Coming December 9th to Amber Heat:
Brock and Nick Phillips are security experts with a problem: their bond as twins enables them to feel what the other feels, even physical sensations. They've always known they'd have to share the same woman, and the woman they want is Jessica Norton. Jessica has wanted both men for years, but doesn't think she can have both of them. When her grandmother arranges to have the men come to the house to set them up with a new security system, the men seize the opportunity to convince Jessie she's wrong. She can have both of them and, if they're lucky, they'll steal her heart. Add an encouraging grandma and the approving ghost of her grandfather, and luck just might be on their side.
~ * ~
“We finally got our ‘in’ with Jessie.” Brockton Phillips walked into his brother’s office and plopped into the worn leather chair across from Nick’s desk. “Old lady Norton wants us to check out her place.”
His twin let out a low whistle. “I’ve always wanted to get inside that old Victorian.” White teeth flashed in a wide grin. “The house, I mean.”
“Hmm. They say it’s haunted by old man Norton.” Brock shrugged. “I don’t care. I just want to get inside Jessie.” He slung one leg over the arm of the chair and slouched into the plump depths. “I know she’s interested, but something keeps holding her back. I think maybe it’s my record.” His gut twisted with regret over stupid things he’d done as a kid, things he couldn’t undo now. Things he was afraid she wouldn’t forgive.
“She can’t hold against you stuff that you did when you were fifteen.” Nick leaned his elbows on his desk. “That was twenty years ago.”
Brock rubbed a finger over the two-inch scar on the underside of his chin. “Yeah, well, I was pretty wild then.” He met his brother’s gaze. “You know she grew up with an abusive father—that’s why she came to live with her grandparents when she was twelve. Now that she’s back in town…” He shrugged, trying to be nonchalant and seeing from Nick’s expression that he wasn’t pulling it off. “She probably doesn’t want to take a chance with me.” He motioned to the scar. “How many other men do you suppose she knows who have scars from a knife fight?”
Nick frowned. “But you haven’t been in trouble since you were a kid. And even then you weren’t beating up girls, just rival gang members. Jessie should know you’d never hurt her.” Nick lifted one dark brow. “She should know I wouldn’t let you.”
Brock shot him a grim smile. He and Nick had had their fair share of skirmishes over the years, and almost always it had pretty much come to a draw. They were evenly matched, and they both knew it.
Nick’s gaze darkened, and Brock knew he was thinking about the woman they’d both wanted for years. “Besides, I was a good kid,” Nick said. “Why is she fighting me?”
“Maybe you scare her,” Brock murmured. “You can be pretty intense at times, you know.”
Nick’s brows shot up. “I can be intense? You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re the definition of intensity, especially once you’ve decided you want something. It’s like trying to steal a gazelle from a lion.” He leaned back in his chair. “Good thing you don’t mind sharing with me.”
“Some things I don’t mind sharing. And it’s not like we have much of a choice.” At the thought of what the two of them would like to do with sweet Jessica Norton, his cock thickened, elongating against his thigh.
“Cut it out,” Nick muttered, shifting in his seat.
With the bond the two of them shared—one that went far beyond that of normal siblings—Brock knew he was broadcasting his lust to his twin. It happened whenever either of them experienced strong emotions. But he was helpless to stop it. Ever since Jessica had returned to town five years ago, he’d wanted her.
Hard.
Fast.
But she was skittish, and he’d had to practice restraint, a quality he wasn’t particularly known for. But with her he’d settled down with a patience that was surprising—especially to him.
And now he thought they might be able to move forward. She’d be more comfortable in familiar surroundings, and her grandmother liked them. God knew why, but she did. She’d even dropped a few not so subtle hints about her granddaughter’s lamentable single status. So surely she’d put in a good word or two.
Not that she had any idea that both men planned on being with Jessica. Through trial and error they’d discovered a long time ago that each of them being with different women didn’t work. Brock remembered the last time Nick went on a date alone. Brock had been at a meeting with his college counselor when the distinct feeling of fingers fondling his dick had broken his concentration. He’d realized immediately that Nick was with a girl and his twin’s experience was being broadcast to Brock. Five excruciating minutes later, when Nick had blown his load, Brock had, too.
Thank God the counselor had moved out of town the next year. He didn’t think the old man would ever recover from seeing one of his students have an orgasm without anyone touching him.
That had been ten years ago. Since then, any woman who set her eyes on him had to accept his brother as well. Sometimes she was intrigued, sometimes not.
But eventually the woman would decide she wanted only one of them, and the relationship ended.
“So,” Nick said, breaking into Brock’s memories. His twin cleared his throat. “When do we meet with Mrs. Norton and her lovely granddaughter? And how do you want to handle it?”
“Let’s handle it the same way we would with any other client. Otherwise Jessie will be suspicious.” As he dragged his thoughts back to business, Brock felt his erection begin to subside. “We’ll go out and have the preliminary meeting with Mrs. Norton and Jessie, find out what current security measures they have in place. Then I’ll test those measures and see just how good they are.” He stood and thrust his fingers into the back pockets of his jeans. “She wants us to come over tomorrow.”
Nick’s smile was slow and held the same anticipation that coursed through Brock.
One more day. Their wait was just about over.
Jessica Norton’s time was running out. She was about to be claimed
Copyright ©2007 Sherrill Quinn. All Rights Reserved.
