Velvet Steel (11 page)

Noah sensed her trouble. He snaked his hand over her thigh and between her and Shane. There he found her clit and caressed it, sending a spark of pleasure through her core. He continued to stroke as the men thrust and retreated inside her body. The pain, the pleasure, it filled her up, and once again she was hovering on the edge of oblivion. Then something snapped, and she cried out as her world shattered around her. Tension released, and her muscles gave way under the surge of pleasure.

She leaned back on Noah’s shoulder as her body hummed in ecstasy. The men continued to thrust, sliding in and out, heightening her sense of bliss. Soon they both stiffened, creating a wall of hard muscle around her. Then the men groaned as each of them found their release.

After a long time, she drifted back down to earth. The men slowed their movements and cradled her between their bodies. She felt protected there, not to mention completely sated. She held on tight to each of them, not wanting to lose the connection they’d had moments ago. They enjoyed the moment in silence until the cool air made her shiver.

“We should probably go inside,” Shane murmured against her shoulder.

Noah started to ease away, but Kitty tightened her grip on his hair.

“What is it, love?” he asked.

“Just a few more minutes, then we’ll go inside.” She turned her head and met his gaze. “I’m just not ready to have this end yet.” Ending would mean going back to reality, and Kitty wanted to stay in her fantasy a little while longer. She wanted to pretend there were just the three of them, no company, no complications. Both men cared deeply for her and she for them. There, neither man wanted anything from her except her love, and she only expected the same in return. She realized that with Shane and Noah, she felt comfortable, cared for. Kitty began to worry about what would happen when the weekend ended and they went their separate ways. Would they miss her? Sadness filled her heart as she dwelled on the inevitable. Then Shane’s words broke through the darkness and gave her hope.

“Ah, love. This isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning.”

Shane and Noah had thought of everything. When Kitty had packed for the weekend, she hadn’t thought about bringing more than a change of clothes and a toothbrush. Somehow Shane and Noah not only remembered the meal but ambience as well. It didn’t take long for Noah to unpack the candles and linens and for Shane to cook up the fresh bass, steamed vegetables, and saffron rice. She’d never thought of sautéing fish and adding white wine, tomatoes, and feta cheese, but it worked and worked well. Soon the entire cabin smelled like a five-star restaurant. It felt a little odd, having such a meal at five in the morning, but the men insisted, and to be honest, after the incredible sex down in the cove, Kitty felt more energized than tired.

While the men cooked, she took to cleaning the rest of the cabin the best she could. The mess was a big reason why she’d retreated to the lake after she confirmed that Noah and Shane hadn’t arrived. Kitty hadn’t wanted to stay in her father’s hunting lodge any longer than necessary.

Clint Velvet had more than enough money to furnish the cabin with every comfort, but he liked to keep it simple. He often bragged about how the sparse furnishings and drab colors allowed him to remember where he’d come from and helped him to connect with those less fortunate. Kitty saw it more as a reminder of what the future held if she couldn’t get her father to agree to sell Velvet Steel. The thought of giving up on the company made her sick to her stomach, but the company was heading toward bankruptcy. It wasn’t like she had a lot of options.

When she finished arranging and dusting, the place was serviceable, at least for what she had in mind. Maybe with a little luck, the men wouldn’t really care about the cabin’s shabby interior. Neither of them had commented so far, so perhaps fancy things didn’t matter to them. In her world, luxury was everything, and most would scoff at the run-down cabin. The fact that neither man had mentioned it made her heart soften toward them even more.

The leftover white wine was placed on the table to share, along with candles and linen napkins. As she slid into her seat at the kitchen table, Kitty thought her father’s dishes looked like cheap castoffs when the food was placed on them.

“Don’t you like it?” Shane asked from across the table.

She looked up from her plate. “Everything’s great.” She glanced at Noah in the living room. The kitchen and living room were in a large open space with only a long island separating the two rooms. “You should really eat with us,” she said.

“I will. I just want to set up this video equipment first.” He looked up from his camera. “You’re sure you want to go through with it?”

“The videotaping?”

