Their Virgin Secretary

Chapter Four

Belle felt like she was floating in a haze of happiness. Tate carried her as if she weighed next to nothing, and that was so far from the truth. She hadn’t been cradled like this since childhood. She reveled in the way he held her close, the embrace so warm and intimate. Maybe other women about to take on three strapping lovers would be worried. Belle wouldn’t deny that she was a bit nervous, but they made her feel so safe—yet so desperate. Tate leveled a hot stare in her direction. Her breath caught. Then Eric looked her up and down, his hazel eyes undressing her without a word. Somehow, that stare made Belle feel naked. Her heart drummed. Finally, she cast a shy glance at Kell. His taut expression told her that he plotted to devastate her from head to toe and show absolutely no mercy. Arousal clawed through Annabelle unrelentingly.

“All right, love. Tate’s had his turn. Now it’s mine.” Eric eased her from Tate’s arms and into his.

Breath hitching, she settled against his lean strength, drawn as always to his sharply-cut golden hair and glittering hazel eyes, full of sexual promise. When they dropped to her chest and flared, she glanced down to find that her bodice had shifted and her breasts were almost exposed.

“Oh, I need to fix that.” She reached for one of her straps.

Eric’s hands tightened on her. “Don’t you dare. We’ll have you out of that dress shortly, so your modesty, while very sweet, is utterly unnecessary with us.” And unwelcome from the sound of his voice. “You should be far more focused on all the pleasurably dirty things I plan to do to you. Want me to tell you all about it?”

Belle barely managed a shaky nod.

If he was anything like Tate, the next words out of his mouth would damn near set her on fire. She’d never guessed Tate could talk like that, but she felt as if she’d glimpsed a new side of him, one with a confidence he didn’t often display. He’d taken over the minute his lips had touched hers—turning surprisingly commanding—and Belle hadn’t wanted to do a thing beyond follow his lead. Now, she ached to know what Eric had in mind.

“Please.”

A wicked smile curled his lips. “I want to strip you bare so you have nowhere to hide and I can take in every single inch of your gorgeous flesh. Then I’m going to touch and taste every part of it. I’ll caress your shoulders, kiss your nape, run my tongue down your spine, suck your nipples, and lave your clit until you’re crying out.”

Wow. He and Tate had gone to the same school of seduction. All of that sounded wonderful…and a bit overwhelming since no man had ever done any of that to her. Just the mere suggestion had need bubbling under her skin, her nipples tightening, her clit aching.

“Why don’t you start by kissing me?” She responded with a sultry tone of her own. She wasn’t sure where it had come from—or the confidence that accompanied it. Maybe she was not only uncovering a new side to them, but they’d sparked one in her with their touch.

“My pleasure.” Eric’s lips found hers, teasing gently, a brush of heat and softness that left her wanting more.

He seemed to surround her as he kissed her, never pausing or faltering as he slid his fingers through her hair and pressed her body to his own. Belle opened for his onslaught and tasted a hint of the beer he’d had at the reception, along with a spicy, addicting tang. With a little moan, she opened to him and threw herself into the kiss, aroused by Kell’s eyes on her, by Tate sidling up behind her to feather his lips up her nape.

God, she was melting.

Before she’d even finished the thought, all her bosses worked together to ease her to the floor. Eric didn’t miss a beat. He covered her, steadying himself above her. As he plunged his tongue deep in a silky kiss, he reached under her skirt and brushed one warm palm up her thigh, to her hip. He parted her legs with a nudge of his own and rocked his erection right against that sensitive spot that had her gasping. Heat flashed from her lips all the way to her core.

“You look too pretty not to ravish, Annabelle,” Kellan said over the roaring of her heart.

She was wet in a way she’d never imagined. She’d read about passion, knew the basics, but no man had ever taken her there before, ever made her feel so restless and needy and ready to beg.

“In fact, I think I’ll start now. It’s my turn,” Kellan insisted.

As Eric raised his head with a growl, Belle gave a little shiver and glanced at the only one of her bosses who hadn’t yet kissed her. Kellan impacted her like a sex bomb exploding all through her system. As unwilling as she was to end the addictive perfection of Eric’s kiss, she was dying to know the flavor of Kell’s mouth and every dirty desire he wanted to slake on her.

Eric brushed her hair back and planted a final kiss on her lips, his eyes seductive. “Don’t be scared of the Dom there. He might want some things that seem strange at first, but they’ll bring you pleasure in the end.”

He’d mentioned discipline. That meant spanking or flogging or something mysteriously kinky she barely knew about. She risked another glance up at Kell.

He was six foot three inches of pure sin, from his conservatively cut dark hair, all the way to his stylish black Italian loafers. As he crouched beside her now, his shoulders loomed broad, his stare hot with demand. Annabelle swallowed hard. Kellan Kent had a body built for sex.

She noticed that he’d loosened his tie since entering the suite. A sexy five-o’clock shadow graced the sharp line of his jaw. Kellan’s face was all planes and angles, making his beauty undeniable but predatory.

“Take off your clothes, Annabelle. Now. I want to see every inch of you. You’ll present yourself to me. Do you understand? Is that command spelled out for you in those books you read when you think no one is looking?”

She felt herself flush. He knew what was on her tablet? “That’s private.”

Kellan’s eyes flared, and she realized she’d just challenged the Dom. “Oh, no it’s not. That tablet is company property, bought for you with my credit card, and I was beyond excited to find out that you used it to read erotica—and not just any erotica.”

