Anna found herself panting and as she stood, straightening her body. The molten heat sizzling between them was making her pu**y burn for this man.
“You want me,” she said, her hand going to her throat, trying to still her pounding pulse. This reaction was more than she could have asked for. She knew he cared, but to feel the heat of passion was such a relief. Her life, her birthday was perking up with every passing second. Three years of not seeing each other lay between them.
He shot her a glare and started to pace. Anna didn’t know what to do.
“What have I done wrong?” she asked him. Her desire, her love shouldn’t end like this. It couldn’t. Feeling the way he responded, being so close to having everything she ever wanted, Anna didn’t know if she could live with second best.
“Is it because I left?” she asked. Leaving and giving up for the past three years had been her biggest mistake and the one she regretted with all of her heart.
David stopped and moved toward her. “It’s not you.” He cupped her cheeks in his hands. “I can’t have you.”
“Why not?” Anna didn’t understand. She was offering him everything.
David didn’t have time to answer.
“Because it’s not as simple as one brother for one woman in our family, is it, brother?” David and Anna started as they both turned to see Paul enter her room. He shut the door behind him. It was a strange action considering there was no one around. Everyone else was preparing for the party. Anna hadn’t wanted a party, but David had insisted on it as soon as he heard she would be returning home in time for it.
“Don’t do this Paul,” David begged his brother.
“Why not?” Paul said coming to stand near the two.
Anna watched the older brother, and she couldn’t explain her reaction. Her body went on alert and for the first time she didn’t see a man who hated her. She saw a man who was watching her. The predator stalking his prey. There was more to his eyes, and she was ready to see more.
“Hello Paul,” she whispered. The previous night she hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to him. David had stopped by to say hello, but Paul had been busy.
Without taking his eyes from his brother, Paul said, “Happy birthday, Anna. Your party has started downstairs. You obviously didn’t hear the door.”
Anna blushed as she thought about the reason. She didn’t want to go downstairs. Staying with David and Paul and having her feeling put on the table for them to hear sounded like a better idea.
“I don’t want to go,” she said.
“Go. This party is for you. We’ll join you in a minute.”
She wanted to argue, but something in his expression warned her to do as she’d been told. Anna gave David one last lingering glance before she moved to the door.
She shut it behind her to give them privacy. Anna didn’t move on straight away but stood leaning against the wall, wanting the support. Whenever they were near, she turned to jelly. No man should have that kind of power over a woman, let alone two men having the same effect with her.
Sighing as she heard the music begin to play. She made her way to her party with the intention and hope of what she could find later. Old high-school friends stood in little groups drinking beer and having a good time. How long had she been upstairs with David? Closing her eyes she tried to build up some enthusiasm. It had been three years since she’d met any of them, besides Henry. She saw him in the corner sipping from a bottle.
“Hello, stranger, and happy birthday,” Henry said as she joined him.
“Hiya, Henry.” She brushed his hand aside and hugged him. “I’ve missed you.”
“Missed you, too.” He sipped more beer and kept glancing around.
“Why do you look nervous?” she asked.
Henry laughed. “Remember what happened the last time I was here? I don’t want to have to explain a shiner to my girlfriend.”
“Point taken.” She glanced around. Beer hadn’t ever appealed to her. “Who’s your girlfriend?”
“Tiffany Marshall.”
Anna couldn’t recall the name and left it at that. “You know they won’t hit you.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I don’t want to take the chance.”
She hid away next to Henry for the next half an hour, keeping her gaze on the room rather than on the stairwell.
“Anna, can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Have you come back to try and claim them?” One of the things she loved about Henry. He didn’t beat around the bush.
“I need to know.”
“What happens if they don’t want you?”
“Then I leave, but at least I won’t go through life wondering what might have been if I don’t try.”
“I’m rooting for you. They’re fools if they don’t see how wonderful you are.”
She smiled at his kind words. David and Paul were completely different. Only time would tell if they’d give her a chance.
Chapter Five
As soon as the door closed the brothers stopped staring at each other, and Paul went and sat on Anna’s bed, observing the younger man.
“We can’t do that to Anna,” David said as he turned away. Paul knew he was struggling to contain his raging desire as well as a serious hard-on. In truth, if he got a few minutes Paul wanted to go and relieve himself. He’d made every intention of coming to Anna’s room to make up and to offer to escort her to the party. Since the night he’d shouted at her they hadn’t properly made up. Instead he’d almost died on the spot. His brother had turned round and was pulling up her dress when Paul opened the door. He’d watched, holding himself back even though deep down he’d wanted to go in and join them. They looked hot together. David was the lighter of the two brothers with blonde hair and green eyes, while Paul had the darker hair and hard eyes. For many years he’d been told he was the darker and more serious of the brothers. That he had an intensity of darkness around him. Not the nicest of compliments. He wanted to be everything Anna needed. A shoulder for her to cry on and the lover she needed to give her pleasure.
“You feel it, too?” Paul asked his brother, even though deep down he already knew the answer. He needed to hear the words from David’s lips before he could believe it.
“I feel the pull of her. I want her every time I see her. These past few years have been a nightmare without her near. I love her, Paul. I always have, and I feel sick because we knew and cared for her when she was so young. I mean, what would people think of us? This is CapeFalls. They won’t even give Dean and Laura peace, and they’ve been together for a few years now.”