Deni nodded. "What do you do for a living, Price?"

Gunner realized that while he'd cheated, Deni was still flying blind in regards to Price Bennett.

"I own a security company."

Deni looked down at the T-s.h.i.+rt she was wearing. "Yeah. I figured that much out, but it doesn't really tell me anything."

Gunner chuckled at the understatement of Price's response. "Sort of giving her the Spark's Notes version, aren't you? Price is CEO of one of the most prestigious and prosperous security firms out there. His list of clients would probably read like a who's who of the world's most rich and famous."

"Someone did their homework." Price didn't sound offended by Gunner's knowledge.

He shrugged. "I had some time to kill at Deni's apartment."

"And you ran a background check." Price actually looked impressed. "I did the same thing while Denise was showering. You graduated from Boston University with honors and a criminal justice degree. You were top of your cla.s.s at the FBI Academy and you played rugby in high school."

Gunner grinned. He liked a p.i.s.sing contest as much as the next guy. "Very good. You're left-handed, your mother is a distant cousin of Charlie Chaplin and you were born on March 11."

Price shook his head. "I may have to try to steal you away from the FBI. I could use a man with an eye for details."

"You're a Pisces," Deni muttered, looking at Price.

Price looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"Your birth sign. You're a Pisces, a water sign. I'm Leo, fire. Could be a tricky combination."

Gunner laughed. "Never pegged you as an astrology believer, Deni."

She shrugged. "I'm not actually. I was just feeling left out of the conversation."

Gunner gestured for her to continue. "Tell us more. And I should warn you now. I'm an earth sign."

Deni grinned. "A girl in one of my college cla.s.ses was talking to her girlfriend about astrology once. Trying to explain that she'd dumped this guy because their signs weren't compatible. I was curious because this girl really seemed to put a lot of weight on the idea, so I checked a book out of the library and read up on it. Thought it was pretty fascinating."

Price leaned forward, looking intrigued. "So the signs are against us?"

She gave him a mischievous grin. "Possibly. Do you think the Grand Master takes astrological signs into account when he forms the threesomes?"

"Absolutely not."

Again, Gunner was struck by Price's certainty, but he let it go, continuing with the checklist of issues that still needed to be resolved. "So now that we've tackled the living situation, personal information and problematic horoscopes, maybe we should go ahead and acknowledge the elephant in the corner."

It occurred to Gunner that Deni wouldn't completely relax until the s.e.x issue had been resolved. It had been hovering in the background all day. Perhaps they would all feel better if they knew the physical aspects of this odd relations.h.i.+p would work.

Deni frowned. "I don't understand."

Price rose and perched on the edge of the coffee table in front of her. "He's talking about s.e.x, Denise."

"Oh." Deni ran her palms along her thighs, trying to tug the T-s.h.i.+rt down again.

Gunner grasped her hand. "You knew this was coming."

Price leaned forward. Gunner couldn't miss how tight their circle had grown. With any other man, Gunner would feel as if his personal s.p.a.ce was being invaded. With Price and Deni, it felt comfortable. Normal.

Price claimed her free hand. "Why don't we move this conversation to the bedroom? We'd be more comfortable there."

Deni tried to tug her hands free, but neither man released her.

"Bedroom?"

Gunner pulled her to her feet. And then, because he hated seeing her so frightened, he wrapped her in his embrace. Deni's body was tense, rigid, but after a few moments, she released a long sigh, going soft in his arms. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head when she returned the hug and touched her hands lightly to the small of his back.

Price didn't move. Instead, he watched in silence. Gunner's gaze connected with Price's and he saw approval in the other man's eyes. They were going to have to join forces and work together to alleviate Deni's anxiety.

G.o.d. A virgin. Deni had revealed that little secret to him a few months earlier. She'd actually been asking him for advice on how he thought she should go about losing it. It had taken all the strength in his body not to say to h.e.l.l with the Trinity Masters and take her back to his place then and there, unwilling to think about another man touching her. Instead he'd told her she should wait for the right guy, hang in there until she found that special someone.

Now she was here and...s.h.i.+t. A virgin. What the h.e.l.l was he supposed to do with that? He'd never had s.e.x with an inexperienced woman. Maybe it would be easier if he didn't care so much about Deni, but the fact was he did care. A lot. It would kill him to hurt her, to cause her any pain, physically or emotionally.

