Naughty Temptations

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Dragun wasn’t at all sure that taking Ms. Lois McCubbin out to dinner was a good idea, but Drake was clearly besotted with her, and she was definitely entangled in whatever was happening at Optimized Design. Besides, he was as interested in f*****g a hot, sexy woman as the next man, so here he was, waiting for them to join him. He’d chosen a table toward the back of the restaurant but by the window with an excellent view out over the city. Of course, at this hour of night, the city itself was dark, but the neon lights of the stores and the traffic lights on the roads made a pretty picture against the black background, he supposed.

He’d seen several photographs of Lois as he conducted his research into Optimized Design, and she was damn hot. He also felt a hint of the pull toward her that Drake had described, but instead of reassuring him, it worried him. What if she was one of those stealing from the company and yet their mate? How would they manage that situation? Giving up a mate was almost unthinkable, but encouraging and rewarding a thief was also inconceivable.

Dragun shrugged. He’d just have to keep hoping that Drake was correct and she wasn’t involved in anything illegal or unethical. At least tonight, as they talked to her, they should be able to get an idea of the kind of person she was. When strangers first realized he and Drake were identical twins, it often disconcerted them and allowed them to ask questions that the other person might have guarded against. With their victim off balance, he and Drake could gain a much deeper insight into their quarry than they normally would.

She’d only had a very brief glimpse of him at Optimized Design as he’d walked behind Drake. He’d not spoken to her and she wouldn’t have seen his face. Also, Drake had been careful to imply she was going to dinner with only him, not with Dragun as well. Dragun just hoped that would work in their favor tonight and that she wouldn’t be so shocked she’d turn about and go straight home when she saw there were two of them.

And that was without the entire “I’m a dragon” conversation. One of the reasons dragon shape-shifters were so very rare was because that topic was much more likely to go the wrong way than the right way. He had no plans to be stuck in a straitjacket in a padded cell any time soon.

Dragun was sitting slightly sideways to the picture window so he could keep watch on the entry to the restaurant. He and Drake had arrived ten minutes early to ensure they’d chosen a suitable table before the rush began. Dragun was just about to remind himself that women were invariably late when she and Drake appeared at the maître d’s podium.

Fuck, she was stunning. His c**k sat up immediately. She was much prettier than her pictures or the fleeting glance he’d seen of her indicated. About five-six or five-seven he guessed, although he couldn’t see her feet to know how much of that height was due to her shoes. She was wearing a long-sleeved, high-necked sparkly dress in a deep golden shade that was spectacular with her dark hair and eyes.

Her breasts were round globes pressing against the fabric of the top of the dress, and Dragun found himself wishing that the dress had a plunging neckline so he could admire the swelling curves of flesh, not material. Ah well, once they took her back to their house, they’d get her undressed and into their bed fast enough. Then he could take as long as he wished touching and admiring her skin. His c**k liked that idea, too, so much so that he had to pull his jacket closed so that, when he stood up to welcome her, his erection wasn’t leading the way.

Dragun saw the exact moment when she noticed him. She stopped, completely still, a frown drawing across her forehead and her gaze narrowing on him. She turned to Drake, who was behind her, casting a long look up and down his body and then looked back to Dragun. He could almost read her mind. She was ticking each item of information off against a mental list as she understood they were identical twins. She was only motionless for a second or two then followed the maître d to Dragun’s table.

“It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Lois,” Dragun said, holding out his hand.

Her handshake was exactly the way people are taught to do them in business school. Firm, without being harsh or rough. Brief, yet purposeful.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Mr. Kelekona.”

“My name is Dragun. I’d like you to use it.”

She nodded without answering, and Dragun wondered if she’d used Drake’s name yet. But the momentary jealousy was soon past. They were a team, and together, they had far more hope of snaring their mate than apart.

