Glutton for Pleasure (25 page)

“Five minutes…”

She wasn’t sure who the warning came from as she securely closed the door, but her smile faded as she moved to the front door, which was almost vibrating from the force of the knocker’s fist.

She frowned in real concern as she undid the deadbolt and cracked the door open. The door flew out of her hands and she took a startled step back as a black-haired tempest hurtled in.

“Where are they?”

Devi swore the shout rattled the chandelier, and she stared at Leena standing in her foyer, arms akimbo. Her normally meticulously groomed sister wore a ratty baby T-shirt and paint-spattered shorts. Not a trace of makeup covered her face. A messy topknot secured her hair in a bundle on top of her head, and it wobbled with every move she made. She looked like an infuriated, dark-haired hen.

“Leena, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” Leena glared at her. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong. What’s wrong is that I was supposed to be sleeping off my hangover when this one”—she pointed to Rana, who quietly entered the foyer and closed the door behind her—“comes and wakes me up to tell me a fantastic story about identical twins and threesomes and
love
. Two of those three things should never be used in the same sentence. So, I’m going to ask you again. Where are they?”

After shooting a quick glare at Rana, who looked down at her feet, Devi crossed her arms over her chest and stared Leena down. “None of this is any of your business.”

“None of my business? You’re my business. You and your abominable taste in men.” She held up her hand and ticked off the points on her fingers. “There was that biker guy back in high school. Then the ‘artist’ in college. Then Tarek. Face it. You’re mush in the wrong man’s hands.

You’re a ridiculous romantic who idealizes every man you so much as kiss. You need to be protected from yourself.”

Devi took the verbal slap with only a slight flinch. She had suspected their opinions, but how odd to hear it spoken aloud, that her sisters felt she was an imbecile just waiting to be conned by a big strong man, or men. “And you two are jaded cynics. I admit I’ve been mistaken about men in 156

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Glutton for Pleasure

the past, but I’m not a total idiot.” She ticked off each man on her own fingers, mimicking Leena.

“The biker was a conscious decision, my own stupid rebellion. The artist I was getting sick of supporting way before you found him that job in Cali you thought I knew nothing about, Leena. I would have kicked him to the curb soon enough. I didn’t feel so bad for his tortured soul that I would have wasted my life on him.” She shook her head sharply when Leena opened her mouth, and continued. “And, as for Tarek…” Devi looked at Rana. “Rana, did you know why I wasn’t madder at you?” Rana shook her head. “Because two days before I’d found lipstick on his collar and some amateur porn photos of him and some slut fucking on my bed. Unfortunately, he had talked me into opening a joint bank account with him, and I didn’t want to kick him to the curb before I disentangled my money from his. I knew he was a snake enough to try to run off with my stuff. So you see, I was leaving him anyway.”

Rana’s face turned white, her lips pinched together. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you were already so torn up about it.” Devi gave her a half smile. “Really, I didn’t see the point in telling you your sacrifice was completely unnecessary.”

Rana’s laugh was more of a sob. “Saint Devi. You would be thinking of my feelings.”

“Well, this is all very interesting,” Leena snapped, her eyes glittering. “But excuse me if I’m still not convinced. I’m guessing your two boy toys are still in the bedroom?”

“Nope, her boy toys are right here.”

Jace’s determinedly cheerful voice froze her to her spot, as did the two arms sliding around her waist in opposite directions as they flanked her. She cast her eyes heavenward.
Please let
them be dressed.

A quick glance assured her that Jace had indeed pulled on his slacks, while Marcus had slid into his Jockey boxer-briefs. The snug-fitting cotton and the expanse of bare skin didn’t really do much to help her focus, but she managed to tear her gaze away from the bulge in his crotch.

Leena drew herself up to her full height. Even mussed and casually dressed, she was intimidating. “I don’t know what kind of game you sickos are playing, but—”

“Oh, we play lots of games,” Jace said earnestly. “Personally, I like the one where we’re patrolmen who pull over this sexy speeder…”

Devi blinked and spoke before she recalled their guests. “Hey, we never played that.”

Marcus tightened his fingers around her waist. “That’s ’cause we haven’t gotten a chance to buy any handcuffs.” He looked at her sisters and raised his eyebrows. “We wore out our last ones.”

