Tequila Sunrise (Last Call #3) Read online

  Copyright Information

  Tequila Sunrise

  Copyright © 2008 Moira Rogers

  http://www.moirarogers.com

  Smashwords edition.

  Originally published by Changeling Press in 2008. Reissued by the author in 2012.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Information

  Tequila Sunrise

  Sneak Peek

  The Last Call Series

  About the Author

  TEQUILA SUNRISE

  Werewolf looking for a dominant.

  Kieran scanned the floor at Last Call and wondered, not for the first time, which of the men in the crowd would be the one to fuck his girlfriend.

  Next to him, Eve argued with the bartender, her voice husky and nervous. “I’m not discounting tradition. I just wonder about the symbolism.”

  “You’d have to ask the owner, ma’am. But it’s a drink with layers. A top and a bottom.”

  Eve’s cheeks heated, and Kieran heard the way her heart raced even over the loud music and the noise from the dance floor. “Oh.”

  “Do you want to order one?”

  The flashing lights hurt his eyes, and the music was loud enough to rattle even normal eardrums. His supersensitive ones were starting to question the wisdom of coming to the club.

  Still, it had taken him the better part of six months to convince Eve to come with him, and he wasn’t going to leave without getting what he’d come for. So he turned and glanced at the menu in Eve’s trembling hand. “The Sunrise means you’re looking for a top, right?” At the bartender’s nod, Kieran pulled out his wallet. “What’s your name?”

  It must have been an odd request, because the man fidgeted a little. “Bernie.”

  “Well, Bernie.” He pulled out his gold card and held it out between two fingers, trying to ignore the way Eve held herself rigidly at his side. “We’ll need two.”

  The bartender glanced at Eve, whose breathing had turned a little unsteady, before turning his attention back to Kieran. “You don’t need two unless you’re both participating. Just to avoid misunderstandings.”

  As nervous as Eve was, she couldn’t hide the longing in her eyes. Kieran grasped her hand and smiled reassuringly. “We do everything together, Bernie. We’ll need two drinks.”

  The bartender turned away, and Eve’s fingers tightened almost painfully around his. “You don’t have to do this,” she whispered. “If this doesn’t go well… I don’t want to risk losing you over something silly.”

  He drew her hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “It’s not silly. It’s something you need. And you can’t lose me, love. Not over this. So we’ll do it together.”

  “Thank you.” Her gaze caught his, and she stared at him as if no one else existed as the bartender’s voice cut through the music, spilling out of the speakers to announce to the patrons of the club that the couple at the bar had ordered a pair of Tequila Sunrises.

  Eve was a strong werewolf -- it was the reason they were at Last Call, after all -- and her sudden tense nervousness evidenced itself in a prickling wave of power that spilled out from her and raised the hair on the back of his neck.

  The wolf inside him whined. He steeled himself against the urge to submit to her, to roll over and show his belly, even in a figurative sense. He was used to it, to fighting the instinct to cringe when Eve was wound up or displeased.

  More than a few people had abandoned their dancing in favor of watching the events unfold at the bar, and Kieran felt the appraising weight of their stares as he handed Eve her drink and lifted his own. He knew what they were thinking; it was nothing less than what he heard from his own pack all the time.

  You don’t belong together.

  He raised his glass in a toast and arched an eyebrow at Eve. “Tonight is for both of us,” he whispered. “No regrets.”

  “No regrets,” she agreed in a quiet, tense whisper before tipping her drink back.

  They didn’t belong together.

  Zack Elliot absently swirled the remaining beer in his bottle, every bit of his attention riveted to the couple on the dais in the middle of the bar.

  The woman was gorgeous. Nothing as refined as pretty could accurately describe her earthy, exotic beauty, from the dark hair pulled up behind her head to the flare of her hips under the flowing, brightly-patterned dress she wore.

  Power radiated from her, a fierce dominance that made him want to bare his teeth and bite her. His hand tightened around his bottle, and he set it down on the nearest table. The last thing he wanted was to end up in the bathroom, picking glass slivers out of his hand.

  The blond man sitting next to her was obviously incapable of handling the power inside her. His body language said it all, from the slight slump of his shoulders to the way he hunched a little, as if trying to keep his head lower than hers in spite of his four inch height advantage.

  Zack had seen it before, though not often, and almost never with a woman this strong. The fact that she was there, desperate for a man who could challenge her, wasn’t surprising. The fact that the man beside her seemed willing to go along with it, even participate… That was different.

  She turned, and the full force of her power hit Zack as her eyes found his. There was nothing submissive there, nothing but wild strength and a need for someone just as strong. A craving for somebody stronger, somebody to take the burden of control away from her, if only for a few hours.

  If it had just been the woman, Zack would already have her room key in his pocket and his hand at her back, urging her toward the elevator. She was exactly what he’d been looking for -- a woman who could handle the dominant wolf inside him. He’d kept him penned for far too long, denying the wild in favor of the civilized.

  It was driving him crazy.

  But it wasn’t just the woman looking for domination tonight. The man beside her drained the last bit of his drink, reminding Zack that the two were a package deal. Then the man turned, following the woman’s line of sight, and caught Zack’s stare.

