It was time to shove all his shit down and be what Holly needed. She didn’t need an anxiety-ridden freak. And she didn’t need perfection. He’d been wrong about that. He’d stayed away because he had this vision of the perfect man for Holly. But what if all she needed was honest desire? He had that in spades.

He put his hands on her shoulders and let his fingertips play just under the edges of her dress, skimming softly along her skin. Her scent filled him. He wanted to inhale her. He pushed the dress off her shoulders, her bra straps coming into view. They were thick and wide.

“Sorry,” she said, her face flushing. “It’s not exactly sexy. It’s what I wear to work. I don’t have a lot of lingerie.”

“Stop.” Alexei came to her side. His face was set in harsh lines. “No more apologies. Be still and let Caleb undress you.”

“Hush, Holly.” He pulled at the strap, pushing at the dress along the way. He exposed her shoulders. Her skin was silky smooth under his fingertips. “Look at that.”

He let his fingers trace the line of her throat and the graceful curve of her shoulders.

“She is beautiful.” Alexei took a place at Holly’s back. He took her hair in his hands and brought it up before bringing his head down to kiss the nape of her neck. He ran his face along the back of her shoulders. Holly’s eyes closed, and she leaned back.

She didn’t look like a woman who was worried about her bra anymore.

Her arms relaxed, and the dress slid down. Alexei’s hands disappeared, going behind her back. Her bra loosened, and Caleb pulled it off. Her breasts bounced free.

Fuck. He hadn’t thought it possible to get harder. She was so beautiful. Her breasts were round and real. They were porcelain, tipped with good-size pink-and-brown nipples. Her skin was so pale, with a sweet dusting of freckles here and there. He stared at her for a moment. He could see the faint lines of veins and blood vessels, each one tracing a path to her heart. He touched a very faint blue line that ran under the skin close to her nipple. Anastomotic veins. They fed the nipple and ran into the veins under the superficial fascia of the breast. He knew every function of the breast, could recall every piece of anatomy he’d learned—but he wouldn’t be able to put into words why he was so fascinated with this breast. Caleb reached out and took one in hand. He chuckled with satisfaction as the nipple puckered, just begging for him to play with it.

Alexei growled from behind Holly, his head peeking over her shoulder. His eyes were on her breasts. “Pluck at the nipples.”

Alexei was going to be bossy. Caleb decided he could deal with that. Alexei was the reason he was here in the first place. And, damn, but he wanted to play with those nipples.

He let his thumb flick across one and then the other. Holly shivered at his touch, her eyes coming open. Her eyes met his, the desire in the green orbs almost overwhelming. Her breasts swelled in his hands, and he couldn’t wait to taste her. He fell to his knees, and her breasts were just about where he needed them to be. He nuzzled her, letting his nose find the valley between her breasts, burying his face until he came into contact with her sternum. He breathed her in.

Her dress had caught around her hips, leaving the curve of her belly on full display. He kissed his way down to her navel, his hands worshipping every curve. He could smell her arousal, knew she was getting soft and wet, but he wanted to wait. He wanted to lavish her with all the affection she’d missed.

He licked his way back from her navel up to one plump breast. Alexei’s hands came around and cupped her breasts, holding them up. It put them in the perfect position. Caleb leaned forward and pulled the nipple in his mouth. He sucked on her breasts, licking and biting gently before tonguing them. He switched back and forth, withholding nothing. Alexei’s hands held her in place, giving Caleb the opportunity to explore.

He cupped her ass, his fingers sinking into soft flesh and giving her a squeeze. Her ass was round and heart shaped. He stared at it as often as he could. He dreamed of spreading her gorgeous ass and fucking her asshole. He wanted every part of her. He wanted to sink his dick into her every hole. The soft wet heat of her mouth. The tight hole of her ass. The perfection of her pussy. He would leave no part of her untouched.

“Oh, Caleb. That feels so good.” Holly was getting restless under his hands. Her skin was heating, flushing with arousal. Blood would be rushing to her vagina, making it plump and soft as it prepared to receive a cock and cum.

His cock twitched at the thought. He knew all the functions of the various systems, knew why his balls were tight against his body, why his cockhead was most likely weeping with pre-cum. But it was different, so different than the other sexual experiences he’d had. He wanted to taste her. To really taste her. He wanted the juice of her arousal to coat his tongue.

He pulled at her dress, tugging at the underwear under it. The dress fell to the floor, and he dragged her white cotton underwear with it. He stared at the flesh he’d uncovered. Holly was a natural redhead, and she was just as aroused as he’d suspected. The neat hair covering her pussy glistened with her natural lubrication. He reached out a hand to touch her.

“Caleb, stop.”

Caleb looked up, and Alexei’s face was hard with arousal. Holly hissed slightly as Alexei pinched at her nipples.

“We still have not to discuss problems of earlier.”

Bastard. Son of a bitch. Motherfucker. He wanted to go into that now? Caleb was ready to just forget the whole damn thing. “Can we talk about this later?”

He wanted to fuck. He wanted to spread her legs and eat her pussy and then shove his cock deep, but Alexei wanted to give Holly a lecture. No. Not a lecture. A spanking.

Yeah, that was kind of hot, too.

“I don’t want to talk.” Holly reached out to Caleb. “If you have something to say, say it later.”

Alexei’s face went positively arctic. He looked down at Caleb, and for the first time, Caleb could really, deeply believe that this was a man who had survived in the Russian mob for years, seeking revenge. This was a man who had killed in defense and revenge. He’d read his file, but everything he’d seen of Alexei had been a smiling man who laughed and joked, or a deeply repentant man, asking for forgiveness. But this was a part of Alexei, too.