She read BDSM and ménage. And judging from the looks on their faces, they all knew it. Could they guess that when she read those books, she imagined that her bosses were the heroes and she was the lucky woman in the middle?

Belle rose unsteadily to her feet with their help. The men she worked for were obviously nosy bastards, and she made a mental note to put a passcode on everything.

“Answer me. Do you understand what I’m asking of you?” Kell barked.

In that moment, she was thankful for her books. “You want me to undress and present my naked body for your pleasure, Sir.”

A look of deep satisfaction crossed his face. “That’s exactly what I want, and we’re going to sit back and watch you take off every stitch of clothing.”

They were all watching her now. The three of them stood side by side. Having already ditched his suit coat, Eric worked at the buttons of his shirt, but he’d been an athlete all his life. She already knew how gorgeous he was going to be. Tate had stripped to the waist in the last few minutes and now shocked her as he showed off his jaw-droppingly muscled chest. His slacks rode low on his hips, showing off the notches there. He might have an amazing brain, but he obviously knew his way around a weight room. And Kell…she’d accidentally caught sight of him changing shirts in his office once, so she knew how gorgeous he was. Hell, those three men were practically Greek gods. Annabelle had always felt too big—big butt, big boobs, big dreams. Her mouth was a bit too sassy, her skin a shade too dark. What did they see in her?

“Stop thinking, Belle,” Kellan commanded. “Focus on the orders you should obey and the Masters you should please.” His voice went low, the very sound of seduction. “You don’t have to worry about anything, love. We think you’re beautiful.”

“Yes,” Tate agreed. “Show us.”

“Let us see what we’ve been dreaming about for a year.” Eric finally slipped out of his shirt, leaving her gaping at his perfect form—wide shoulders, hard pectorals, tapered waist, ridged abdomen.

They weren’t stupid men. They must see her flaws. Shockingly, they didn’t seem to care. She forced her fears aside. She’d let them rule her for too long, and that hadn’t gotten her anywhere. The only path her anxiety had taken her down was a lonely one.

Belle reached around for the zipper of her dress, trying to grasp it between her fingers. Since she’d needed Kinley’s help to get dressed, it shouldn’t shock her that she couldn’t quite reach.

Kellan slipped behind her. “Allow me.”

She stood still, head bowed as he brushed her long hair over her shoulder, her breath catching as he dragged the zipper down. Cool air caressed her back. A wave of heat seared her when Kellan brushed his palms across her skin, parting the dress, letting it slide from her torso and fall to her waist.

Eric and Tate stared. Their gazes sizzled her flesh, flared her need again. But Kell took his time exploring, his fingertips tracing her spine and down to the small of her back.

He leaned in, his breath playing on her skin. “You’re so soft.”

A shudder went through her. Belle closed her eyes and drowned in sensation. She felt soft—and vulnerable, yes, but so strong and ready. She let her head drift back to his shoulder, the masculine scent of his aftershave washing over her.

His fingers drifted up her back to play between her shoulder blades, along the curve of her spine. Thank god she’d thought to wear pretty lingerie. Usually she didn’t notice or care what went on under her clothes as long as the undergarments were clean, but the lacy white bra she’d worn under her cocktail dress tonight had scalloped edges and demi-cups. Not that it seemed like she would be keeping it on for long.

She’d barely finished the thought before Kellan unhooked her bra with shocking efficiency. Belle caught the cups against her and shielded her breasts.

“Don’t,” Tate protested. “I want to see them, Belle.”

“He’ll be the easy one to deal with. I have no problem telling you that if you don’t drop your hands, you’ll find yourself over my knee,” Kellan said.

“I’d pay to see that, baby.” Eric shimmied out of his pants and socks, then stood before her in nothing but his boxers. His cock tented the cotton.

Belle tried not to gape—or let on that her mouth practically watered at the sight.

“Oh, you’ll see it. She owes me for the lies earlier,” Kellan explained. “But it’s up to her just how red she wants her ass to be when we take her to bed. What’s it going to be, Annabelle?”

She dropped the bra, baring her breasts to their gazes. A low ache simmered deep in her pussy, a new and wholly erotic feeling that made her so very aware that she was a woman.

“Everything else,” Kellan commanded as he strode across the lavish suite and gracefully tossed his big body into one of the chairs, then looked back at her expectantly.

A king on his throne, waiting for his lover to reveal her treasures to him. The image was so clear in her head that she couldn’t help but comply.

With shaking hands, she pushed the dress over her hips and let it slide to the floor. Her panties were the same gossamer white that had hugged her breasts—so much sexier than the underthings she normally wore. When she’d looked at herself while dressing, she’d liked the way the pale fabric made her skin gleam. She tried to let that memory bolster her confidence so she could stand before them in almost nothing.

“All of it, Belle.”

She nearly cursed Kell for pushing her out of her comfort zone so quickly, but she didn’t dare say it out loud. Besides, she already knew he wouldn’t let her hide behind anything.

Still, Belle bit into her bottom lip and hesitated. No one had seen her naked in years. But what did she have to be ashamed of? She might not be a beauty queen or a movie star, and yes, she might have a few too many curves, but she wasn’t atrocious.

The truth was, if she wanted to know what it meant to have their eyes all over her, what it felt like to have these three men pleasure her, then she had to get brave.

Drawing in a bracing breath, Belle eased her thumbs inside the waistband of her panties and pushed them off. As she fought off a quiver, she stood in front of them wearing nothing but her budget-busting shoes and an apprehensive smile.

