DanielsSurrender (7 page)

Chapter Eight

Matt was still jazzed several hours later when Daniel walked
into Marcus’ office. Not even Daniel’s stony expression and refusal to meet his
eyes could dent his good mood. He’d spent fifteen very productive minutes at
the company’s in-house clinic, and when Daniel entered the room, Matthew was
happily anticipating the celebration he and Shannon would have when his test
results came back totally clean.

I like feeling you come in me.
He didn’t think he’d
ever heard anything sexier, and just the memory shot him hard as steel. So it
wasn’t surprising that Daniel took one look at the predatory smile on Matthew’s
face and prepared for battle.

“Do you have a decision for me?” Daniel’s voice was
scrupulously businesslike.

Matthew fanned the folders across the glossy surface of the
desk. “Man, why don’t I have a desk like this?” He ran his finger along the
edge. “It’s like a fricking altar.” He sent Daniel a naughty smile. “Too bad we
don’t have a sacrificial virgin around.” He laughed at Daniel’s scowl.

“You’ll have time to play later, Matty. It’s time to work
now.”

Matthew rolled his eyes at the condescending tone in
Daniel’s voice. “Oh for God’s sake, lighten up, Dan.” He drew the first folder
closer to him and decided to bait the tiger. “I never would have slept with you
if I’d known you were going to be such a prude about it. And don’t call me
Matty.”

“You just keep on pushing,
Matthew
,” Daniel gritted
out, “you’re going to end up hurting both of us.”

“Right, right.” Matthew’s sarcasm was obvious. “I don’t know
who or what you are.” He rolled his eyes again and continued. “I don’t know
what you want, and I sure as hell don’t know what I want.” He shook his head. “Blah,
blah, blah. Now sit down. I want to go over some more specific information on
these properties before I commit Worthington to anything.”

By noon the men had reached an uneasy truce, and had worked
through two of the three property files. They had just bent over the third when
a discreet buzz sounded, and Trey’s smooth voice filled the room.

“Shannon Whitney to see you, Mr. Worthington.” The words
were innocent enough, but both Matthew and Daniel could read the male
appreciation in the receptionist’s tone.

“Your little hottie?” Daniel questioned, seeming to forget
the tension between them, at least for a moment.

Matthew merely smiled and told Trey to send her in.

When Matt opened the office door, Shannon walked right into
his arms. It felt so good, so right, he had to drop several warm, damp kisses
on her lips before letting her go.

She had been smiling when she’d walked into the room, and
Matt watched with interest to see how her expression changed when she spotted
Daniel, once more gazing out the window.

“So, we’re having lunch with the force of nature, huh?” The
humor was clear in her voice.

Matthew was pleased to see the only emotions swirling in her
clear brown eyes were amusement and speculation. He was even more pleased to
see the predatory gleam in Daniel’s eyes when he turned to face her.

At Daniel’s questioning look, Matt led Shannon farther into
the room. “Daniel Ellis, force of nature.” He grinned at Daniel’s dry look.
“I’d like to introduce you to Shannon Whitney, magical mermaid.”

Shannon laughed and shoved him with her shoulder before
stepping forward to offer Daniel her hand.

Yep. It was the hottie from the night before. And she was
even better than he remembered. She still wore low-slung, faded jeans that
clung to every curve, but now she’d topped them with a flower-embroidered
cotton top that sort of floated over her body, caressing her breasts one
minute, hiding them the next. She’d replaced the ratty sneakers with a pair of
beaded sandals that showcased narrow feet to perfection. He had a brief urge to
nibble on her pink-painted toes. Delicious.

“So she’s a mermaid, is she?” Daniel wrapped his hand around
hers, surrounding it completely and highlighting how tiny she was. “I would
have guessed pixie.” He stepped in closer, deliberately invading her space. “Or
maybe angel.”

She grinned and stood her ground, letting him get so close
that each breath brushed her tight nipples against his suit coat.

“Oh, I’m no angel.” She sent a naughty wink in Matthew’s
direction. “They don’t get to have any fun.”

Finally retrieving her hand, she walked over to perch on the
desk dominating the room. Daniel caught Matthew’s eye, and knew they were both
remembering Matthew’s earlier comment about a sacrificial virgin. Daniel’s
mouth began to water.

