Intense shyness and embarrassment kept Paisley from looking at Adam and Andrew, so she stared into her full coffee cup as she spoke.

“He was so nice to me at the beginning and that last night, just before I left here, he’d proposed and I’d said yes…” Embarrassment at the way she’d left Adam and Andrew without so much as a goodbye brought heat to her cheeks. She needed to ignore her feelings, though. She had to tell them. They were both watching her so intently as if maybe she could solve problems that they hadn’t even asked her questions to.

“He didn’t like that I was living with the two of you at the cabin. I hadn’t told him. Someone else, someone at the lodge had said something, and he was terribly mad. I’d gone out with him a few times. You guys knew that. I liked him. He treated me really nice and until that last night I had never seen his temper. But when he found out that I was living with you two…he was so mad. I mean beyond mad. He scared me, but then he calmed right down and told me the only reason he was pissed was because he loved me so much. He got down on his knee and proposed right then and there. He said he would spend the rest of his life making me happy and that he just couldn’t live without me. He said he would kill himself if I said no. And if he even suspected that I loved either of you two, he would kill you guys too.”

She looked up to check for their reaction. But their gazes were neutral, neither happy nor mad, as far as she could tell. She figured they were probably trying to appear as neutral as possible so she wouldn’t be afraid.

She continued.

“He convinced me that he really loved me and that I should go with him. I didn’t realize it at the time, and I only found out later, that Paul is a master manipulator. He wants only what pleases him and he will be the mister nice guy in front of your face until he gets what he wants. He wanted me. I had never had experience with guys like that. He was charming and I thought he really loved me. I was naive to believe him, I realize that now. I mean we only dated for such a short time.”

“Sociopaths are incapable of loving anyone,” Adam said softly.

Paisley nodded.

“I know that now. My psychologist set me straight on how they charm and manipulate and hurt without feeling any guilt in order to get their own way. He has all the classic signs. Charming until he gets what he wants. Then he’s hurtful. A liar. I shouldn’t have even gone with him. I should have left him the instant he became physically abusive. ”

Both men inhaled sharply. Thankfully they said nothing and she was able to continue.

“But by then I’d already married him. We’d moved down to Nicaragua where he’d started his own trucking business. He’s a very clever man and he got rich fast and I didn’t have any idea of how or where I could go to get help to get away from him. He controlled every aspect of my life. Everything.”

Adam swore softly.

Andrew reached out and gently patted the back of her hand. It was such an endearing gesture that it brought tears to her eyes. She blinked them back and took a sip of her coffee.

“How were you able to get away from him?” Andrew asked.

“Well, it wasn’t easy, I can tell you that. He’d taken my confidence. I didn’t even realize it until years had passed. He wanted to move back to the States. He sold his business and we moved from Nicaragua to his hometown near the Canadian border.

Over the years I was able to make friends with a neighbor who suspected something was going on between Paul and I. Eventually, I had the courage to confide in her and she tried and tried to persuade me to leave him. But I just couldn’t. I was too scared of what he would do to me. I knew I couldn’t call anyone for help. Paul is so engaging with people that they find it hard to believe he could do something wrong. I learned to keep quiet and do his bidding.”

“I swear I will kill him,” Adam growled.

Tension snapped off both men now and she sensed they were struggling with self-control. Their shoulders appeared strained and their gazes were narrow with anger and concern.

Paisley knew this was one of the reasons why she hadn’t wanted to tell them. She didn’t want to bring this rage into their lives. She was the one who’d made the decision to go off with Paul and she should suffer the consequences.

“I never liked that guy,” Andrew said between tightly clenched jaws.

She totally understood his feelings.