Then he reminded himself she was a suspect in a major fraud at the company they were in the process of acquiring and by working as a team, he and his brother were much more likely to catch her out in any bad behavior. Also, he needed to move fast while she was still surprised that there were two of them when she’d expected to be dining with just one man.

“Drake and I work for a company we hope will grow bigger and better in the next couple of years. We know you’re a bookkeeper. What’s your hope for the next few years?”

Drake was still settling her in her chair as Dragun spoke, determined to catch her off-guard. But she answered immediately with no hesitation. “That’s an interesting question. I’ve thought of going back to school to upgrade my qualifications to a degree in accounting, but realistically, that’s probably not going to happen.”

“Why not?” asked Drake, settling opposite her.

Dragun had thought about sitting beside her, maybe touching her thigh or shoulder during the evening, but to learn about the situation at Optimized Design, they needed to be able to see her face and watch her body language, so sitting opposite her was much more useful, unfortunately.

“School is expensive, and I need my paycheck to eat.” She shrugged and didn’t seem embarrassed as she spoke. Dragun couldn’t help wondering if she was stealing, or helping Mallory steal, because she needed the money. Not that theft was ever right, but it would make her look less of a criminal and more of a victim. Then he sighed. No it wouldn’t. He could never mate a thief.

“And Optimized Design pays you well?” suggested Drake.

He and Dragun both knew it didn’t. The staff salaries were very much at the bottom end of the range for the duties expected of their staff.

“I only recently learned what other companies pay their bookkeepers, and it makes my salary look sad, but I expect the people there have a lot more responsibility than I do. My tasks are very much day-to-day running, not decision-making or anything really challenging. But that’s enough about me. What type of business are you men involved in? Something that might need our designs?”

Dragun let Drake answer that question as he saw the server coming toward their table with the menus. They discussed the options for a while. He chose a nice light white wine, and they ordered.

Once again Lois behaved like someone out of a business handbook. She chose dishes from the middle range of the menu. Nothing outlandishly expensive but not the cheapest options either. It made Dragun wonder if she was being herself or if she was following some sort of rulebook. Did she really want to eat the chicken, or would she honestly have preferred the seafood?

“So what is your absolute favorite meat?” he asked her.

“Oh, chicken undoubtedly. When we were children the only time we were ever allowed to choose the menu at home was on our birthday. Almost every year I chose roast chicken with roast potatoes and roast pumpkin.”

Drake grinned at her. “No fried chicken or chicken pot pie?”

“Not for my birthday way back when, no, but these days any chicken at all is perfect. Even chicken Kiev or chicken parmigiana is good. But the roast chicken with balsamic bell peppers was the stand-out offering tonight, I thought.”

The talked about food for a while longer then sipped their wine. After their meals were served, Dragun lifted an eyebrow at Drake, and he asked, “So what led you to begin working at Optimized Design?”

“Mr. Wilson interviewed me himself. This was almost five years ago, when he was strong and healthy, although not young, of course. But he had such a passion for the company, so much enthusiasm for our designs. Even though the salary wasn’t as much as I’d hoped, he promised there was the likelihood of pay increases over time, and I wanted to be part of his dream.”

“And are you part of it?” Dragun asked gently.

Lois put down her fork and blotted her lips on her napkin. “I doubt very much if the company now is how he dreamed of it being. But I think I need to leave. I don’t know how you got my cell phone number, and I don’t know who told you I’d tell you all about the company. I’m no traitor. If you want information about the company, you need to talk to Mr. Mallory.”

She stood up as she spoke and Drake put a hand on her arm. “Sit down please, Lois. We aren’t trying to find out secrets. As you know, I spent some time with Karl Mallory just a few days ago, and he gave me your cell phone number.”

Lois turned to stare at him, her eyes wide with shock. “Mr. Mallory told you to ask me questions? Me? I don’t know anything. He’s the only one who makes the decisions for the company.”