“So,” she said brightly, oblivious to the dark sexual
current arching between the two men, “here I am, reporting for lunch as
commanded.” She glanced down at the reports scattered across the table. “Do you
have time for me?” She gestured toward Daniel. “I can take a rain check if you
need to keep working.”

Daniel answered before Matthew had time to do more than open
his mouth. “We didn’t get much accomplished yesterday.” Never mind that it was
because he’d walked out. “We really should keep on going now.” Before he bent
her pretty little body over the nearest chair and fucked her unconscious while
she sucked Matty’s cock as if it was a lollipop.

Shannon slid down from the desk and
moved to the door, and Matt immediately stopped her. “I promised you lunch.” He
tipped her chin up and stroked along the line of her throat. “And I don’t want
you to go yet.” Daniel gave a snort that could have been disgust or amusement,
even he wasn’t sure which, and Matthew shot him a narrow look. “If you’re so
determined to make up lost time, why don’t we order sandwiches and eat here?”

Daniel flipped his hand at the phone, aiming for
nonchalance. “Whatever it takes to get this done.”

Matt strode to the desk and picked up the phone, only to
stop and look at it blankly. “Well, hell.”

“What is it?” Shannon had moved up behind him, sliding her
hands under his jacket to flatten on his abdomen, stroking over the silk of his
shirt. Daniel couldn’t help the hungry way his eyes followed her wandering
fingers.

“Carrie’s gone, and I have no fucking idea where she calls
out to for lunch.”

When Matthew sent him a questioning look, Daniel shrugged
and said, “Don’t look at me. I’m just a visitor.”

Shannon burst out laughing and shoved Matthew out of the
way. “You poor little rich boys.” Rooting through the desk drawers, she dug out
a phone book. “I’m middle class enough to know how to use a phone book.”

Ignoring the twin looks of irritation being sent her way,
Shannon flipped through the yellow pages until she found a restaurant that
delivered deli-style sandwiches, and called in their order.

To Daniel’s surprise, lunch went amazingly well. Shannon was
new to the area, but she was incredibly intelligent, and made several fresh
observations about the final property he and Matt had to discuss. She was also
funny and warm, and managed to defuse most of the tension between him and
Matthew. Daniel found himself imagining Shannon naked and on her knees in front
of him. She had an incredible mouth and he was a little envious at the easy way
she interacted with Matt.

After much discussion, Matthew chose to commit to the first
property they’d discussed, a building site in Traverse City. Daniel had just
begun to relax and enjoy the lunch and the company when Matthew apparently
decided work time was done, and it was now time to play.

“Come here.” Matt playfully crooked a finger at Shannon, who
already sat close beside him. Sliding his chair out from the desk, he urged her
to her feet before guiding her onto his lap. Daniel could all but feel her soft
heat against his own body.

“Sandwich good?” Matthew leaned forward and licked a dab of
mustard from her full lower lip, and she nodded her agreement.

“Very good.” She returned the favor, licking a non-existent
dab of dressing from Matt’s mouth. Leaning back against his chest, she looked
over at Daniel. “Are you enjoying your lunch?”

Her eyes were asking an entirely different question than her
words, but he forced himself to ignore it. God save him from little children
who wanted to play at being naughty and had no idea the tiger they tempted.

“The sandwich is fine.” He’d kept his face expressionless,
so he couldn’t really understand the satisfied smile that crept across her
face.

“Good.” She glanced down at her empty plate. “But I’m still
hungry.” She pouted prettily up at Matthew, who immediately picked something up
from the desk.

“Wanna bite of my pickle?” He brushed the sour treat over
her bottom lip, pulling it back when she went to take a bite and laughing as
she followed it before catching it in her teeth. Instead of biting down,
Shannon slowly sucked the veggie between shiny pink lips, and winked at Matthew
when Daniel shifted restlessly.

Thoroughly enjoying herself, Shannon rose from Matthew’s lap
and swayed around the desk, collecting the abandoned cups and wrappers. She made
a point to lean in close as she gathered Daniel’s trash, breathing in his scent
and tempting him with her own. When she saw his fist clench on the arm of his
chair, she considered her job done for the moment, and turned to dispose of the
refuse.