“I was the traditional battered woman, too scared to do anything, despite my wanting to leave so badly. I finally got the nerve when Paul left on a business trip. He was going to be gone for two days. It was the first time he’d ever be gone for longer than a day. It was the first time his routine had changed. A little thing like that seemed to snap me out of my terror of doing nothing. An hour after he left, I just walked out of the house. I didn’t pack my bags, didn’t leave a note, I just walked away and went to that friend’s place. I never looked back. I stayed with her until he discovered where I was. He began threatening her and stalking me. That’s when I went to a women’s shelter. The women there were going through their own problems, yet they helped me get a job. I felt empowered having my own money. Two of the women and I moved into an apartment together and then I hired a lawyer to divorce Paul. The lawyer hooked me up with a wonderful psychologist and then I filed for divorce.”

“You thought he was outside just now?” Adam asked.

Paisley nodded and took a sip of her cold coffee and swallowed. The liquid helped soothe her dry throat.

“He didn’t like the fact I wasn’t returning to him as he commanded. It was weird that the divorce papers showed up signed in my mail and he just stopped bothering me. It’s not like him to walk away.”

“He probably found another victim to concentrate on.”

“Maybe. But still, I wonder and I worry…he owns guns and he knows how to use them.”

“Not as long as we are around, you won’t have to worry, sweetheart,” Andrew whispered.

“If he ever shows his ass here, he’s a dead man. There’s a nice big lake and endless forest out there, people get lost all the time and they disappear without a trace.” Adam spoke so coolly and calmly that Paisley had no doubt he was deadly serious in saying that he would make Paul disappear.

Alarm sped through her.

“Don’t worry, Sparky, Adam won’t get himself into trouble over a silly little thing like murder, will you, Adam?” Andrew replied in a cold voice.

An odd look passed between the two men and Paisley knew deep in her heart Adam and Andrew would protect her from Paul, even if they had to kill him.

“I think it would be best if we spend the night here with you,” Andrew said the words so gently that she didn’t even hesitate to nod.

“I would appreciate it. I am still terribly spooked.” She couldn’t stop trembling.

“It was just a bear, Sparky. You’ll be okay. We’ll all sleep on the bed. Just friends who care for each other.”

Friends. That’s how they’d started having sex in the first place back then. But right now, sex was the last thing on her mind. She just wanted to feel safe again and with them being here, she did. Kind of.

“Okay, so who gets first dibs on the shower?” Andrew shouted as he raced toward the bathroom door.

Adam was halfway out of his seat before Andrew slammed the door shut.

“Shit! That son of a bitch gets me all the time,” Adam chuckled and sat back down again. He turned to Paisley and smiled. His eyes were warm and his voice so tender that she simply fell in love with him all over again.

Gosh, why hadn’t she stayed with Adam and Andrew?

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I will be,” she reassured him but he wasn’t buying it.

He stood and grabbed her by her hands.

“Come on, let’s go lay down on the bed. We’ll give Andrew a shock when he comes out.”

She laughed and stood and she allowed him to lead her to the bed.

He instructed her to climb onto the mattress. She did and then he joined her. His heated length pressed in protectively around her. Adam took her into his strong arms and embraced her. It felt so normal to be in his arms again, and instinctively Paisley snuggled her face into his warm chest and closed her eyes.

Yes, this was what she needed. To be held. To be safe. To feel loved.

* * *

Rage ripped through Andrew as he stood under the intense shower spray. The hot water did little to unravel the tightness holding his shoulder muscles captive, nor did it ease his anger. If he was anywhere private, he would have been smashing things and cursing up a violent storm.

Normally he was an easygoing guy. Things just bounced off him and he tended not to take things too seriously. Except, of course, when it came to his loved ones. Like his ex-wife, his son and Paisley. Then he couldn’t help but react.

He’d suspected Paisley had been in a bad marriage, he just hadn’t expected it to have been rotten to the core. No wonder she was jumpy. First thing in the morning, he was going to call some of his security friends and see if they could find out what this son of a bitch Paul was up to.

Damn! If only he’d known back then where Paisley had taken off to with this Paul character, he would have found her and asked her if she was happy.