  The blond man looked away immediately.

  Well, why the fuck not? Zack arched one eyebrow at the woman, and held her gaze as he approached the bar.

  She didn’t look away, but she did shift to the side, a subtle move that put her in front of the man. Whether he was strong enough for her or not, it was obvious she’d long since staked her claim. He belonged to her, and she’d protect him, even if the look she’d leveled on Zack had already begun to shift from angry challenge to hot invitation.

  The mixed signals would be easy enough to sort out upstairs. He stepped up in front of her, his eyes fixed on hers as he reached behind her to rest his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Give me the key.”

  The blond man stiffened for a second, then turned and rose from the stool. “Eve?” His voice held a trace of an accent, probably British. “Is this okay with you?”

  “Don’t ask her,” Zack ordered. “Tell her. Yes or no.”

  The man cleared his throat and leaned closer to the woman before murmuring, “Let’s go upstairs.”

  She stayed frozen for just long enough to make him wonder if she could give in. The tension between them twisted tighter and she lifted her chin in a gesture of defiance, thou
gh who it was aimed at was anyone’s guess. Then she slid from the stool, the split skirt of her dress sliding open to give him a momentary flash of tanned skin luscious enough to make his hands clench. “Fine,” she whispered. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  Zack took the key and led the pair toward the back of the club, his smile growing with every step. He could give them what they needed, take what he needed, and be done with it. No more tight leash on the wolf inside. And when he was exhausted, sated, maybe he could get his head on straight again.

  Even with Kieran at her side, every step Eve took toward the elevators at the end of the hallway felt like a betrayal. It wasn’t her intentions, exactly; she’d mostly come to terms with what they were going to do. What shocked and embarrassed her was the strength of her need, and the fact that the strange man guiding them to the room made her body feel empty and aching with just the brush of his power.

  Kieran stopped beside the elevator, his hand still wrapped firmly around hers. The man called the elevator and studied them long enough to make Eve fidget. Then he spoke. “I’m Zack.”

  Even his voice called to her, or to the wolf inside. She’d struggled against her instincts for so long it was hard to tell where she stopped and the wolf began. Confusion filled her voice with husky challenge when she replied. “I’m Evelyn. Eve. This is Kieran.”

  Kieran cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you.”

  Zack laughed. “Awful polite, all things considered.”

  “I try to be at all times.”

  The elevator door slid open, and Kieran put a hand to her back as they stepped in. Zack rubbed his chin and moved to lean against the opposite wall while Kieran swiped the room card and pressed closer to Eve’s side. “You two going to make it?” The man’s voice had dropped to a low rumble that weakened Eve’s knees.

  The wolf rose to the surface without warning, drawn by the allure of Zack’s strength. Eve straightened and let her gaze drop to his feet, then dragged it slowly up his body, impressed in spite of herself by the hard muscles showcased to such effect by his casual jeans and shirt. When she reached his eyes again she smiled, all mocking challenge. “You’re not that impressive,” she lied.

  He just laughed again, then reached out and hauled her to him, spinning her so her back hit his chest. “I never said I was.”

  It left her staring at Kieran, and the tense, wary expression on his face cut through any satisfaction she got from the way Zack curled around her. “Are you okay?”

  Kieran opened his mouth, but it was Zack who answered. “He doesn’t know whether to kick my ass or curl up in a ball on the floor. What he doesn’t get yet is that he doesn’t have to do either.”

  For one miserable moment, no one moved.

  Kieran shot off the wall and pressed his body against Eve’s. “I’m okay,” he whispered, then covered her mouth with his in a rough, possessive kiss. Arousal returned in full force, enhanced by the hard wall of Zack’s chest at her back and Kieran’s lean body rubbing against her as he thrust his tongue past her lips and swallowed her moan.

  Zack moved his hands to her waist, giving her the freedom to lift one arm and curl her fingers in Kieran’s short hair. Zack’s fingers tightened on her hips and she felt the gentle scratch of stubble against her neck. Warm breath tickled against her skin, followed by the quick, sharp nip of teeth.

  If she hadn’t been pinned between both men, her knees might have given out.

  Eve didn’t even realize the elevator had stopped until Zack lifted his mouth to her ear. “Get your ass to the room. Now. Both of you.”

  Kieran raised his head, his blue eyes dark and hazy with desire. “Come on, Eve. We both need this.”

  We both need this. The wolf inside howled her agreement as she curled her fingers around Kieran’s arm and all but dragged him from the elevator. She wasn’t sure what she needed, but whatever it was, Zack would give it to her. To them both.

  Kieran’s heart pounded, and his hand shook as he opened the door to their room. God only knew what would happen, but the scene with Zack in the elevator had calmed his anxieties.

  He wasn’t sure what he’d anticipated. Perhaps he’d thought the alpha who joined them would want him to sit and watch, to hold his instinctive reactions inside as another man dominated and pleasured his girlfriend.

  The thought hadn’t really appealed to him.

  Zack, however, seemed to expect his participation. Kieran’s mouth went dry. If he could be part of it, part of satisfying Eve, then he wouldn’t feel so…

  So inadequate.

