Read Online Moonlight Menage by Stephanie Julian - Free Book Online

she tell you she had sex with Duke last night?”
    Her gaze flew back to his. “No. She didn’t.”
    Nic saw the questions in her eyes and shook his head. “Don’t worry. This isn’t about revenge. Hell, I’m glad they finally did the deed. I can’t touch her. Duke can. But he won’t. Well…he wouldn’t.
    “They pretend to hate each other but Duke’s so fucked up with guilt about being able to touch her when I can’t and she’s so damn fucked up about that vision of my death that they can’t be in the same room without the tension level making everyone nuts. Yeah, the situation fucking sucks but I think…I think I may have a solution to all our problems.”
    Tam sat on the edge of the bed as she pulled the covers up, her exam over. “And that is…?”
    He’d had a lot of time to think about this. Years, actually, but he never thought he’d get to put his plan into action. That they’d never be in the same room together to see if it would actually work.
    And he was afraid if he spoke about it to someone else, they’d point out a flaw he hadn’t seen. Something that would cause him to doubt. And he thought that might finally send him over the edge.
    But for his plan to work, he had to get Duke and Tira and himself into close proximity. They needed time and privacy. And most of all, they needed to believe.
    “I’ll let you know when it works.”

Chapter Four
     
    A steady stream of guitar-laden metal leaked from the car speakers on the ride back to the boschetta .
    Not loud enough to split ears but enough to cover the uncomfortable silence.
    Duke didn’t speak at all except to ask if she was okay when he got in the car. Of course, she said yes. She wasn’t ready for an examination of what had happened this morning.
    And she’d been rethinking her decision to go back to the bunkhouse with Nic and Duke since the second after she’d agreed.
    How would she be able to take care of Nic when she couldn’t touch him? And now that she knew how it felt to actually hold Duke—and be held by him—how would she be able to stop herself from reaching for him again? When she didn’t want to hurt Nic?
    By the time Duke pulled to a stop in front of her house, she’d almost convinced herself to thank Duke for the ride then tell him to return without her. They were grown men. They could take care of themselves.
    But… She couldn’t do it. She didn’t want to do it.
    As Duke got out of the car, she gave herself a moment to close her eyes and try to wipe her mind. She couldn’t go in to see her mom with all this shit in her head. Her mom would pick up on it in a heartbeat and get upset.
    She’d just turned to open her door when Duke did it for her. She thought he’d stand aside when she turned to slide out of the Jeep but she froze when he settled his hands on her hips and lifted her out.
    Stunned when he didn’t remove his hands right away, she lifted her eyes and caught his, staring down at her with that look—half torment, half desire.
    Without stopping to think, she lifted her hands to his cheeks, rough with dark stubble. She wanted him to rub that scruff all over her body, particularly between her legs. While Nic kissed her and caressed her.
    Duke’s eyes closed for a brief second before he sighed and pulled her tight against him, her arms curving around his neck.
    “Ti.”
    There was a wealth of questions in that one word but no answers.
    “Not now, Duke. Okay? Not now. My mom…”
    His arms tightened. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
    As soon as he released her, the front door of her home opened and a slim redhead bounded out with a huge grin on her face.
    Kyle’s teen daughter, Catene, ran up to Tira and gave her a hug, careful not to touch exposed skin. Tira had never wanted to stifle the girl in any way and the few times she’d actually tried to read Cat, the visions had been murky, as if something was intentionally messing with them. It was odd but made Cat one of a small group of people