But she’d disappeared without a trace with him. Back then Andrew’s confidence hadn’t been intact where girls were concerned. He’d been a bit of a nerd and hadn’t had much experience with women. Until sexy and free-spirited Paisley had come along. She’d been so easy to get along with and despite knowing her for only a summer before she’d left, he’d fallen hard for her.

She was back and she belonged to him again. She fit with both him and Adam.

It took Andrew a long time to calm himself and keep visions of Paul attacking her at bay. Even longer before he was able to stroll out of the cozy shower. After he towel-dried his hair and himself, he slung another towel around his hips and entered the main room of the cabin.

He halted. Warmth exploded inside his chest. Adam and Paisley were lying on the bed, curled in each other’s arms. Both of them were fast asleep.

Wow, had he really been gone that long? He strolled to the chest that the lodge supplied for each room. He opened it and withdrew a couple of warm pine cone-patterned comforters and gently placed them onto Paisley and Adam. Neither of them stirred.

He walked to the empty side of the bed, quietly lifted the blankets, dropped his towel and slid beneath the covers beside Paisley. He struggled to keep the anger from stealing into him again and forced himself to close his eyes. Paisley’s body heat nestled seductively against him and Andrew stifled a moan.

Man, it looked like it was going to be one hell of a long night.

* * *

This will be our last time together.

Paisley’s heart just about broke at that thought as she paddled her canoe through the midnight darkness. The only sound that cracked the humid August silence was that of her paddle breaking the calm surface of the lake.

Tonight, she’d seen a side of Paul she hadn’t seen before. He’d frightened her when he’d told her he heard she lived with two guys. She’d lied to him and reassured him nothing was going on. That they only shared accommodations. After threatening Andrew and Adam, Paul had suddenly calmed and proposed to her. She’d been afraid to say no, so she’d accepted, quickly making herself believe he loved her or he wouldn’t be so jealous.

She knew she should tell Andrew and Adam that this was their last night together, but she just couldn’t do it. She also knew she shouldn’t be sleeping with two other guys while engaged to another man, but she’d needed one more night with them.

Call her selfish, scared, stupid and immature, but she’d never been good with confrontation. Maybe because she’d had so much of it in her first sixteen years with her dysfunctional parents, who constantly fought with her and tried to get her to conform to their strict rules. When she’d come of age, she’d run away from them and never looked back. Now, instead of facing conflict, she just ran from it. Life was easier that way.

A few minutes later, she pulled her canoe up on the sandy beach, grabbed her flashlight from her knapsack, flicked on the light and began the steep uphill climb along the meandering trail, past the towering pine trees that would lead her to the cabin she’d been sharing with the two guys throughout the summer.

As far as Paul was concerned, Andrew and Adam were out of town for the weekend. She’d told him that lie so she could come back here and get the rest of her stuff. Thankfully, the cabin was water access only. Paul had let it slip once that he had a deathly fear of water due to a near-drowning incident when he’d been a kid, so he couldn’t come back here with her. He’d agreed to wait for her back at his room while she grabbed her stuff and returned to him in the morning.

Paisley smiled and shivers of excitement rippled through her. Paul had swept her off her feet the instant she’d seen him practically tripping out of his canoe with a couple of his buddies early one afternoon when she’d been lunching down by the docks. With his good looks, he’d caught her attention and his charming ways had attracted him to her right away. He seemed cheerful and accepting of her wanting to paint all the time.

He’d promised to take care of her. That his truck-driving job would allow him to take his wife along with him in his transport truck to all kinds of places. She’d be able to travel everywhere in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico and beyond. She could paint all kinds of scenery and she’d have a chance at a family for herself.

Her heart thumped a little too fast as she reached the top of the incline and spied the buttery-yellow lights splashing out of the large living room windows of the small cabin.

