Tina checked her watch, stunned to see over two hours had passed since they’d arrived at Valerie’s. And just like that her heart dipped in her chest. Gabe’s half hour was up, long ago.

Thank God for that. Now she could walk away and not look back. What a relief.

He opened the car door for her. “Would you like me to drop you back at the coffee shop?”

Tina stared at him. That would be the best idea. The car trip would give her ample time to thank him for introducing her to Valerie, and then she could get away from him. Perhaps she’d send him a gift tomorrow. A bottle of wine. Or scotch. Something to express her gratitude. At least she wouldn’t be trapped beside him any longer, yearning to pick up where they’d left off four years ago. Yearning to feel his and Connor’s hands on her body again, their lips on her mouth.

“I could drop you at home?”

Nope, bad idea. She’d feel compelled to invite him in.

“Or I could do what I’ve been wanting to for the last few hours and take you in my arms and kiss you.”

Tina’s jaw fell open. “What—?”

Gabe’s gaze dropped to her mouth. He shook his head. “Not just the last few hours,” he said hoarsely. “The last four years.”

Her vocal powers eluded her. There was not one single thing she could think of to say in response. Not one.

“Christ, T, I’ve dreamed of seeing you again.” His massive hand was on her cheek now, and he dragged his thumb over her lower lip. “Kissing you again.”

A wave of dizziness washed over her. Never mind the powers of speech, she couldn’t think straight.

“Dreamed of touching you.” His thumb traced the curve of her upper lip. “Tasting you.”

Her breath caught in her throat.

“I’ve dreamed of you. Every night for four years.” Even as he said it he bent forward. She watched, spellbound, as he closed the distance between them. With a soft groan, he pressed his mouth to hers.

She turned to mush. Standing on the footpath beside his car, with his lips on hers, she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think or talk. She could hardly hold herself upright. Her bones dissolved in her legs and her arms lost all structure. Gabe’s lips were on hers—warm, soft and seductive. Gabe. Oh, dear Lord, Gabe.

He drew back to stare into her eyes. “Christ…” he whispered. “I’ve wanted you for four years.” And then his mouth was on hers again, his tongue slipping between her lips, and she melted into him.

God help her, she hadn’t meant to respond, but how could she resist the temptation that was Gabe Carter?

Sensing her capitulation, his arms closed around her, pulling her in even closer, and she lost herself in his immense size, in his taste, in his familiar, spicy scent. Had anyone ever made her feel the way Gabe and Connor did?

All it had taken with them was one kiss, and she was reduced to a trembling wreck. Nothing had changed. Shivers raced through her as Gabe deepened the kiss, reminding her how each cell in her body had always responded to the two men, how every nerve fiber had stood to attention when they touched her.

He lifted her up, curving her body into his. His chest was a solid mass against her breasts, his legs thick and muscled against her thighs. In this position it was impossible to ignore the girth of his erection straining against her belly. Its very presence made her weak-kneed and lightheaded. It also made her horny. Very, very horny.

His tongue danced with hers. His taste filled her mouth. Sex and man.

No one had tasted quite so enticing as Gabe or Connor.

And no one had hurt her quite as profoundly as Gabe.

The thought knocked a little sense into her, giving her the strength to pull away. His arms might have been firm as steel rings around her waist, but the second she struggled against them they relaxed, allowing her to step down. Yet again, Tina was reminded of just how safe she’d always felt with him. No matter his size or his strength, he would never use it against her.

Just like that she was free. Released from the all-consuming embrace that fogged her mind and clouded her body with desire. Her breasts were heavy within the tight constraints of her bra, and her chest heaved in a futile attempt to draw breath.

No one had hurt her quite as profoundly as Gabe.

“You can take me home, thank you.” She stepped back, squared her shoulders and glared at him. Then wished she hadn’t. Glaring at Gabe meant staring him straight in the face. And what a face. His lips, full and succulent at the most platonic of times, were now swollen from their kiss. His eyes were dark and even more hooded than before. Desire seeped from beneath his heavy lids.

Christ, he looked edible. If she didn’t wrap her head around the fact that this was the very man who had stomped all over her heart and her trust, she would jump him. Right here, outside the house of the woman who had just offered her the chance of a lifetime.

“Ah, T, there is nothing I would like more than to take you home.” His words were draped in velvet and served to her with a light sprinkling of breathlessness and a thick promise of sex. “Take you home, strip you of your clothes and your inhibitions and make love to you for the rest of the day.” He swallowed. “The rest of the week.”

She was gawking again. Staring all bug-eyed at him. And why couldn’t she hold her darn mouth shut? Why’d her jaw have to hang open like some speechless moron who couldn’t put a sentence together? And please, someone—anyone—tell her she wasn’t drooling.

Please.

“Take off the glasses, Jules.” This time there was not a hint of a smile playing on the corner of his mouth.

Julia looked at him, startled. Her heart began to beat in an irregular pattern.

He ran a thumb over the back of her hand, sending streaks of delight whizzing up her arm. “Take them off,” he said again, his voice a mere whisper.

“Hunter…”

He took the money and placed it on the table. Then he leaned over until his mouth was close to hers. “You said it, sweetheart. Men don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses.” His brown eyes narrowed to tiny slits.

She gaped at him. Quick comebacks had always been her strong point. So why, in the face of Hunter’s physical proximity, did she struggle to put together the simplest of sentences? Never mind coherent speech, why did she struggle to breathe?