Silence. Utter, terrifying silence. Well, what had she expected? Applause?

Finally, Eric swallowed thickly and took a step toward her. “God, you’re more beautiful than I thought.”

“So fucking gorgeous.” Tate toed off his shoes and started in on his slacks. “I can’t wait.”

Only Kellan refrained from tearing off his clothes. Instead, he sat, watching her, dissecting her. “Come to me, love.”

Annabelle heard the approval in his voice, saw warmth in his blue eyes, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this wasn’t just a post-wedding hookup. Maybe this really meant something to them.

She cast a questioning glance at Eric and Tate, both of whom gestured her over to Kell. Yeah, she had absolutely no question about who was in charge. Still, she stood rooted.

The reality of the moment, the gravity, made her heart pound until it roared in her ears. Just walk across this suite totally naked in front of men who, up until tonight, had merely been her bosses? At her hesitation, Kellan raised a sharp brow. Guess the answer was yes. Clearly, he wasn’t going to let her slide or give her the easy out. He managed to communicate that without a word.

She fidgeted. It would be so much easier for her if they would just pounce on her, but no. Kellan forced her to make the choice to approach him. Her implied yes obviously wouldn’t do. Eric and Tate watched her with keen, unblinking stares, obviously on board with his plan.

Talk about being circled by sharks.

Kellan sat up and patted his lap, leaving Annabelle no doubt he meant to spank her. “I won’t force this on you. If you prefer, I’ll walk out and leave you to them. They’ll fuck you senseless and give you pleasure. That might be enough for you, but I think you need something more. I think you crave the dominance I’m wired to give you.” He shrugged casually, but Belle sensed he cared very much how she felt. “If you don’t want to try, tell me now.”

“If I did, you would be disappointed.” The thought slipped out.

“Yes. That’s perceptive.” He nodded. “I think a power exchange would work well between us, but if you choose not to submit to me, I won’t treat you any differently than I have for the past fourteen months.”

There was only one answer in Belle’s mind. She’d fantasized about this a million times. She couldn’t imagine making love without all three of them. She hated to disappoint Kell. Despite all the pretty words and implied promises tonight, the future might not work out for the four of them, but they’d have no chance if she didn’t give it her all now.

Taking in another fortifying breath, Annabelle crossed the room with a smile.

Something eased in Kell’s eyes. “Excellent. I’m proud of your courage. Let’s get your punishment out of the way so we can focus on making you feel good for the rest of the night.” He sent her a little smirk. “Although I suspect you’ll enjoy this, too. Over my lap.” He took her hand and urged her down. “If you need to stop me tonight for any reason, just say the word and I will. Later, you’ll have a safe word. We’ll also have a contract. But tonight, we’ll keep it light.”

Annabelle frowned. She didn’t like the idea of a contract with Kellan. She wanted to share her heart with him, not a legal document. But not only was he a Dom, he was also a lawyer. Both sides of him would insist on spelling out the terms, rights, and conditions of their relationship, including its ending, before it had barely begun. She suspected his ex-wife also had a lot to do with that. Kell would need a crystal-clear agreement between them to feel safe. The realization made her sad.

“Let me help you get in position.” Tate raced to her side, his warm hand searing the small of her back. He glanced down at her butt. “God, Belle, look at that ass.”

She winced. “I try not to.”

As he smoothed his hand down one cheek, his eyes narrowed with desire. “Hmm. I won’t be able to get it out of my head.” He squeezed the plumpest curve, then stepped back with a sigh of regret. “Get the discipline over with, Kell. I want to put my mouth on her.”

Desire pooled between her legs, making her feel shaky and overheated. She pressed a hand to her stomach as if that would calm the butterflies dancing inside. When it didn’t, she tangled her fingers with Tate’s for support and lowered herself over Kellan’s lap.

Trying to perch over his thighs was nothing short of awkward. She shifted and rebalanced, seeking a comfortable position.

Kellan’s big hand anchored her at the small of her back. “Stop wiggling.”

Belle did her best to comply, stilling and breathing through every heartbeat, trying to clear her head of everything except giving him what he wanted. At least that’s what the Doms wanted in the books she read.

When she calmed and stopped squirming, Kell rewarded her with a caress up her spine. Another hand joined his, this one on her outside hip, skating up to cup her ass. She suspected that belonged to Eric. Belle knew she’d guessed right when a third hand planted on her skin, palming her nape before long fingers tangled in her hair. Definitely Tate’s.

Desire tore through her. They were all touching her at once, exploring her together. She’d wanted and waited, never imagining for a moment it would happen. But here she was, at their mercy.

She kind of hoped they didn’t have much.

“Will you look at that?” Eric’s voice broke the thick silence.

“I’m telling you, that is the juiciest ass I’ve ever seen,” Tate said.

“Sustained,” Eric quipped as he squeezed one of her cheeks. “This visual is all the evidence I need.”

“Ah, do you smell that, gentlemen? Our sweet secretary is aroused.” A wealth of satisfaction darkened Kellan’s voice.

“Administrative assistant,” she piped up, her belly and her breath tight.

She ran that office, damn it. Regardless of the fact she was draped over her boss’s lap, her naked ass in the air, that didn’t mean she had no professional pride. Her current job might not be her dream, but she did it well.

At that, the hands caressing her, except the one at the small of her back, lifted away. A moment later, she heard a whoosh she couldn’t place. A sudden smack followed it. Then hot pain blasted across her right cheek and flared over the skin of her ass. Her breath fled. Her heart raced as Kellan held his hand on her.