“No. We need to be discussing now. Caleb, when would you prefer to talk to her? After the fucking? When she is perfectly satisfied and tired? She will not listen then. She will just say yes and turn over and go to sleep, and more than likely will do same thing next time.”

“What are we talking about? What did I do?” Holly tried to squirm, attempting to cover herself, but Alexei held her fast.

Shit. The big bastard was right.

Caleb got to his feet. “You didn’t stop and get help. You didn’t call either one of us.”

“Today? When I wrecked the car?”

Caleb sighed. Why did she go there? Maybe they were better matched than he thought. She seemed to be a worst-case-scenario girl, not unlike himself. “You didn’t wreck the car. You saved your life by properly driving it. I’m not pissed off about the truck. I’m pissed off that you thought you had to walk down the mountain when you could have stopped at a friend’s house and called someone to come get you.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t want to bother anyone. Besides, Nell doesn’t have a phone and Laura’s busy.”

Alexei’s hand wound into her hair. His dark eyes found Caleb’s. “You understand why I do what I do?”

Did Caleb understand why Alexei was about to spank her? Sure he did. “She didn’t even mention calling one of us. That road is dangerous. You could have been killed just walking down it. You had another mile to go. You could have mitigated the risk by calling one of us from the Harper’s place or Mel’s. Even if you couldn’t reach one of us on the phone, you could have called Stella’s or The Trading Post and someone would have found us. Everyone knows everyone else’s business in this town. Would you really rather get hit by a car on that mountain than risk bugging one of us with a call?”

He did understand Alexei’s anger now that he thought about it. What good were they to her if she didn’t bother to rely on them?

“I need to have place with you, Holly. I am not smart man like Caleb. I am not sweet like you. I do not have place in this community. I need place in relationship. I will treat you like princess. I will treat you like queen. In normal life, I will be your lapping dog, but here, in the lovemaking section of life, I will be king and you will obey.” He pulled her head back gently so she was forced to look in his eyes. “If this scares you or you are not interested in this part of me, then I will leave you to Caleb. I can’t ignore these needs I have. I can only promise to be careful with you, to take care of you. Caleb, if you are bothered by it, I will leave, too.”

It was obvious to Caleb that Alexei wouldn’t compromise. Oh, he would share and he would give on many things, but he understood who he was at heart and couldn’t compromise.

Caleb respected that. Caleb wanted that for himself.

“Over his knee, Holly. Discipline is important.”

Alexei smiled.

Crap. They had really just become partners. And maybe they could actually be friends.

* * *

Alexei sighed as he realized he’d tackled one mountain. Caleb was in. Holly stood so still in his arms, her backside brushing his rock hard cock. She was soft everywhere. He wanted to crush her against him and show her just how different they were. He could have her on a bed, legs spread and penetrated faster than she could take her next breath, but that wouldn’t start the relationship off on the proper footing.

He’d meant what he’d said. He would trail after her, playing her ever-doting suitor. He wouldn’t care what anyone thought. But in private and when she was in trouble, he needed to be in charge. He needed this.

He let go of her though his every instinct screamed at him to keep her close. It had to be her decision. He would die if she said no, but he wouldn’t force her. He’d never forced a woman in his life. He wouldn’t start with the only one he’d ever really cared about.

“Come.” He sat down on her overstuffed couch and patted his knee.

She looked so vulnerable standing there, her arms covering her breasts. He would break her of that habit, too. She was beautiful. She should be proud of her body. He knew he was proud to have a woman as lovely as she was.

“Holly, satisfy the big guy so we can move on to the fun part.” Caleb’s hands cupped her shoulders. It was obvious that his partner was no longer thinking about the mechanics of the situation.

“Okay,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.

Caleb pulled her close, his hand sinking into her hair. He caught her mouth with his.

Alexei watched, his cock threatening to bust out of his slacks. They were beautiful together. How had he managed to become involved with not one, but two redheads? He could almost hear his father’s voice. He’d constantly teased Alexei’s mother about her hair. Redheads were more volatile, more passionate, more trouble. Then his father would disappear behind closed doors with his “trouble” for hours. Yes, these two were trouble, and he was looking forward to it. Caleb’s red and gold hair contrasted nicely with Holly’s richer hue. Caleb’s skin was tan against Holly’s exquisite porcelain.

Where did Alexei fit? Caleb had everything. Brains, money, a powerful family. He’d simply had a terribly traumatic experience. Alexei had decided after he’d learned of Caleb’s past that the way to repay the doctor was to help bring him back to himself. When Caleb was healed, would he even need Alexei anymore? When Caleb was whole again, would Holly even look at Alexei? What would she need with a former criminal who couldn’t find a job?

Caleb’s hands cupped her breasts. Holly’s moans and little cries were going to make Alexei crazy. He let go of his worry. There would be time enough to worry about the future later. For tonight, he wanted to revel in the fact that he’d won. He’d gotten the three of them in a room together. He’d brought them together.

Holly had practically melted in Caleb’s arms. Their tongues mated. Their hands explored each other’s bodies. Caleb’s hands bit into the flesh of Holly’s ass, bringing his cock in hard contact with her. Alexei watched. He would deeply enjoy watching them make love. He was surprised to discover he didn’t feel any jealousy. He’d worried about it, but Holly needed this. And Caleb, whether he ever recognized it or not, needed Alexei. It was good, so good, to be needed.