His gaze was on her lips now. “Okay,” he conceded huskily, “maybe they do.” With that, he closed the space between her mouth and his.

Julia would have gasped out loud, but her lips—and her voice—were possessed by Hunter. His lips weaved their magic across hers, nibbling, stroking, caressing.

Her breath hitched in her throat. Oh, Lord. She’d spent months lusting after him, months fantasizing about him, and now Hunter was finally kissing her.

With a soft groan, he touched the tip of his tongue to her lips. Her mouth drew open as if by will of its own. Her acceptance of his silent appeal was all he needed. Hunter took control of the kiss with an expertise that wiped thought from her mind. All she could focus on were the exquisite sensations he evoked within. The warmth that suffused her body, the tingles that raced over her skin and the shivers that crept up her spine.

Sweet heaven, the man could kiss. Not that she’d expected anything less, but melting on a chair in Jay’s dining room was a most startling turn of events. One she’d craved for four months. One she’d only dreamed would transpire.

Hunter pulled away, inhaled and licked his lips. “Mmm. You taste as decadent as the wine you’ve been drinking.” He licked his lips again.

With his tongue engendering all sorts of wicked thoughts, Julia didn’t stop to think about her answer. She’d wanted him to kiss her since that first poker game. Since she’d looked at him and stars had exploded. “You taste like sex.”

With a groan he crushed his mouth to hers, kissing her with an ardor that made her pussy clench. Her dreams had never been this good—in her fantasies his lips had never been as thorough. Lord, he only need say the word and she’d strip naked for him.

But then, Jay need only say the word, and she’d strip naked for him too.

The thought of the brown-haired hunk in the kitchen brought a whimper to her throat. Hunter’s kiss was exquisite. Out-of-this-world amazing. But how could she kiss him back knowing she loved Jay too?

How could she not?

A rush of heat pooled between her legs. Her nipples tightened into hard beads. Damn! The man could kiss.

Without releasing her mouth, Hunter pulled her up and backed her across the room. Blinded by passion, she tagged along, her trust in him absolute. Besides, she wasn’t about to end the kiss just so she could see where he led her.

When her back touched the wall, he sighed and crowded into her, pressing his body against hers. Every inch of him was hard, from his muscular thighs to his powerful arms. From the solid wall of his chest down to the thick erection in his jeans.

“Miles,” a voice sounded behind Hunter. A low male voice that made her shiver.

God. Jay was here. Watching her with Hunter.

“Go ’way, Baxter,” Hunter mumbled against her lips.

“Not on your life,” Jay said. “I want me a taste of that.”

He did?

Hunter resumed the kiss, his mouth filling hers with delicious promises.

“Shift over, Blondie,” Jay said with quiet determination.

What the…? That hadn’t sounded like the chilled-out, laid-back Jay at all.

Hunter sighed and began to pull away. His lips clung to hers as his tongue gave a final sweep of her mouth. He pressed his rigid erection against her groin before taking a deep breath and stepping aside.

She didn’t have time to protest. Jay took Hunter’s place before she registered the loss of contact with him. He gave her a dazzling smile and claimed her mouth in another bone-melting kiss.

Jay. The guy who tempted her on a weekly basis with his shameless flirting but never quite carried through on his half promises, was now brushing her lips with his, teasing her with his tongue and igniting all sorts of fires in her belly.

Kissing him was nothing like kissing Hunter. While his lips and tongue tantalized, his body caressed, moving first this way then that, ensuring every part of her was stroked by every part of him. He was just as solid as Hunter—everywhere—but his height and her position threw Julia off balance. His hands spanned the width of her back and waist, and she stood on tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life, never wanting to let go.

The kiss they shared wasn’t just temperature-raising, toe-curling unbelievable, it was a culmination of a year’s worth of teasing.

As horny as it made her—and man, was she ever horny—Julia wasn’t sure she was ready for this. How could she kiss Jay and Hunter? She’d spent months agonizing over her love for both of them. Months trying to choose one over the other—and now they were both kissing her.

On the other hand she wasn’t sure she was ready to pull away. Because no one had ever kissed her quite like Hunter or Jay. No one had ever evoked such a physical response from her in quite so short a time. In fact, no man had ever kissed her two seconds after another man had pulled away.

Jay lifted his head, catching his breath. God, she was kissing Hunter and Jay. Both of them!

Too much. It was happening too fast. She couldn’t let it go any further.

Could she?

Lordy, if she felt this good being kissed by two men, imagine how she’d feel making love to them both.

Was she out of her mind even considering the idea?

Her answer was a resounding yes. She had to be out of her mind. Good girls did not do that sort of thing, and she’d been raised to be a good girl.

Even as her mouth opened to welcome back Jay’s tongue, she used her hands to push him away. He let her go—but didn’t release her lips.

Hunter took her hand and twirled her out of Jay’s embrace, back into his own arms. Jay swore. The world spun out of control. Her chest hummed, her stomach muscles clenched and she accepted Hunter’s greedy kiss again. For a second. A minute. An hour.

Then there was pressure at her back, another person melding his body to hers. His hips cradled the top of her butt, and his erection pressed firm against her lower spine. Her hair was pushed to the side, and feather-light kisses were pressed to her neck. Tiny nips attacked her ears, so light the sting was less like pain and more like darts of pleasure rushing through her.

Here she was, cocooned between the two finest-looking men she’d ever had the pleasure of meeting, being treated to a sensory seduction of lips and tongues, and damned if she wasn’t steaming past boiling point.