She couldn’t believe how badly she wanted him to make a
move. Any move. It amazed her how much she’d changed from the shy, quiet little
school teacher who’d crossed that Michigan state line. She wondered if she were
being greedy, wanting to have her cake and eat it too—or have Matthew for a
lover and taste Daniel’s passion, too, as the case may be…

Glancing at the clock, she realized it was long after one.
She walked back to Matthew, who was now standing propped on the desk less than
a foot from where Daniel sat. Cuddling close, wriggling her hips between
Matthew’s thighs, she rested her palms on his chest and tipped her head back to
meet his smiling eyes.

“You’re happy,” she murmured.

“I am,” he agreed. “How can you tell?”

She stroked a hand down the center of his body and grasped
his erect cock for a gentle squeeze. “Your eyes are all blue and sparkly. They
do that when you’re happy.” Releasing his erection, she wrapped her arms around
him for a moment, before pulling back enough to meet his eyes again. “I should
go.” She glanced at Daniel, whose eyes were glued to their entwined forms. “Let
you get back to work.”

Matthew’s hands had found their way to her hips. He lowered
them now, cupping the full curves of her rear, and looked past her, at Daniel.
When Shannon looked over her shoulder, she saw that Daniel’s eyes were riveted
on Matthew’s hands, and his position, leaning forward with his elbows on his
knees, did nothing to disguise the tree trunk rising between his legs.

Matthew gave a little squeeze, and Shannon didn’t even try
to suppress her small sound of pleasure.

“You can’t leave without kissing me goodbye,” he murmured
against her forehead, and she felt his smile.

Shannon tilted her head to the side and wondered what Matt
was up to. She knew what she was up to. Matthew wanted her, and Matthew wanted
Daniel. She wanted them both, and from all appearances Daniel wanted it too, so
she saw no reason to deny any of them.

Rising to her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to Matthew’s,
moaning into his mouth as he immediately took control of the kiss. He licked
into her mouth, sending bursts of heat through her body. As his hands cruised
her back, she felt her nipples tighten, and rubbed against him, enjoying the
stimulation.

She wasn’t really sure how long she and Matt stood, lost in
each other and their kiss, before Daniel rose, shoving his chair back.

“Should I give the two of you some privacy?” His tone would
have been dry amusement, if it hadn’t been for the growl of arousal distorting
it.

She pulled back from Matthew and met his long, searching
look. Dropping to flat feet, she stepped back and turned to face Daniel.
Gathering her courage, she allowed her eyes to meet his before sliding down his
very fine body and pausing on the enormous erection tenting the front of his
trousers.

“I’m sorry.” She stepped closer. She could feel Matthew at
her back, encouraging her onward. “That was terribly rude of us.” She had moved
so close to Daniel she could feel the heat of his body sinking into hers.
Placing one palm flat on his chest, she moved the final inches to press lightly
against him, and rose to her toes again.

“I don’t want you to feel left out.” She slid her free hand
up, threading her fingers through the hair at his nape, urging his mouth to
hers. Where Matthew tasted of sunshine and laughter, Daniel tasted of sin and
dark nights.

He let her control the kiss, not resisting, but not
participating either, until she thought she’d lose what was left of her mind.
She was already wet from the last hour’s worth of mental foreplay and from
Matthew’s kiss. Now she was in need. And what she needed was for Daniel to use
those perfectly sculpted lips on hers, to fill her with his tongue and his
taste, and to put those large, elegant hands all over her body.

Frustrated, Shannon pressed closer. When Daniel continued to
let her take the lead, she decided desperate times called for desperate
measures. Sucking his tongue into her mouth, she slid one hand down, slithering
it deep between his legs to cup his testicles.

Finally Daniel’s control seemed to break. His kiss crashed
over her like a tidal wave. No longer restrained, Daniel thrust his tongue into
her mouth, exploring every crevice and learning her taste.

He kissed her until she was breathless and panting, sagging
against him on knees gone weak. And then he kissed her some more.

Just when she knew her legs wouldn’t support her, she felt
Matthew move in behind her, blanketing her back with his heat. Matt was
acknowledging his approval of her shared kiss with Daniel.