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Annie was curious about what was holding him back, but that question fell away when Xavier brushed her hair over one shoulder, baring the side of her neck.Her eyes drifted shut when he placed a soft kiss there.She’d expected a continuation of yesterday’s aggressiveness, so the gentleness of his touch took her by surprise.In a good way.

His fingers slid along her sides, lifting the hem of her T-shirt, pulling it over her head in one fell swoop.

Alrighty, then.Looked like they were getting right down to business.

“Are you watching, Colum?”Xavier asked, his lips tickling the side of her neck as he spoke.

“Aye,” Colum replied, his voice strained.

Annie looked at Colum, saw the obvious tenting in the front of his slacks.She didn’t understand the reason he was resistant to join in, but it clearly wasn’t based on disinterest.

Xavier unhooked her bra, dropping the lace to the floor without ceremony, his arms circling around her from behind to cup her breasts.

Annie shared the same front-row view as Colum, her gaze locked on the Irishman’s reactions to Xavier’s actions.

“You’re beautiful, Annie,” Colum murmured.

She smiled, touched, then gave him a quick, playful wink, wishing she knew what to say to convince him to join them.

Xavier remained quiet as he continued to strip her clothing away, not stopping until she was completely naked.She’d never been with two lovers at the same time, and she’d never stood nude, between such sexy, fully dressed men.She should be feeling vulnerable, exposed even, but instead, her arousal was off the charts.Her skin was flushed, heat suffusing her, a tiny bead of perspiration gliding down the nape of her neck, despite the air-conditioning.

She jerked slightly when Xavier’s hand wrapped around the front of her throat.It wasn’t a tight hold, but it was one hell of a power play.She swallowed, aware he could feel that reaction, and when he chuckled darkly, she knew he liked it.

His mouth returned to her neck.She expected another lick or kiss, so she was unprepared when he sank his teeth into her shoulder.She cried out—in surprise, pain, desire.This was moving too slow and too fast all at the same time.

Because she was still facing Colum, she saw the moment he tensed, his fists clenching by his sides.Her gentle protector, still ready to step in despite knowing she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.She blinked rapidly, beating back tears, touched by Colum’s response.She’d been on her own for so long, she’d forgotten what it was like to have someone care.

When Colum started to take a step closer, she halted him with just three words.“Do it again,” she demanded.

Xavier shifted, his teeth sinking into the opposite shoulder, giving her matching marks, something she could look at later as a reminder of this moment.

His hands returned to her breasts, squeezing them tightly before grasping each nipple between his thumbs and forefingers, pinching and tugging until she saw stars.

“God.Yes,” she hissed, reaching behind her until she was able to sink her fingers into Xavier’s thick, black hair.Closing her fist around it, she pulled until he was the one hissing.Her other hand traveled lower, cupping Xavier’s thick erection through the lightweight fabric of his slacks.

One second, she was standing upright, the next, she was face down on the bed.Xavier had moved so quickly she hadn’t had time to fight back.Not that she would have.Especially when he peppered her ass with a rapid-fire series of spanks, covering her ass and upper thighs.

Movement from the side of her eye told her Colum had shifted.She lifted her gaze, pleased to see he was standing right next to the bed.

Xavier ran his hand over the hot, sore skin of her ass.“I didn’t hear you beg,” he said, reminding her that was the only way he’d allow her to touch his cock.

“Xavier,” she said, his name more breath than sound, more than willing to get down on her knees if that was what it took.It had been so damn long since she’d had an orgasm that wasn’t self-induced.

“Why did I spank you, Annie?”Xavier asked.

He was going to make her say the words.And she was going to because… Damn.“Because I’m a bad girl.”

Xavier’s hand clenched on one ass cheek hard enough that she went up on her toes, the pain and pleasure mingling until she felt light-headed.

“You’remybad girl,” he corrected.

Xavier’s chuckle was deep and low when Colum cleared his throat.

“Ourbad girl,” Xavier amended with obvious delight.

Annie liked the idea of that so fucking much.

“Do you hear her begging, Colum?Because I don’t.”