“In the office, I’ll call you whatever you like.” His voice turned silky. “Hell, you keep the place functioning most of the time. But in the bedroom, you’re our sweet little secretary.”

His words revved her up. The independent woman in her said that she shouldn’t like what Kell murmured, but no denying that he made her even wetter. Her emotions were all askew, running haywire. And now that the pain had passed, a burning tingle flared just under her skin. No, a deep arousal—hot, wicked, and addictive. “Yes.”

Another smack. “Just yes? Think carefully.”

Sensation blanketed her brain, muffling her thoughts. Belle tried not to lose herself in his touch, in her desire to feel his hand on her ass again. She had to focus. What was it he wanted?

“Sir. Yes, Sir,” she blurted as soon as she figured it out.

“Much better.” He smoothed his hand over her cheeks, distributing the heat and rewarding her—for the moment. “Now, let’s talk about lying. I don’t like it and I won’t tolerate it.”

“I second that,” Eric put in.

“Me, too,” Tate added.

“There you go. I’m not talking about social situations. But Belle, we’re not merely your friends. You can’t blow us off with a polite excuse. We’re about to become your lovers. If you lie to us, expect consequences. We need to know how you feel, when you’re hurt or sad, scared or worried. You can’t just smile away your emotions.”

“They belong to us,” Eric explained. “Like your body is about to.”

“So, for lying to me in the hallway, I’m giving you a count of twenty. If I catch you lying again, I’ll give you more. You will always tell us how you feel. Like now.” Kell’s expectation hung in the air between them.

She didn’t even think about withholding or lying. The words just spilled out. The situation was so intimate there didn’t seem to be room for anything but honesty. “Hot, achy, the tiniest bit scared.”

“Perfect. Thank you for your honesty. We know you’re nervous because this is our first time together. We’ll make sure that you come to trust us.”

“Yes, Sir,” she breathed.

Three quick smacks had her moaning when the pain hit. The next two made her writhe as the ache deepened. He clearly meant business with those slaps, but the shocking sting morphed into something she found herself craving even more of.

After another five, they were halfway through the punishment. A haze of desire descended and she slowly lost herself in the rhythm of Kellan’s discipline—the whack of his hand and his hard exhalation, followed by Eric’s moan, Tate’s groan, and her whimpering out the count before it started all over again.

Belle shook, on fire, desperate for more. She gripped his leg, dug her nails into the wool of Kellan’s pants. He drew in an audible breath, dragging in her scent again. She felt the thick line of his erection against her belly harden even more. Disciplining her really did something for him.

“How are you, love?” he asked.

Shaky, shocked, and so, so alive. “Good, Sir.”

“Excellent. Keep counting.”

“Hurry. As soon as you’re done, I’m definitely offering her my penis.” Tate sounded so completely earnest that Belle cracked a smile.

“I have no doubt,” Eric drawled. “We all are.”

Kellan ignored them and peppered five more quick slaps across her cheeks, branding the heat under her skin until she felt helpless and drowning in sensation. Completely needy.

“Can you take five more?” He didn’t demand, but everything in his tone told Belle that he really hoped she could.

Happily. “Yes, Sir.”

She closed her eyes, wanting to block out everything but the sound of his flesh striking hers, the feel of his hand rubbing the heat into her skin. She counted each time his palm stuck her bare backside. Belle savored each smack, delighting in the sting and the blaze that followed, settling into her pussy.

God, who would have guessed that she’d like it? Descriptions of spankings in books had always made her uncomfortably wet, but the reality… Belle sighed in contentment. The reality of this oddly sharp pleasure went far beyond anything her imagination could have conceived. He dissolved her into a shaking, aching mass.

Before she knew it, Kell delivered the last slap and ended the punishment. He stroked her heated bottom one final time, then eased her off his lap. He urged her to curl up against him for a blissful moment as he cuddled her. Pressing her cheek to his lapel, she reveled in the feel of his strong arms around her, his heartbeat against her ear. She even enjoyed the heat of her naked skin against his designer suit.

All too soon, he tipped her chin in his hand and lifted her face just under his. The masculine splendor of his sculpted lips hovered just over her own. “You did very well. Now that it’s over, tell me…Can you handle me, Belle? I need this in a way the other two don’t. I’ll always want to discipline you. I’ll always want to tie you down and have my way, but I promise I’ll make it good for you. Did you enjoy that?”

“I did, Sir.” Her throbbing backside was a memento of the intimacy they’d shared. But rather than the ache upsetting or angering her, the sensations settled under her skin and calmed her in some way she didn’t quite understand.

“I want to know for myself.” He dropped his hand on her knee, gently pulling them apart. “I need to feel exactly what I did to you.”

That he needed anything from her moved Belle. She willingly parted her legs for him. Kellan was always shut down, so often distant, but in that moment, she felt close to him, shared the sort of bond with him she’d fantasized about.

His big hand slid between her legs, palm covering her pussy gently before his callused fingertips moved in a silky slide down her wet folds. As tingling erupted and her body broke out in goose bumps, Kell dipped to her opening and eased two fingers inside with a low male groan.

Her breath fled as his fingers thrust just inside her slick heat, teasing her with soft friction, taking her by tingling surprise. In seconds, Belle began to gasp and arched to him.

“How wet is she?” Tate dropped to one knee beside her and cupped her breast, skimming her nipple with his thumb and spreading the need.