Her body vibrated with honesty and sincerity. Dragun knew they had their answer right there. Whatever was happening at Optimized Design, beautiful Lois wasn’t involved in it. Thank the goddess for that. His c**k was already extremely interested in her, and he had to agree with his twin that there was a definite possibility that she was his and Drake’s mate. Now that he knew she wasn’t one of the bad guys, he could get to work wooing her. And he was more than ready to do that.

*****

Lois sank back down on her chair. She really wanted to finish eating her delicious chicken. She also wanted to spend more time with the two most handsome men she’d ever met. But she was confused. She’d stepped into a wardrobe and found herself in Narnia, fallen down a rabbit hole and was looking through the looking glass with Alice, or maybe she’d been caught up in a tornado and needed to find the yellow brick road to get home like Dorothy. Whatever it was, her head was spinning, her body throbbing, and everything that had seemed logical and reasonable an hour ago had been turned on its head. And it wasn’t even nine o’clock yet.

There was also a streak of anger running through her veins. Drake hadn’t mentioned bringing his brother along and he sure as hell hadn’t given her the impression this was going to be a business meeting. No matter how much she lusted after these delicious men she had a sense of having been set up, although she didn’t know how that’d happened.

“Who do you work for? Are you clients of Optimized Design, or are you competitors? Or—” The problem with the accounts came blazing to the forefront of her mind. “Are you very special friends of Mr. Mallory’s?” Is he setting me up to take the fall for him? Am I right? Is there something very wrong happening? Is this dinner going to be the proof that I’m the problem here? Oh f*****g hell, I never should have agreed to this date. I don’t know these men. I’m just as stupid as any teenager who goes off in a stranger’s car. Only instead of getting raped or murdered, I’m going to end up in jail for the rest of my life for a crime I didn’t commit and don’t even know exactly what it is.

Drake put his hand over hers, gently rubbing his thumb over her skin. “I’d never met Karl Mallory until this week, and I only know Frank Wilson in a very general sort of way. Dragun and I own our own company, but I wouldn’t call us competitors. Our work is much more targeted to Generation Y.”

“People our age,” she said softly, pulling her hand away and putting it on her lap. His touch was too distracting. His warm hand on hers was much too nice. Not to mention as inappropriate as hell in what had turned out to be pretty much a business meeting instead of a date. “So why did you ask me here?”

“Because you’re beautiful and sexy and I wanted a chance to get to know you and let you find out about my brother and me.”

Lois took that with a whole saltcellar full of salt. She wasn’t ugly, but beautiful and sexy didn’t describe her. She was ordinary, and they most definitely weren’t ordinary. From their identical shining blue eyes, their broad shoulders and powerful, muscular bodies, they were everything a woman could ask for in a man’s looks. If they owned their own company and took women here regularly, they were also a whole lot better off financially than she was.

Her meal tonight was going to cost the equivalent of half her week’s grocery budget. But damn, it was worth it. Everything tasted amazing, just as these men looked amazing. Lois pulled her thoughts together. And she’d be paying for it herself. She was absolutely not going to fall for their s**t and end up in jail.

“I’m not buying the propaganda. Flattery is very nice. Every woman likes to be told she’s beautiful, however what I’d really like right about now is the truth. Why are two men with their own business taking a humble bookkeeper out for dinner at one of the top restaurants in the city?”

“Why can’t you believe it’s because we like you and want to know you better?” asked Dragun.

“Because I’m not stupid.”

Both men stared at her as Drake said, “If you come home with us tonight, we’ll demonstrate to you very thoroughly that we find you attractive.”

“I just told you I’m not stupid.” Lois was sure being f****d by them would be wonderful indeed, but she wasn’t into one-night stands or s*x on a first date either. If this even qualified as a date. Not to mention the whole issue of whether or not they were setting her up as a fall guy with the company.

Dragun laughed and waved at her meal. “Please, eat up. I’d hate it if your chicken became cold.”

They all began eating again, and the men asked her questions about her favorite movies and whether she enjoyed skiing and ice-skating.