The curtains weren’t drawn and she spied the guys sitting at the table in front of the window playing cards. They played every night. They waited up for her whenever she worked the evening shift at the lodge, where she earned money to pay for her paint supplies, and as far as they were concerned, Paul was just a guy she was seeing. Nothing serious.

Adrenaline burst though Paisley at the idea of leaving here and marrying Paul. He’d said he would take her to places even more beautiful than this lake. He’d said she wouldn’t have to work again and she would be able to paint anytime she wanted. It was a dream come true. Almost too good to be true.

It was too good an opportunity to give up. He’d said he loved her too. How could she say no to that?

Besides, what she had with Andrew and Adam was just sex. Wasn’t it?

She frowned. No, it was more than that. What they had was special. But not normal. Nothing would come out of a sexual relationship with two men. If either one of them ever proposed, she would never be able to say yes because she loved both of them equally. They were dear friends too, and nothing could come out of this twisted relationship between the three of them.

She needed to face reality. She needed to move on. With Paul.

Raw emotion formed inside Paisley’s chest. It was an ugly feeling. Just thinking about leaving them made her sick. Maybe she should just turn around and go?

Not come back here tonight? Not leave that note she was planning to leave them in the morning before meeting up with Paul? Forget her last fling with them?

Suddenly, any decision was yanked away as a blade of white lightning forked across the sky above the cabin. A grumble of thunder echoed a warning through the still night air.

Well, she couldn’t go back out on the lake in a storm. She may as well go into the cabin and enjoy herself. Forget herself in their arms for one final night.

Moments later, she stood at the front door and sucked in a shuddering breath.

Okay, she could do this. She would do this. She would make herself forget she was leaving them. She would make herself forget, just for tonight. Tomorrow her new life would begin. Out with the old and in with the new.

She opened the door and stepped into the cabin.

“Just in time,” Andrew said as he and Adam gazed up from their cards.

“In time for—?” she asked. Paisley shut the door and hung her bag on one of the hooks just inside the door.

“For two horny-as-hell guys to make love to you all night long,” Andrew growled.

She trembled with excitement as both men stood.

“Yeah, baby. I’ve got the hard-on from hell from missing you all day,” Adam added.

She truly liked it that they were so turned on thinking about her.

“I’m ready to be taken, hard and fast,” she warned. She would lose herself in the firestorm of pleasure they created.

Their amused laughter rippled through the warm cabin air. It mingled with the grumble of thunder that drifted in through the open windows. Paisley’s nipples began to harden as Andrew tore off his T-shirt and exposed his chest muscles. A nice fluff of brown hair arrowed down the middle of his taut belly and disappeared beneath his pants. Need snapped through her as she spied his erection tenting his shorts and a guttural whimper escaped her slightly parted lips.

“Keep making that sound, Sparky. It really turns me on,” Adam whispered as he moved behind her.

Heat from Adam’s body blasted her. Fingers speared through her hair, and pleasure-pain seared her scalp when he pulled her hair, bringing her head back and sideways until she was gazing into his lust-filled eyes.

A hot thumb whispered over her lips and Adam caressed her until her mouth tingled.

He frowned and looked at her oddly, as if he sensed something was wrong.

“Fuck me,” she hissed, not wanting him to start asking questions. His frown disappeared and his eyes danced with promise at her words.

Suddenly, his head lowered and his mouth melted over hers. Paisley whimpered beneath his demanding onslaught. Jerked as his hands let go of her hair and then roamed down to her shoulders and along her arms to tangle his fingers into hers. He held her hands captive.

She joined his strength with her own. Boldly, she nipped at his mouth with her teeth.

Adam groaned and ground his erection against her ass.

She could feel Andrew watching them. Could hear the rasp of his zipper as he lowered it. A rustle followed as he removed the rest of his clothing.

Firm hands moved over her waist. Fingers dipped beneath her waistband and Andrew lowered her shorts and panties over her hips and down off her legs. She stepped out of them, not daring to break the magical kiss.