“Soaking,” Kellan replied, sounding mighty pleased. “Do you want to come, love?”

“Of course she does. And I want to watch her.” Eric winked, standing over them.

Belle was relieved that Eric saved her the trouble of stating the obvious. She was pretty sure she had never truly climaxed before. She’d had little pleasures by her own hand, but nothing she’d done had ever felt half so good as what Kellan did to her right now.

Then his fingers slid over her clit and rubbed a slow circle. She stared up at him, stunned by the lush desire rolling through her body.

Kellan just smiled. “Let’s hear you scream.”

“I concur.” Tate hovered over them, watching Kell’s fingers with rapt, dark eyes.

“Amen, brother,” Eric murmured, his hazel eyes glittering.

Kell’s mouth descended on hers before she could reply with anything but a moan. She opened automatically. He kissed her hard and deep, possessing her as his tongue slid home in time with his fingers. The pressure built quickly, little lightning bolts of pleasure that jolted her system, making her shudder in his arms.

She tensed, her fever rising. It wasn’t long before her skin felt too tight. Her breathing went choppy. She drowned in Kellan’s scent and nearness as he drove her up high, where the flames licked her flesh, until the need compelled Belle to spread her legs wider. She tried to break the kiss, toss her head back—but he refused to allow that, instead keeping at her mouth with one hungry kiss after another until she whimpered. Desperation rose right along with sensation. She felt overcome, undone, turned inside out as pleasure converged and unraveled her. No matter how she fought to savor the delicious agony, she couldn’t hold back.

As the orgasm burst over her, Kell tore his lips from hers. A long and throaty scream clawed from her chest as euphoric joy drugged her veins and pulsed down her nerve endings. In the aftermath, she panted, utterly dazed.

Yeah, she had been right. She’d never really come until now. They were probably damn proud of themselves for that ear-splitting shriek. No denying she’d loved what they’d given her.

“Beautiful,” Kell murmured.

As she lay in his arms afterward, Belle felt that way. Finally, she understood why she’d never truly climaxed before. What he’d given her—with the silent support of Eric and Tate—had been more than pleasure. The sense of pure connection couldn’t be pretended when she touched herself. It made everything they shared more beautiful and meaningful. It proved she belonged with them. She’d always been able to be herself around them at the office, but to know without a doubt that extended to even the most intimate situations… God, what a relief.

“I’m so glad I waited,” she sighed up at him with a happy grin.

Belle couldn’t imagine her first time with anyone except the three of them. Her heart was so full in that moment. They would make it far more meaningful than the simple act of bodies coming together. They would make it a moment that brought them all closer together. Something they would remember their whole lives.

Kellan stiffened. “Waited?”

His word hissed like the crack of a whip. She forced her eyes open. His forbidding frown seized her chest and squeezed hard.

“I’m not glad,” Tate argued, gliding his hand down her body until he cupped her thigh. “We wasted a whole year.”

“I don’t think that’s what she meant.” Kellan arched a sharp brow her way. “Is it, Annabelle?”

Belle squirmed self-consciously. The sweet haze of desire dissipated, replaced with something cold. Eric looked stunned as he stared, jaw dropped. Tate merely appeared puzzled. He might not understand now, but once he did, he probably wouldn’t like the truth any more than the other two.

In that instant, she tried to curl up and cover herself. Her nudity had seemed sexy earlier. Now she was keenly aware of her vulnerability. How had everything changed with one sentence? If they really cared about her and wanted her for more than the night, her virginity wouldn’t disappoint them. How had she read the situation so wrong? Or had they misled her for a piece of ass? God, she felt so humiliated.

Tears threatened. Damn it, she had to get out of here.

As she tried to scramble to her feet, tears clouded her eyes. Belle couldn’t see, couldn’t quite get her balance. Kellan didn’t try to hold her down, thank goodness, but she was too unsteady to stand.

“Help me, please,” she beseeched Tate.

His arms wound around her and he dragged her to her feet, into his arms. Belle curled against him, shielding as much of her body from Kellan’s searing stare as she could. Crap, where had her dress gone?

Tate’s concerned gaze sought hers. “What’s the matter? Tell me what you meant. If there’s a problem, we’ll find a logical solution.”

Kellan moved beside her, straightening his clothes. His expression hardened again. “I asked you a question.”

Belle blinked, knowing her answer would only disappoint Kell. She glanced Eric’s way. He still stood unmoving, in mute shock. No help there. Only Tate’s arms kept her protected and safe, but even against the warmth of his big body, she shivered. Would he still be her safe harbor once one of the others explained exactly what she’d waited for?

She didn’t want to take that chance. Time to get out of here.

But when Belle tried to move, Tate’s arms tightened around her. “What’s wrong? What is going on here?”

“I need an answer, Belle.” Kellan ignored Tate, staring at her with flat demand.

Kellan had asked for honesty. Fine, he would get it. She’d never intended to hold back the truth about her sexual inexperience. Once the clothes had started coming off, she’d known she would have to confess. The perfect, tactful moment simply hadn’t appeared before she’d accidentally let the truth slip. Of course, she’d expected them to be a bit surprised, maybe even give her a good-natured ribbing about it. Belle hadn’t expected Eric’s mute shock or Kellan’s terrible coldness.

“You’re right. I’m a virgin.” So what? No way they could miss the subtext in her voice. She did her best to glare right back, but Belle felt decidedly vulnerable wearing absolutely nothing.