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She stifled a snort of laughter at their provoking behavior but lost amusement at Leena’s glower. “Okay, boys, enough.” She stepped forward. “Leena, Rana, while I appreciate your concern, what’s between Jace, Marcus and I is our concern, not yours.”

“It is my concern, if you fuck up your life with a couple of perverts.” She surprised Devi by grabbing hold of her arm. Devi winced at the biting grip and Marcus stood in front of her in an instant. He broke the hold and tossed Leena’s hand down. His shoulders wonderfully wide, he leaned down and stuck his face right in Leena’s.

“You don’t ever touch her again in anger. Ever.”

Leena opened her mouth and then closed it again before her chin firmed. Even that small sign of weakness coming from her indomitable sister surprised Devi. “For Christ’s sake, I wouldn’t have hurt her. She’s my baby sister. I love her.”

“And so do we.” Jace pushed Marcus to the side. “We would never hurt her either.”

Devi worked herself through the wall of muscle until she stood between them again. “They aren’t perverts, Leena.”

Leena sneered. “Then what would you call it?”

“Pleasure. Love. Sharing. Pleasure we need.” Jace looked down at Devi, a slight question in his eyes. “Pleasure Devi needs too.”

Devi nodded immediately, glad to see the doubt vanish. She needed them, no doubt. No one man would be able to quench her sexuality the way these two had shown her. And she would never be able to have sex with just any two men. Only Jace and Marcus.

“And you don’t call that perverted?”

Jace shrugged. “I can’t believe that any sister of Devi has a completely vanilla sex life. Or if she does, I can’t imagine she’s happy in it.”

“My sex life is my business, jackass.”

Like the lawyer he was, Jace pounced. “And Devi’s is her own.” He cocked his head, his eyes kind but sharp. “So you’ll leave her to it without making any nasty slurs or sneering remarks, but trust that she knows her own mind and she knows what will make her happy. I imagine that’s what a good sister would do.”

Leena studied them and then blew out a breath. “I don’t even know why I’m getting my blood pressure up. It’s not like this is going to last forever. I give you another week, Devi. Maybe two, ’cause you’re so damn loyal.”

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Devi gritted her teeth. Would her sisters ever think she was more than a blindly devoted puppy? “You’re wrong.”

“Whatever.” Leena stalked out the open door. “Come on, Rana.”

Instead of following, Rana stood in her position just inside the foyer. “I’m really sorry, Devi.”

Devi shrugged, though her heart was heavy. She hated fighting with her sisters. “You did what you thought best. The two of you always do.”

“It’s not us against you. I can see how you might think that right now. But you have to know that we love you so much.”

“I know. And your love is the only reason I’ve forgiven you guys in the past for your meddling. But now, I just need you to trust in me.”

“Okay.”

“Because, really, we… What?” Devi stopped and stared.

Rana shrugged. “I admit, I was worried, but honestly, Devi, I’ve never seen you actually fight for anything before. If this is what you want, then I won’t argue with you anymore. I’d rather have my baby sister talking to me with two boyfriends than not at all.” The car honked and she rolled her eyes before stepping away from the wall. “Leena will come around. But you may want to wait a while—like, never—before you break the news to Mama.” Rana’s lips twisted wryly. “She’s indulgent with you because she knows we look out for you, but if she finds out about this, trust me, you’ll be judged and tarred and feathered as a whore before you can blink.

No one knows that better than me.”

“No one thinks you’re a whore.”

“Baby, you may not, but Mama’s been convinced since I broke curfew at the tenth-grade spring fling.” Rana made a dismissive motion, though her eyes filled with pain. “Whatever.” She looked between Jace and Marcus. “Jace, you remember what I told you I would do if you hurt Devi? You know, how I’d cut off your balls and feed them to you?”

“Jesus, Rana…”

Jace’s lips quirked. “How could I forget?”

Rana smiled sweetly and stepped outside the door. “If you hurt her, I’ll still feed them to you. But I think I might keep them attached to your body when I do it.”

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Marcus flinched, no doubt reconsidering his coming to this powwow in just a pair of underwear. He continued to stare after her sister as she closed the door. “Those are some tough bitches.”