Fevered heat hummed through Paisley’s bloodstream and she creamed when Andrew cupped his hand over her pussy. He ground his palm into her pussy much in the same way as Adam did to her ass. Sizzling sensations whipped through her and she shuddered within the pleasure.

At the rip of foil, Paisley moaned into Adam’s mouth.

“You like it, don’t you, having the two of us taking you?” Andrew whispered. His voice was dark and deep and its huskiness rippled along her sensitized nerve endings. Andrew’s palm moved away and fingers teasingly trailed around her slit. Involuntarily, Paisley bucked against him, needing penetration.

Andrew chuckled.

“Spread your legs wider, sweetheart. Nice and wide,” he ordered.

Paisley did as he instructed, growing headier at the suctioning of Adam’s mouth devouring her lips. His tongue whipped against hers, sending jolts of excitement through her. She groaned as Andrew’s finger caressed her sensitive clit. He massaged her over and over until her mind and body screamed thick with pleasure. Cream spilled from her.

She struggled to rip her hands free from Adam’s grasp, so she could grab a shaft and pierce her arousal, but Adam held tight.

Damn them! She groaned into Adam’s mouth.

His lips grew more demanding, sliding over hers with intense possession. Finally, he tore his mouth away and kissed the length of her neck shooting tingles through her body. She liked the sensations. Liked the rasp of their breaths heavy in the air and mingling with the low grumble of thunder.

Andrew nudged the strap of her summer top off her left shoulder, then the other strap.

Because she wore no bra, her breasts spilled free.

Instantly, Adam moved away from her back end and came to her front. Both men leaned closer. Their heads lowered and each nipple was devoured by a hot mouth. Tongues danced over her rigid flesh. Sharp teeth shot brilliant pain into her breasts, and suctioning lips created such intensity she couldn’t stop from keening and arching her back and pressing herself harder into their mouths. She inhaled as Andrew pressed his fingers harder against her clit, creating more wicked pleasure.

Their mouths brought her to the edge of climax over and over pulling her back just before she could explode. Her senses became so inflamed she could barely think. Her pussy pulsed. Her need to be penetrated just about drove her nuts. She needed to be taken. Now!

Suddenly, Adam let go of her nipple.

“I have to take her,” he hissed. He let go of her hands and moved away. She slapped her palms against Andrew’s hard chest. His heart thumped beneath her fingers and his flesh was warm and moist. The rustle of clothing followed as Adam undressed.

Andrew let go of her nipple and kissed a wicked line up over her chest and neck, and then his lips melted over her mouth. His intoxicating kiss sizzled her lips, sending her thoughts back into oblivion.

Wow! He knew how to kiss.

Instantly, she became dazed by the pleasure he created. The rip of plastic and the slurp of lube came from somewhere behind her.

Paisley struggled to keep her sanity intact.

Adam stepped behind her. His hands slid firmly over the curves of her hips and his hard, lubed cock pushed past her tight sphincter. Paisley inhaled sharply, gasped and twisted at the intense pressure of his impalement. Her muscles quickly adjusted around him, squeezing, knowing the pleasure-pain that was to come.

“Beautiful, baby, beautiful,” Adam hissed. She cried in protest as he withdrew.

Andrew’s fingers had left her pussy and his hands sensually caressed her breasts as his mouth made love to hers.

Mindless excitement curled through Paisley and she jerked when Andrew’s sheathed shaft entered her. Her muscles clenched around him in welcome. Spirals of pleasure shot through her as Andrew withdrew and Adam entered.

Their big bodies pressed in around her. They began a steady pistoning seesaw rhythm. Her ass and pussy burned from their deep strokes.

She was trapped between them, their hard bodies pushing and grinding and thrusting into her. Paisley exploded, instantly lost in an inferno of sensations and shudders. She grabbed Andrew’s chest hairs, curled her fingers into the downy strands and held on. She ignored his fierce inhalation and eagerly bucked and rode the waves of pain and pleasure.

