Irresistible Passions (2 page)

When he sat straight, he propped his head on his open palms behind him, resting, exposing the length of his summer tanned torso for full viewing. Smooth shoulders eased down into a narrow waist, and she knew what they both looked like in shorts. They had muscular legs, long and lean frames, toned and not desk-jockey pale. She also realized as she took a quick mental snapshot, that he was naked beneath the towel. The towel rested just below his waist, well below where underwear would be visible. She ripped her gaze away, closing her eyes not to be lured again.
Temptation, you are a cruel master.

“You feeling okay?” Angel asked, stroking her calf lightly with a finger. He removed it as soon as he’d drawn her attention to him.

Okay, he wasn’t teasing her. Just to be safe, she tugged the towel a little closer, a little higher on her chest, and prayed they couldn’t see how much her nipples had beaded up with them so close to her.

“Yeah,” she answered after a long, drawn breath. “Just not one of my better days.”

“You rocked the court though,” Troy said, cracking an eye with an easy smile on his lips. “Or was that you taking it easy on us?”

She laughed at his ribbing tone. “No, I was okay out there.” She sank back to the wall also, and closed her eyes. “It’s nothing.”

“Do you have plans tonight?” Troy asked.

“It’s against policy to intermingle with clients, or students.” It was such an easy block, she almost hated that it fell that quickly from her lips. Even if it was true.

“One dinner,” Angel cajoled in an enticing voice. “We want to.”

Sweat beaded between her shoulder blades from the damp heat. Only, she wasn’t sure it was all from the steam.

“You’ve been awesome with us,” Troy added in a hummed purr. “You’re a wonderful person.”

“It’s just…” She twisted her hips. Did they have to talk like that? All low, and sexy? It was bad enough she was attracted to them, but it frightened her too. Not
them.
After eight weeks of lessons, she knew their humor, their quirks, and their general politeness. They treated every woman they came across respectfully, and she’d never heard them be any other way.

But that was only here, at the club.

“Michelle,” Troy murmured, his rich brown gaze pinned on her. He had a head of sandy brown hair, almost a mop really, his eyes only a shade or three darker brown. Angel was obviously of a different background with mink brown, almost black hair, and twinkling eyes that reminded her of her morning coffee. “We know there’s something bothering you. Last week, you were a wreck.” Troy brought a hand forward and held her chin to study her. “Today, you’ve been crying. No one else may’ve noticed. No one else may give a shit, but we do.” Thick lashes lowered for a heartbeat as he thought about his words. When they lifted, there was steel in their brown recesses, an assured stance. But even beyond that, she thought she saw an inkling of affection, of honesty. “Our time as your clients ended half an hour ago. Tonight, we want to be friends. Go to dinner with us.”

Pinning the towel under her armpits, she swiped her cheeks with a stiff, rushed palm. “You can tell?”

It took her by surprise when he swept an unruly length of hair away from her cheek, pinning it behind her ear. “Yes, Michelle. We can tell.” He dropped his hand, not touching her anymore, not crowding her. Just waiting.

It was only dinner. They weren’t asking for much, not really. Her heart fluttered when she accepted that she wanted to. She could do this.

“Where?” She held her breath, anxiety sending a tremble down her spine.

“You pick. Some place you’re comfortable with. We’ll meet you there.”

She studied Troy. “Not worried about what I’ll pick?”

He shook his head, and glanced at his partner in crime, who grinned lightly and also shook his head for her.

Both patiently waited. Watching them, she realized if she didn’t agree today, they’d simply wait for another chance and try again. What they saw in her, Michelle had no idea. At least she wasn’t sporting any wrinkles yet.

“Okay, dinner is fine.” She chose a nice restaurant off the highway, easy for all of them. At the mention of the name, Angel licked his lips.

At her quizzical head tilt, he explained, “Hey, I’m half Mexican. Love Mexican food.” Laughter filled his voice.

“Dork, if it comes on a plate, you’ll eat it,” Troy said, faking a kick at his friend. Unintentionally, it tugged his towel lower on his body.

Oh God,
she whimpered inside. Looking forward, she refused to acknowledge the expanse of smooth skin his action had exposed. They both had flat stomachs, not ripped, but who needs six-packs on every guy? She groaned.
Quit!
They’re your students! And it’s only dinner. Friends. Just because you can’t stop drooling doesn’t mean anything.

“Okay, then,” she said briskly, standing to hop off the wooden slats. She probably had grill marks on the back of her thighs. “Seven good?” That gave her time to get home, shower and dress. And maybe convince the storm of nerves in her stomach that she wasn’t insane in the process of doing all of it.

Angel rolled from his hip to his back, bracing his arms on the bench behind him. Another chest and body to admire. Dark amaretto skin. A faint hunger raised its head, wanting to know if he tasted like the liquor. She pressed her lips together. She refused to let any of the effect they had on her to show.

“Seven works for me,” he agreed.

“Don’t worry, Michelle. We’ll be there.” Troy gave her a warm smile, leaning forward on his knees with his elbows.