  The door swung open, and Kieran smiled at Eve and their companion. “Would anyone like a drink?”

  Eve didn’t respond. She prowled past him with an expression he recognized all too well, tense and edgy and a tiny bit dangerous. The wolf was riding her hard, a situation that had always been impossible to manage before now.

  Zack walked past him and sat on the bed to remove his shoes. “Nothing for me, thanks.” He tossed his boots and socks beside the liquor cabinet and nodded to Kieran. “Shut the door and help Eve undress.”

  He locked the door and cleared his throat. “Usually when she’s like this, she prefers to --”

  Zack arched an eyebrow. “I didn’t ask, Kieran. Do it or I will.”

  Even though he was a werewolf himself, sometimes Kieran forgot how fast Eve could move. A hair-raising growl filled the room as she shouldered in front of him, protective anger in every line of her body. “He’s mine. Don’t talk to him like that.”

  Zack rose and stalked over, stopping mere inches away from Eve. “You both ordered drinks downstairs,” he reminded her. “That makes him mine tonight.” He glanced over her shoulder and met Kieran’s eyes. “‘Watermelon.’ Say it, either of you, and everything stops. But, until then, you do what I say, when I say.”

  Eve practically vibrated with tension and rage, and Kieran lifted a hand to the back of her neck. Slowly, he let his fingers drift down to the zipper on her dress and grasped the tab.

  He only had to coax the zipper down a few inches before the fabric slipped from Eve’s left shoulder. The bra revealed was one he’d bought for her with the money from his last advance, sinfully expensive silk that hugged her curves so perfectly his breath caught in his throat. He coaxed the bra strap down and lowered his mouth to her bared shoulder. The taste of her skin and the smell of her arousal pulled a growl from him.

  Zack hummed in approval and pulled at Eve’s hair, tilting her head back. “You’re angry with me, Eve,” he whispered against her mouth, then licked her lip. “But you’re so turned on you’re about to come right now, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.” It was low and soft, an admission that seemed torn from her against her will, but she shimmied a little and the dress slipped from her other shoulder and slithered to the floor, leaving her standing in a pool of colorful silk.

  Kieran slipped one hand around Eve’s hip and down, edging under her panties. Then he stopped and raised his eyes. His human side balked at seeking approval from Zack, but the rest of him needed it.

  Zack looked down and placed his own hand over Kieran’s, urging his fingers lower. “Touch her,” he commanded, his voice low, and Kieran gritted his teeth when his fingertips reached the unbelievable wetness between her thighs.

  She moaned and arched her body, pressing into his touch hungrily. He knew her body well enough to know she was already close, a truth confirmed by the way she reached back and curled her fingers around the back of his neck. “Harder. More.”

  Zack jerked the silk and lace away from one breast and cupped her naked flesh. He bent his head and closed his mouth over her dusky nipple, and Eve shuddered in Kieran’s arms. She did it again when Kieran rubbed his fingers firmly over her clit and thrust against her ass, letting her feel the hot, hard length of his cock through his clothes.

  “Baby --” Her fingers tightened until he felt the sting of her fingernails

  against the sensitive skin of his neck. “Take your clothes off,�
� she whispered, the words low and commanding. The hot press of her power against him made his wolf want to whimper and obey without question.

  Shock nearly made him stumble back when Zack growled and yanked Kieran’s hand out of Eve’s panties. “No. He doesn’t do what you say. Not tonight.”

  His sweet little girlfriend bared her teeth and snarled. Zack just grinned lazily, and Kieran’s blood heated to a boil, hardening his cock to the point of pain. “Better mind what he says, love,” he whispered in her ear. “If you can handle it.”

  Eve was beyond snarly, and Zack was ready for one of them to bust out the safe word. But instead of calling a halt to the sex, Kieran seemed to get off on watching Eve squirm.

  And why wouldn’t he? Ego was a tricky thing for men anyway. Add in an entire level of animal behavior, and things got confusing real fast. If Zack’s suspicions were right, Kieran was going to enjoy Eve’s submission as much as she did.

  “Take off your clothes, Kieran,” he said finally. “And lie down on the bed.” He watched Eve as her boyfriend moved to comply. Her gaze followed his movements, and her breathing grew ragged as Kieran’s shirt hit the floor and he reached for his pants.

  Her fingers curled into fists, but when she jerked her gaze to Zack’s face, the anger was gone. In its place he saw confusion, and need, and frustration so intense it made her tremble. “He’s mine to protect.”

  He framed her face with his hands and leaned down to bite her lip again. “Give it to me for a little while, Eve,” he coaxed softly. “Just for the night. Let me protect both of you.”

  The nervous energy around her calmed as her eyes drifted shut, and she gave a tiny nod. “For tonight.”

  Kieran stretched out on the bed, and Zack stepped behind Eve and unhooked her bra. “What do you do at home?” He smoothed the pricey lingerie off her body and tossed it to the floor. “Do you suck his cock?”

  She shivered, but her voice held all the arrogance of an alpha werewolf. “Until he begs me to let him come.”