The men picked up their pace, their thrusts frantic and well-aimed, their penetration deep and mind-blowing, sending her into the oblivion she craved.

Paisley awoke with a start, her mouth tingling from their kisses. Her breaths came hard and fast and perspiration blistered across her forehead. Arousal from her dream pounded through her. The excitement was immediately crushed as she remembered what had happened last night, with her thinking Paul was outside her patio door and then her two guys coming to her rescue only to find out it had been a bear and not Paul.

Regret shot through her. She’d told them about Paul. Had seen the anger in their eyes. Knew in her heart that they would kill Paul if he dared to show up here and hurt her.

Paisley frowned. She’d brought her darkness into their lives. That was the last thing she’d wanted for them. For a fleeting moment, she thought about leaving here. But that idea made her feel sick to her stomach. No, she couldn’t do that to them again. Not unless it became necessary.

A dribble of perspiration angled its way into her hairline and she became aware of the overly warm comforter draped over her. Adam lay on one side of her and Andrew on the other. Their bodies cocooned her, drilling heat into her and hard muscles against her. Shimmers of sexual excitement wove its way through her again.

She was overly hot. Too aroused.

Slowly, she pushed the comforter down past her waist and then she froze.

Andrew was naked, his cock half-erect while he slept. A rush of memories bombarded her. Of Andrew kissing her last night. Losing herself so easily in the pleasure he created.

Paisley blew out a tense breath and resisted the urge to reach down and curl her hands around Andrew’s engorged shaft. She wanted to feel his flesh in her hands. Wanted to touch and stroke and make love to his cock and watch it grow.

She blinked aside those thoughts. She was crazy. Now was not the time to start a sexual relationship. She had to get onto her own two feet first.

The air was too warm in here and she remembered that last night, upon returning to the cabin, she’d put the heat on high to get the chill out and had inadvertently left it on that setting. Now it was way too warm. Even Adam had removed his shirt and pants sometime during the night and lay on top of the bed without any blankets.

A shiver of arousal swept through Paisley as she spied the swollen outline of Adam’s shaft pressing against his underwear.

Oh dear. She’d slept through the entire night without even realizing she’d been sleeping with her old lovers. But she had to admit it was the best sleep she’d had since she could ever remember. The guys made her feel safe and secure and much more than that. Horny.

Paisley closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

They smelled so good. Andrew of scented soap and strength. Adam smelled of the outdoors; pine, a hint of wood smoke and a touch of cologne she liked.

How in the world had she fallen in lust with two guys? It was just insane. Nobody she knew loved two men. Nobody.

She opened her eyes and gazed down at Andrew’s shaft again. An incredible yearning to have him thrusting into her made Paisley hold back an aroused whimper. She looked over at the outline of Adam’s cock and bit her bottom lip as she remembered how the men would hold her hips tightly as they double-penetrated her. She’d cry out as arousal spun through her. Scream when they would both withdraw and then thrust, impaling her over and over.

Back then, Paisley didn’t have a care in the world. They’d lived in that little rustic cabin with no running water and an ancient outhouse. She wondered why she hadn’t gone there yet, if only to relive the memories. Maybe because she’d been ultra-busy painting and getting her business ready.

Paisley smiled. But she would go. At the first opportunity, she would go.

A snore from Adam brought her to the present.

Both men were still fast asleep. They’d always needed alarm clocks to wake them. She, on the other hand, loved to wake early, and this morning was no exception.

She lifted her head and gazed at the travel alarm clock. It was six o’clock. If she hurried, she could catch the early-morning mist on the lake and use it to finish the painting she’d been working on over at the Art House.

As gingerly as she could, Paisley slid down the mattress between the two men and got out. At the foot of the bed, she gazed down at their sleeping figures.

All stress was gone from their faces. Both looked so boyish and relaxed as they slept. She smiled and tiptoed to the bathroom to take a quick shower.