Firmly making up her mind that it would only be dinner, and then she could go on, she walked out of the sauna. The two men would never have to know how she lusted after them privately. Because she sure wasn’t going to be the one to tell them. She doubted she’d have the courage to do anything about it anyway.

Chapter Two

It was two minutes to seven when she pulled in front of Mí Casa. A cursory glance didn’t turn up anyone standing in the parking lot. Maybe they didn’t come. Michelle doubted she could be that lucky, or unlucky, depending on just what it was she was hoping for.

Checking her makeup once more in the mirror, she fingered the wide curls sweeping over and down her shoulders. She usually wore it in a ponytail or braided at the club. She’d taken it down when she’d expected to shower after their tutored match. Seemed pointless to shower there and then likely have to do it again at home after agreeing to meet Troy and Angel.

“Come on, Michelle. You’re stalling,” she rebuked herself.

With a firm hand on her purse, she slid from the car and walked to the front doors. Not seeing them outside, she assumed they were waiting for her inside. As the heavy wood doors opened, two sexy as sin looking men stood from the waitlisted couches.

“Right on time,” Troy mused. Grinning, he offered her a hand and drew her up to them. “You look awesome, as usual.”

“Soap and water. An amazing invention,” she joked.

He smiled broadly. “Uh oh. Look out world. Michelle is letting her smartass out.”

Angel chuckled standing at her opposite side. He leaned a fraction closer. “Forgive him. He only learned about soap and water himself last week.”

With their bantering and teasing, she relaxed before she knew it. Sitting at the table, they took chairs on either side of her. Adobe spackle on the walls and rich autumn colors gave the restaurant a decidedly south of the border flavor.

“Do you have to work tomorrow?” Troy asked.

“Nope. I don’t work weekends unless it’s a personal appointment.”

“Margarita, then? They have some killer ones here.” Troy handed her menus from the waiter, ordering chips and
queso
to start.

“Sure. I can manage one I think.”

Troy finished ordering drinks then put his hands on the table. “We’re both glad you could come,” he told her. “We’ve been wanting to treat you to a night out.”

“Why?”

Angel spoke up. “Really, just to get to know you better. You’re a good friend. We like treating our friends, well, like friends,” he explained gamely. Right about then, the waiter returned with a tray laden with drinks and appetizers. With a quick glance at the menu, she gave her order, though neither Troy nor Angel even glanced at theirs.

“You’ve both been here, haven’t you?” she asked when the waiter was gone, confident she knew the answer.

“Guilty,” Troy replied. “Our apartments are only about a mile and a half from here.”

“Roommates?” she asked munching on the corn chips as they waited. Mariachi music played over the sound system, a woeful love ballad from the sounds of it. Listening to its beautiful rhythm made her wish she could understand it.

“No, but we’ve talked about it. Cut down our expenses.” Troy took a drink of his beer, then licked his lips. Her heart beat a harder tattoo watching him do it. The way his lips circled the glass, the damp glistening shine the liquid left behind. Michelle wanted to see if the beer could be tasted on his lips, or if his lips would be better than the beer. Blinking broke the spell, and she refocused on the bowl of chips in front of her. It’s best not to think down that road. Michelle knew she’d never get to find out.

“What do you two do, then?” Conversation was safe.
Keep them talking. Don’t think about how good they look in their pullovers and jeans.

“Angel’s the brains behind our own internet coding company. We do web design and site maintenance. We even employ a small group for customer service issues.”

“Very small,” Angel snickered in a joking aside. “But they’re excellent at what they do.”

“Really?” Michelle followed them both as they explained it all. By the energy in their descriptions, it was obvious they enjoyed it immensely.

“From the ground up,” Angel interjected. “We’ve won awards and have been named as the city’s up and coming newest young business, but with computers it’s a race to see who falls first. Technology expires faster than cheese left out.”

“How do you do it?” She tried to curl her fingers around the fishbowl they’d brought her margarita in. Reaching the straw was daunting. She decided she’d wait until they were better occupied before attempting it.

“We have an inexpensive office space to store the servers and the call center,” Angel explained. “A lot of it is actually done at home, where we can toss around ideas and paper planes and no one cares.” Michelle grinned when Angel threw an imaginary plane at Troy.

“Probably why we haven’t moved in together. We already work together. I think if we spent that much time together, we’d kill each other.”

Angel coughed a snicker at Troy’s assumption. “There’s no doubt there.”

They told her a little more about what they did, how they got started, and between them, they made enough to survive and then some. They weren’t a couple of kids living off mom and dad’s dime. Michelle was impressed and surprised to hear them as they explained it all. The self-assurance in their work spoke volumes about them. They both put in a lot of hours to keep their company running smoothly.

Food arrived and they ate and talked. She even managed to enjoy her margarita though by the time she’d hit half, she was giggling quite a lot.

Angel told them stories of his childhood, being one of six kids. Michelle was dumbfounded. She had a brother. The idea of that many in a house… “Your poor parents,” she mused.

Angel chuckled, leaning on his elbows after the plates had been taken away. “You’d think so, but apparently not, or they’d have stopped after my oldest sister.” He winked and she almost died at the table of laughter. Michelle slapped a hand over her mouth to stop the burst of giggles.