But in the back of her mind, Lois was convinced there was a whole lot more they weren’t telling her. Maybe they did find her attractive. It was a stretch for her to believe that, but she supposed it was possible. However, it certainly wasn’t the full story. There was some other reason why they’d been at Optimized Design and their connection to the company. And why had Mr. Mallory given them her cell phone number? That made no sense at all unless he intended her to tell them something or do something for them. If only she could guess whether he wanted her to take the fall for something wrong or if he wanted her to tell them the truth about the company. Why couldn’t he have given her a hint? He was usually extremely autocratic, giving very explicit instructions about everything. She had no clue at all about what he wanted right now, and she was sure as hell not going to accept the blame if something was problematic with the money. She’d never done anything even the slightest bit wrong.

Up until now she’d thought no one knew she’d noticed some inconsistencies in the accounts. But perhaps Mr. Mallory had. He could tell when she logged into the various files, and perhaps he’d noticed that she’d spent a lot of extra time in the ones that worried her. No, she wasn’t going to say anything or do anything. It wasn’t right. She owed Optimized Design her respect, even if she didn’t have much respect for Mr. Mallory. It was a shame Mr. Wilson was ill—she liked him. The problem was that he just wasn’t able to look after the company properly anymore.

It was quite late by the time she’d refused a dessert, and they’d sat sipping coffee and talking. She’d genuinely enjoyed their company and companionship after they stopped talking about work, and the meal had become just like a real date. The two men escorted her down into the basement where she’d parked her car and walked her right over to it.

“Will you scream if I kiss you?” asked Drake, gently pulling her into his arms.

She should. She really should scream and push them away and tell them they were deceptive assholes who’d invited her out to dinner to ask her about the company and wring all its secrets out of her. Except she didn’t know any secrets and then the second half of the evening had been a perfect date even though there were two men not one.

As Drake’s body heat and sexy scent surrounded her, Lois found herself doing a complete one-eighty in her thoughts. Hell no she wouldn’t scream. She might melt into a puddle of lust, but that would be all.

She lifted her head to smile right up at his face, and he lowered his lips to hers, touching them so lightly she wondered if she’d imagined it until he pressed a little more firmly and flicked his tongue along the seam of her mouth.

Her body molded itself against his hard chest, and he pushed one leg between hers as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Then he blew her mind with the most erotic kiss she’d ever experienced. He held her body hard against his, with arms like iron bands, as he deepened the kiss still more until he was almost consuming her, body and soul. His c**k was a thick, hard ridge against her belly, his hands were warm against her back, and his tongue tasted and tested every inch of her mouth until she was breathless and limp in his arms.

Before she had a moment to think, Dragun was behind her, pressed hard against her back, his c**k an equally thick ridge against her ass, his lips hot on her neck and his hands on her breasts rubbing her n*****s over the dress. It was thick, winter-weight fabric, but she might as well have been naked for the way her n*****s pressed up into his hands, aching for more.

Dragun licked across her neck to nibble on her ear lobe and then breathed into her ear. “Come home with us, Lois. We promise you a very good evening, the perfect end to a wonderful meal.”

“I—” Lois tried to form the words to say no, but she was whirled around, and it was Dragun’s tongue in her mouth, f*****g her with passion, and Drake’s hands on her body, stroking and smoothing them up her spine, down her sides, and over her ass.

Again she tried to refuse, and finally she gave up. She wanted this, wanted them. It wasn’t simply that it’d been a damn long time since she’d had a boyfriend, or even been invited out for a meal. It wasn’t that she knew she’d never have the opportunity to be with two such incredibly good-looking men ever again. It was all these things and far more. She wanted them with an ache that possessed every fiber of her being.

My lifeless body will be found in a dumpster.

But at least I’ll die happy after lots of orgasms.

“All right, I’ll come with you,” her mouth said before her brain could step up and refuse again.