Eric’s hazel eyes went wide. “You weren’t kidding?”

Tate eased back and he gaped at her. “That’s what you waited for? To have sex? Holy shit!”

Kellan’s jaw tightened. “Precisely what I thought you meant.”

Eric moved beside her, shaking his head and still looking shocked. “How the hell are you a virgin? You’re twenty-six years old.”

“I am well aware of the advanced age of my hymen.” She twisted, evading Tate’s arms, looking for her dress again. It had to be somewhere here on the floor.

Anger started to thrum through her. They sounded almost betrayed by her purity. So much for the guys considering it a gift. Maybe they had expected someone more experienced. Maybe she wasn’t worth sleeping with because she wouldn’t know what to do. Fine. As soon as she found her clothes, she was out of here. Coming to their suite had been a huge mistake.

Kellan beat her to the punch, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door. “I’m going to go.”

Annabelle felt as if he’d slapped her.

“What?” Tate asked his friend, obviously shocked.

Kell didn’t answer, just kept gathering his things.

She glanced all around the room, trying not to watch Kellan walk away from her. Finally, she located her dress and all but ran toward it. “I’ll go, Kell.”

Tate took her arm and stayed her. “Belle, what are you doing?”

“I’m leaving.” She yanked from his grip and dashed across the room to grab the emerald fabric.

As she darted toward the bathroom, her humiliation choked her. God, her ass was hanging out. She felt so wretchedly exposed, but she wasn’t about to dress in front of them and let them gawk at the dumb little virgin anymore. It was better to leave and save herself the tiniest bit of dignity. She slammed the door behind her and locked it just in case. Barely a second later, she heard them yelling.

Without them staring and judging her now, the mortification of the evening pressed in on Belle, crushing her dreams. She went to her knees and let the tears fall.

* * * *

Kellan’s stomach turned as he stared at the bathroom door Belle had just slammed. Fuck, what had he just done? One moment he’d had his hands on her, stroking her and making her come. She’d been the sexiest woman he’d ever touched because he’d wanted her for so long and her pleasure had been so honest. He could still feel her, smell her, so hot and wet and perfect. The moment she’d stripped naked for them, the primal need to carry her to the bed and sink his cock inside her had gnawed at him. He’d leave her body only long enough to see Eric and Tate please her before they started all over again. But that was a fucking fantasy. A joke.

Now, he found his two best friends staring him down. And they looked wildly pissed. He could hear Belle quietly sobbing in the bathroom.

“What the hell is wrong with you? How could you do that to her?” Eric strode across the room, grabbing his slacks with an angry jerk.

Staring at the ceiling, Kell sighed. He should just fucking walk out, like he’d promised. Opening the door and leaving would be the kindest thing he could do because hoping that he could share a woman with his friends had been a horrible mistake. He’d ruined everything, and they would never forgive him. He’d already learned the hard way that a man didn’t get second chances.

The door was right there. No one was guarding it. Eric still stumbled his way into his slacks, and Tate stood on the other side of the suite, pressed to the bathroom door, trying to coax Belle out.

None of this nightmare would be happening if he hadn’t deluded himself into thinking he could just fuck her without feeling anything or screwing the whole situation up.

Still, Kell couldn’t bring himself to go. He owed her an apology at least. “I can’t.”

Eric walked across the room, face red, teeth gritted. “Can’t what?” he snarled. “Act like a human being? Do you know what you just did to her?”

Taken all her sweetly blooming sensuality and crushed it under his loafer? Yeah, he knew he’d done that. “I can’t be with a fucking virgin, man. What the hell would I do with her?”

God, that had come out completely wrong. He sounded like the worst kind of asshole douchebag, even to his own ears. But as soon as Belle blurted that she was glad she’d waited, his stomach had done a tailspin. She would need so much more than he could give her—love, attention, devotion. She deserved all that and more. She’d waited for a man who could love her, not just a man who could fuck her all night long.

She needed a man who would move mountains or part the sea for her, fight off demons, and fill her heart—do anything for her.

The realization physically hurt him, but Kell knew he wasn’t that man. He never would be.

“You can’t be with a virgin? Are you fucking kidding me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Eric’s cheeks mottled even more. “You treated her like she has some dreaded disease.”

“Belle?” Tate knocked on the bathroom door. “Baby, answer me. I can hear you crying. Talk to me. Let me hold you.”

At least Tate was preoccupied.

“You knew I wouldn’t get serious with her. Hell, you said I didn’t have to when you invited me to join this party,” Kell pointed out.

He’d told Belle he wouldn’t make a good boyfriend—and he’d been right. He had also made it clear to Eric and Tate that he couldn’t commit. They knew his past. Yeah, he could have handled his shock about her virginity better. He regretted hurting her. But how could any of them think for a second that Annabelle Wright would—or should—accept what little he could offer? She hadn’t waited all these years for a lover who could get her off. No, she’d waited for lace and monogrammed towels. She’d waited for love.

Kellan shuddered. He hadn’t been enough for his bitch of a wife. She’d walked out and utterly destroyed his world, his family, and his heart. She’d proven that he wasn’t enough of a husband for the average woman. Belle was anything but average.

But the idea of never holding her in his arms made something in his chest buckle violently. Fuck. He was dying inside and he had no idea what to do. Kell ached to walk to that bathroom door and kick it open, insist that she never lock him out again—but he didn’t have that right. He would never have that right with her.

