ve gotta stop being a stick in the mud, and let loose once in a while. For God’s sake, grasp what’s right in front of you before you die old and alone.” Erin inched backwards, her expression and pronouncement sending a fizzle of alarm down Dani’s spine.

“Erin, what are you doing?” Wariness nearly stuck the words in her throat.

Rather than respond, Erin spun on her heel and hightailed it to the side of the house.

“Goddamn it, get back here!”

The rusted clank of the gate latch securing triggered her full scale panic. She was as close as a person could get to being buck-ass naked in their neighbor’s swimming pool. Or more specifically, the pool belonging to the two men who drove her inside out with lust, and who she just happened to run out on last night.

Yeah, this wouldn’t end badly. At all.