He nodded. “Having sex for the camera isn’t appealing to everyone, but we thought, since you were receptive back at the club, you might enjoy it.”

“I’m sure I will.” Leave it to Noah to be the concerned one. Of the two men, he seemed to be the one most in tune with her moods. Back in the limo, she had sensed him watching her and felt the understanding in his gaze. It both comforted and confused her. How could anyone understand what she was going through? Kitty worked hard at keeping her life private, and the possibility of someone knowing so much about her was unnerving.

“Of course I want to go through with it.” She forced herself to smile and take a bite of the fish. It was good—worthy of being served in a fine restaurant, not some shack in the woods.

“Then what’s the problem?” Shane reached out and took her hand. “You don’t like the food?”

Heat rushed over her skin at his touch. There was something about Shane that was exciting, a devil-may-care attitude that resonated with her. He was spontaneous about spending a weekend with her. She craved that spontaneity in her own life.

“I love the food. It’s just—I had an argument my father before coming here.”

“What did you fight about?” Shane asked.

She stared at the gorgeous Irishman across from her. Should she tell him? It would be good to lay out her troubles, but she didn’t know them well enough yet. The last time she’d confided in someone she thought was her friend, it ended badly. Ashley hadn’t cared about her feelings; all she’d wanted was an internship at Velvet Steel.

Kitty shook away her dark thoughts and took another bite of food. This was supposed to be a fun weekend. The men didn’t need that kind of burden.

“It wasn’t important.” She glanced at Noah, who put down the camera and made his way over to the table. “Nothing that won’t blow over in a day or two.” Like after they signed the contracts that handed over Velvet Steel to S&N Steel on Wednesday. She had never seen the S&N Steel owners in person, but their callousness was legendary. All they cared about was the bottom line. Those men would eat her up and spit her out for breakfast. Her goal was to try to reach a deal that represented the company’s worth and appeased her father’s concerns. It was a tough goal, one she wasn’t sure she’d be able to manage.

Noah sat beside her at the table, disrupting her thoughts. “It’s okay. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”

There he went again with those understanding eyes. It was almost as if he could see into her soul. It didn’t matter. They weren’t here to talk about work or her family. They were here to have fun, and she was doing a lousy job of it. Kitty pushed back her uneasiness. “You really should eat.”

Small creases formed around Noah’s eyes as he smiled. “I snacked earlier while Shane was cooking. You should eat, though. You’ll need your energy.” He winked at her.

For the rest of the meal, she fielded questions about her family and the cabin. At first she was elusive, but there was something about Shane’s charm that made her want to open up. She told them how her mother had been a cocktail waitress and had died soon after Kitty was born. She spoke of her time growing up under her father’s thumb and how coming to this cabin was the only real freedom she’d had until she turned twenty-one. Of course, she could have moved out of the mansion then, but she had fallen in love with the family business and found it easier and more rewarding to stay put. She talked about her love for the company and the hopes her family had to one day expand the business. Not once did she mention her financial troubles, nor did the men question her about them.

“You really seem to love the company,” Shane observed.

“I do. It’s my whole life.”

“It shows. It must be hard work to keep such a large company viable.” Noah held out his hand. “Are you all done?”

Kitty felt a stab of pain in her chest at his words. She nodded, and he took her plate from her. Shane tugged on her fingers, drawing her attention back to him. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell us what’s on your mind?”

“She said she didn’t want to talk about it.” Noah glared at Shane and then put the dishes in the sink.

“But she’d feel better if she did.” Shane took her hand. “Sometimes talking about things can help.” He shrugged. “Who knows, we may be able to offer suggestions.”

“I don’t know.” She wanted to trust them, but she had trusted Ashley, and look where that had gotten her. Kitty sensed these two were different but didn’t know if what she was feeling was because of the sex they’d just had. By speaking of her childhood, she had already divulged way too much information about her past.

“Does it have anything to do with the financial troubles of Velvet Steel?”

Noah marched over and picked up Shane’s plate. “She said she didn’t want to talk about it.” He frowned at his friend and then stalked back to the sink.