“Hey, now.” She elbowed him, and it was rather like elbowing a chunk of granite. “Those are my sisters. Clean up your language.”

He grasped her around her waist and tugged her closer so they faced each other. “I didn’t mean any offense. I admire tough bitches. Like you. Look at you, facing down the opposition in the name of love.”

Devi pursed her lips. “I don’t think anyone’s ever called me a bitch before.” Hmm, now that she thought of it, she’d rather be a bitch than a wuss.

“Yeah,” Jace said from behind her, his tone wry. “Marcus has a unique courting style.” He slipped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head.

She twisted her head to the side to look up at him. “So where do we go from here?”

“Well, that kind of depends on you. You are an integral part of this, after all.”

“I’m glad you recognize that.”

“Sure. Why, you’re the bologna in our sandwich.”

“Bologna?”

“No? The cheese in our panini?”

“Ew.”

“The marshmallow. In our s’more of love.”

She burst out laughing, and Marcus groaned, but smiled. Jace viewed them both with a mock frown. “I thought you liked food?”

“Ignore him. He was dropped on his head as a baby.” Marcus pressed a chaste kiss against her forehead. “We take this day by day. I don’t want you to feel rushed, it’s not like we have to run out and get married.” His lips quirked. “Though I’m sure Jace already has a venue picked out.”

She glanced over her shoulder in time to see a dull flush cover Jace’s high cheekbones, and he glared at his brother before switching a sheepish gaze to her face. “I’ve always liked Singer Island. But it’s not like I’ve gone and booked a hotel or anything.”

“Of course not.” She twisted and kissed him full on the mouth before separating and looking at Marcus. “I think you should both go to counseling.”

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His eyebrows lowered and she held up her hand to forestall him. “It’s important. For you and for me. Please, just think about it.”

He stared at her hand stroking over his chest. “I’ll think about it. For you.”

“And like you said, we’ll take it week by week.”

“I actually said day by day.”

“I’d say year by year, but I think it would scare you. I want you to stop worrying that one day I’ll get bored and walk away from you. You’re both stuck with me. My sisters are right in one aspect—when I love, I do it wholeheartedly. Don’t make me regret it.”

“You’ll never regret it,” Jace promised. “We waited too long for you. So, I say we take it month by month.” He started to brush little kisses along her neck, making her abruptly aware of her near nakedness beneath her robe.

Marcus loosened the tie and kissed along her jaw to her ear. When he reached there, she smiled to hear his whisper.

“Year by year.”

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About the Author

Alisha Rai has been enthralled with romance novels since she smuggled her first tattered Harlequin home from the library at the age of thirteen. A mild-mannered florist by day, she pens sexy, emotional contemporaries and paranormals by night.

After a lifetime spent bouncing around the States, she is content to call sunny South Florida home for now. When she’s not reading or working, Alisha loves to hang out with her close-knit family. She happily lives in a chaotic house filled with clutter, laughter, good food, boisterous kids and very loud relatives.

Alisha loves to hear from her readers! You can send her an e-mail at

[email protected]
or visit her on
the web at www.alisharai.com.

Look for these titles by Alisha Rai

Now Available:

Glutton for Pleasure

Sure, the sex is scorching hot, but can three hearts truly beat as one?

Our Man Friday

© 2008 Claire Thompson

What’s the old adage—sex ruins friendship? Cassidy lives it every day as she fights the lingering feelings for her ex, Ian. Still secretly, desperately in love with him, she settles for sharing a house and a business. Their lives are intertwined in every way…except the way she wants most.

Fear of commitment drove Ian to push his and Cassidy’s romance back into his comfort zone—friendship. But things become decidedly uncomfortable when sexy Scotsman Kye McClellan enters the picture. As Cassidy’s passion reignites, Ian is faced with the sudden prospect of losing the thing most precious to him.

Ian remains firmly in Cassidy’s heart even as she succumbs to Kye’s charms. Soon, as Kye’s allure draws Ian in, she begins to wonder if she can have all she’s ever wanted—plus one. Just as they all begin to tip into the white-hot cauldron of romance, Kye takes to his wanderlusting ways to avoid the burn. Ian and Cassidy are left with each other…and an even bigger missing piece than before.