No denying that if he had dreamed up his perfect submissive, Annabelle would fit the bill. She nurtured. She cared. Smart, funny, loyal, sassy… Hell, who was he kidding? Even if she’d slept with a hundred men, she would be far too good for him. But the reverent way she’d said it—I’m so glad I waited—had gutted him. He’d spoken without thinking. Now that would cost him not just the woman he wanted above all others, but his two best friends as well.

Tate stormed over, every muscle in his body tight with fury. “I can’t get her to come out or speak. You made this mess. You go talk to her and apologize. You clean up this shit and make it right.”

Before his pal even finished speaking, Kell began shaking his head. The minute he saw her again, he just might go down on his knees and beg her to take him back. He might offer her everything he couldn’t deliver because he was too weak to walk away. That would lead to a nuclear disaster for Belle’s heart. He wouldn’t do it to her. Better to find the fucking strength now to walk away.

How the hell was he supposed to even work with her? He couldn’t anymore. And if Eric and Tate couldn’t coax Belle back to their side, they wouldn’t want to share a business with him anyway. Goddamn it, he had to leave and lose another family. This time he wouldn’t find a replacement. He would be alone, the way he deserved to be.

“I’m sorry,” he said tightly. “But I can’t do this. You understand that if you take Belle’s virginity, you’re responsible for her? She waited twenty-six fucking years. She’s not going to be content with a damn one-night stand.”

“Good!” Tate hollered back. “I don’t want to fuck and run. I want a wife, a family, a future that doesn’t include going to a bar and picking up a girl eager for the thrill of banging three guys.”

“Good for you. I can’t be responsible for Belle. I’ll only destroy her.”

“You’re protecting yourself,” Eric growled. “Not her. You’re just too fucking afraid to put your little heart out there again.”

Tate invaded his space. “You hurt her to save yourself? I have no respect for that.”

It wasn’t logical, but Kell wanted to put the fucker on his ass. “Back off, Tate. Do it now.”

“I don’t think I want to.” Tate kept coming.

Eric moved between them. “Stop it, both of you. This isn’t helping a damn thing.”

Maybe not, but since Kell had no idea how to put a pretty pink Band-Aid on the situation and make it all better, the thought of taking out his anger on Tate seemed like a damn fine idea. Yeah, he should probably ‘fess up to the truth that Tate was a better man and Kell resented him for it, but beating the hell out of him would feel so much better. His gut rolled with rage. Unfulfilled desire warred with a terrible sense of self-loathing that had been constantly weighing him down since his divorce.

Except those moments when Belle had looked at him with her big dark eyes sparkling with trust. She’d been so gorgeous as she placed herself over his lap for her first spanking. In that moment, he hadn’t thought of anything but her, the way she smelled of jasmine, how warm her flesh had become as he disciplined her, the undeniable certainty that his spanking had made her wet. She’d responded to his touch with absolute honesty and openness, all but offering him her innocent body.

Kell hated like hell that he couldn’t accept it.

“You’re a pathetic piece of shit, Kent. You ruined everything.” Tate never held back.

Which was good because that meant Kellan didn’t have to stifle his words, either. “I didn’t see your boy over there getting on his damn knees and thanking her for remaining pure for him. He was just as shocked as I was.”

Eric’s jaw tightened, his face going stony. “Of course I was shocked.”

“Don’t stop there. Spit it out. You weren’t any happier about her whole virginity thing than I was, you shit. You’re going to let me take all the blame though, aren’t you?”

It was typical. He always got to be the bad guy. He took the hits for the whole team while Tate and Eric sat back and played the good guys everyone loved. He might have earned it, but he was damn sick of it.

“You’re so far off the mark,” Eric insisted. “I’m glad that I’ll never have to picture Belle letting some random asshole grunt and sweat on top of her. Look, none of us imagined Belle would be a virgin. It was a shocker, but that just means it’s time for us to slow it down and talk a little. We sure as hell shouldn’t blow the whole thing up. Do you have any idea what you did to her by walking out?”

“I could have handled it better; I’ll give you that. But did you stop to think that she misled us a little? Tell me what virgin is ready to just hop in the sack with three men? She either didn’t know what she was getting into—and if that’s the case, it’s a good thing we stopped—or she didn’t really intend to be with all of us.” Kell couldn’t resist a sidelong glance at Tate. Being left in the cold was his buddy’s hot button, and if Belle hadn’t planned on embracing the big guy…well, better that he found out now before he fell even harder in love.

“She kissed me. That wasn’t a good-bye, you asshole.” Tate took that moment to curl up his fist and rear it back.

Kellan just stood there. Maybe this hurt would detract from the agony twisting his guts. The impact came, and he was surprised at just how hard Tate, a man who watched way too much science fiction television, could punch. Kell’s jaw took the brunt and pain flared through his system.

He saw red. It triggered his aggression. Immediately, he went on the offensive, putting every ounce of his roiling rage into his fists. Before he really knew what he was doing, he had Tate on the ground, pounding into the man who had been his friend for nearly a decade. When Eric tried to get between them, he just decked Eric, too—a hard crack to the chin.

“Stop. Please stop.” Belle’s shaky pleading broke through the furious haze that filled his head.

The three of them stopped everything, just froze as if someone had hit the off button to stop all motion. Vaguely, he was aware that his body ached. Blood trickled down his lip, but the shame that suddenly overtook him was worse than any physical discomfort.