They were embarrassed for her; she knew it. Her family’s skeletons were in the news. When reporters smelled a story, they were relentless. Kitty’s whole family history had been brought to light, and some even questioned her ability to make decisions and lead. It stung and she had hoped to prove them all wrong, but she just couldn’t see how.

Shane’s features softened, and Kitty realized that while she had been ruminating, he had been studying her. “I’m sorry, lass. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. I just thought perhaps…” He winked, his green eyes sparkling with promise. “If you want this weekend to forget, then we’ll help you to forget. Right, Noah?”

Noah visibly relaxed. “Right.”

Shane tapped the table. “Then I suggest we get to it.”

“It’s almost six a.m.,” Kitty said.

“Are you tired?”

She thought for a moment. She was depressed but not tired, and the thought of another round of passionate sex sent a tendril of heat through her core. “No.”

Noah glanced at Shane, then dried his hands on the towel. “I’ll get the camera.”

Shane touched his arm as he walked by. “No.”

Kitty stood up from her chair. “Are you two all right?”

“Of course,” Shane said, never looking away from Noah. “It’s just that I think Noah should start in front of the camera. I want to make sure we have the right angle.”

Noah opened his mouth to speak but then quickly shut it again.

“That’s fine with me,” Kitty said.

Noah glanced at Kitty, then refocused on Shane. “Okay,” he said after a moment. “The camera is on the small table by the couch. I’ve already set up the stand in the bedroom, but you’ll have to—”

“Don’t worry, buddy.” Shane slapped Noah’s shoulder. “I’ve got it.” He whistled as he went to pick up the camera in the living room. Soon he disappeared around the corner.

After a long moment, Kitty turned to Noah. “Are you okay?”

He met her gaze and smiled. “I’m fine, love. It’s just…” He shook his head. “Sometimes I think that boy’s crazy.”

Kitty smiled. “Me too. When he first suggested the camera during sex, I thought he was out of his mind.”

Noah’s smile faded. “And now?”

“Now…” Kitty thought about it for a moment. She wanted to escape from her troubles. What better way to do that than with two gorgeous men surrounding her? The thought of doing everything on camera was exciting. They could watch the video and relive every moment again and again, perhaps even use it later to put one another in the mood. At the end of the weekend, she’d have something special to remember them by. “Now I think it’s a great idea,” she said.

Noah raised his brows. “You do?”

Kitty moistened her lips and let her gaze roam over Noah’s rock-hard body. “Yeah, I do.”

“Are you two coming?” Shane called from the other room.

Noah smiled and shook his head. “Like I said, crazy.” He held out his arm. “Shall we?”

Kitty wrapped her arm around his. “That’s okay. I like crazy.”

“So do I, love.” He winked, then led her down the hallway to the bedroom. “So do I.”

Noah watched Kitty as she walked into the bedroom. Her eyes lit up at the display before her, and his heart warmed. He had put a lot of work into the room while Kitty cleaned and Shane cooked, and he was glad his efforts weren’t wasted. The sparse room had been made over into a sanctuary fit for a queen. It was decorated in soft greens and blues, creating an atmosphere of comfort and warmth. A camera stood off to one side on a small but functional stand, its lens pointed toward a large four-poster bed in the center of the open space. The bed’s dark wood complemented the lighter bedding Noah had acquired. Shane was fiddling with the smooth satin sheets along the edge of the mattress.

“It’s beautiful,” Kitty said.

Noah let go, and she ran her hand over the sheer fabric that decorated the four posts and draped over the easy chair, dresser, and window.

“It was our pleasure.” Shane patted the mattress. “Give it a try.”

“Don’t let Shane fool you,” Noah said as Kitty hopped up on the bed. “I did a lot of it while you two were cleaning and cooking.”

She turned to him and smiled, and his heart warmed despite himself. He had been reluctant to come up here because he was worried Shane might grow too attached to Kitty. Now he was worried that he, not Shane, might be softening too much toward the gorgeous blonde. Normally he felt rather indifferent toward women, but there was something about Kitty—the way she smiled when she looked at him, as if they both shared some deep secret—that made him instantly connect with her. It was as if she understood his loneliness and frustration and wanted to comfort him.