Belle stood before them looking more stripped of confidence than he’d ever seen her. With eyes swollen and nose red, she’d obviously been crying. The sight of her tears kicked him in the gut, tearing through him in a way Tate’s fists couldn’t. Her pretty cocktail gown was wrinkled. Just minutes before, she’d been naked in his arms and she’d practically glowed. Now her light was gone, replaced with a deep grief stamped into her face. His words had done that to her.

“Please stop,” she said, her voice beyond weary. “I can’t stand the fact that you’re fighting, especially about me. Please.”

He scrambled to his feet because he couldn’t cause her another moment of pain. “I’m sorry, Annabelle.”

He took a step toward her, and she flinched back, shaking her head. “Don’t.”

Tate was on his feet, reaching out for her, but Eric stopped him.

“I’m going to go.” Belle looked down, focused on the shoes she held in her hand.

God, she couldn’t even look at the three of them. That fact, along with the sight of her bare feet, made him realize just how vulnerable she must feel. He’d made her self-conscious, stripped her bare. He couldn’t lie to himself. Eric might have been surprised, but Kell knew that if he hadn’t opened his mouth, the guy would have recovered. He and Tate would have not only saved the situation, but treasured her innocence.

Kell should have left her to the two men who would love her always, but he’d blurted out the first thing in his head, not even thinking about the possible outcome. He’d been shocked and bitter that he’d never be good enough for her. He hadn’t even realized how badly his words would crush her—more proof that he didn’t deserve her.

“Belle, I’m so sorry.” For so many things. That he’d upset her, yes. Mostly he was sorry that he was too damaged to show her how much she meant to him.

She gave him a shaky nod. “Me, too.”

As she headed to the door, Tate called her back. “Belle, let’s talk about this.”

She clutched the door handle and turned back. “I can’t tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the meeting.”

And then she was gone, the door closing quietly behind her with terrible finality.

“We can’t let her leave like this,” Tate said, starting after her.

Eric wedged himself between Tate and the door. “Give her a little time, man. I don’t think she’s up to talking tonight. Let her have some space. Once she’s less fragile and we’re less angry, we’ll all sit down and work it out, but now, we’ll only fight.”

“But she was crying.” Sometimes Tate was good at pointing out the obvious.

“We need to let her cry, if that’s what she wants.”

“She shouldn’t have to do it alone. She should know how we feel about her,” Tate argued.

“I think, deep down, she does. But if you go after her now, you’ll be sending her a message,” Eric explained. “She wants all of us. Contrary to dumbass’s suave speech tonight”—he pointed at Kell—“we all want her. If we’re going to make this right, we have to go after her together or not at all. And before we can do that, the three of us have to sit our asses down and hash this out because that was a total cluster fuck.”

Kellan looked to Eric, totally shocked that his old friend wasn’t shoving him out the door or starting another fight. “I think I should go find another room. This is a conversation for you and Tate. We can talk about how to break up the business later. I won’t be there for the meeting in the morning.”

Eric’s eyes rolled. “God, you’re such a dramatic fucker. We’re not doing that.”

“I still want to beat the fuck out of you.” Tate got up and ambled to the bathroom.

The shower came on, and Kellan figured their fight was over. He turned his attention to Eric, willing him to understand. “I can’t stay around, man. She won’t ever work with me again, and Tate will blame me for the rest of our lives if Belle walks away.”

“We’ll come up with a strategy and we won’t let her walk away. We’ll come up with a plan.” Eric sounded resolved as he started righting the furniture they’d nearly wrecked in their fight. “You’re lying to yourself if you think you don’t want her anymore.”

He should be walking out. There was no reason to stay. He’d sealed his fate the minute he’d broken her heart. So why wasn’t he packing up and moving down the line the way he always did? Because he owed his friends some honesty.

“I still do.”

“All right then, you’re lying to yourself if you think you don’t love her.”

What did he feel for Belle? Kell really wasn’t sure. He wanted her so badly, but it went beyond her body, beyond her lovely face. Of course he liked her. In fact, he loved to talk to her, loved to just sit in her presence. He found an odd peace when they were in the same room. They didn’t even have to be speaking, just going about their business. She often hummed a little as she worked. He always looked forward to the moment she inevitably turned to ask if he wanted coffee, showing her submissive, nurturing side. He’d loved to fantasize that she might go down on her knees and ask how else she might please him.

The idea of never having those quiet afternoons with her again pierced his heart.

Fuck, did he even know what love was? Would he know if it bit him in the ass?

“I don’t know, man. I just know I can’t get married again.”

Eric regarded him with a serious expression. “When you weren’t thinking at all, you were setting up a D/s relationship with her. You take that seriously. You were more than willing to initiate her into Dominance and submission, but you won’t teach her about sex? Look, I was shocked, too. I have no idea how a woman that hot manages to stay a virgin, but I don’t care how many lovers she has—or hasn’t—had as long I get to be one of them. The last of them. Can you stand the thought of her kneeling for another Master?”

Eric’s words made him see red all over again. His pal might not be a good liar, but he was a fucking master of manipulation. He’d known exactly where to strike. “Of course I don’t, but I just broke her.”

“So help us put her back together.”

Eric made it sound so simple, but Kell didn’t see how. Belle would never forgive him. Would she?

“I’ll see her tomorrow, but only to apologize.” He would make sure she understood that her virginity wasn’t the problem, just his scarred heart. He would swear to her that if he was half the man he should be, he would give her everything he owned, share every day and night with her. He would love her.

But that was a stupid-ass pipe dream. So even if it killed him, he would leave and let her find the love she deserved.