He released her slowly and stepped back as Price moved forward. Price offered the same friendly, easy hug, but he took it to the next level, bending to kiss her.

Gunner had never considered himself a voyeur, but watching Price and Deni kiss, observing their tongues tangle as their hands stroked each other's faces and bodies sent his c.o.c.k from emerging to erect in an instant. He adjusted the material of his pants, trying to find some relief from the sudden constriction.

When Price and Deni parted, he was there, dying for a taste. Deni moved back to him easily. He kissed her the way he'd wanted to for years. He was a starving man at the feast and nothing would hold him back now.

He tightened his grip in her hair with one hand as he drifted the other lower to cup her breast. Deni gasped, but he didn't offer her surcease, an out. He kept her lips pressed against his as he explored her body.

Deni jerked. Gunner opened his eyes, unsurprised to discover Price standing behind her, slowly lifting her T-s.h.i.+rt. Gunner moved back incrementally, allowing Price the room he needed to completely pull the soft cotton off. Deni hadn't bothered to put her bra back on after her shower. Without the s.h.i.+rt, she stood between them in nothing but her far-too-practical, plain white cotton panties. Gunner had never seen anything s.e.xier.

Her skin flushed, a faint pink hue covering her cheeks and her chest. Gunner wasn't certain if it was embarra.s.sment or arousal causing the blush. Probably a bit of both.

Deni tried to move closer to him, no doubt to hide. She had self-confidence when it came to her work-the woman knew her stuff-but it wasn't translating to her personal life.

He gently pushed her away, letting his gaze sweep over her body. Deni started to lift her hands, to use them as a s.h.i.+eld, but Price grasped her wrists and pulled them behind her back. "Let us look at you, Denise."

She struggled for only a second, then, when it became apparent she was no match for Price's strength, she stilled.

Gunner ran his hands along her arms, her waist, her hips. Deni s.h.i.+vered at his touch. "You're so beautiful."

A crinkle appeared between her eyes as if she was trying to read the genuineness of his compliment. Given her unusual childhood, she'd missed too many experiences she should have had-prom and Homecoming dances, weekend dates and frat parties. Deni had spent her entire life between the pages of a book or trapped in a lab, running her d.a.m.n trials. The world had pa.s.sed her by as she lived alone inside her clever mind. It was time to draw her out. Show her what living was really about.

"Turn around." Price's deep-voiced command proved he was a man who was used to getting what he wanted. Gunner wondered how Deni would respond to Price's alpha ways. h.e.l.l, what would she think of his?

Her blush deepened, but she didn't move.

"Denise." Price released her hands and waited.

Gunner moved closer, whispering, "Be brave, Deni. You have nothing to hide from us."

She licked her lips nervously, and then twisted to face Price. Gunner noticed she kept her hands down, away from her body this time. As always, she was a quick study.

Price took his time, eating her alive with his eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was gruff with emotion. "I want you."

Without waiting for a reply, Price leaned forward, picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. Gunner followed, pleased to see the large king-sized bed that awaited them. Neither he nor Price were small men. They would need plenty of room. Price placed Deni on her feet and stripped her panties away in one quick motion. Then he lifted her again and gently laid her in the center of the mattress.

Gunner reached up, loosened his tie and dragged it out of the collar as she watched.

Price began to disrobe as well. Deni's gaze traveled between them, quietly observing as they bared themselves to her.

As Gunner shed his boxers, he heard Deni's nervous intake of breath. Looking at her, it occurred to him she may never have seen a naked man before. Whenever Deni talked about growing up, she only mentioned her mother, never a father. One day soon, he'd ask her more about her family, her upbringing.

Now wasn't the time. His c.o.c.k was hard enough to pound nails into concrete. A quick glance to the right proved Price was in a similar state.

When Price took a step toward the bed, Deni pushed herself up and pressed her back against the headboard. Her quick retreat stopped Price in his tracks.

They were doing this all wrong. When Deni was in their arms, when they kissed and touched her, she relaxed. They'd given her too much time to think. Gunner walked to the bed and sat next to her. He leaned against the wall as well, the two of them sitting side by side like two strangers waiting for a bus.

He reached out and clasped her hand in his. Price watched without joining them.

"Deni, you have nothing to be afraid of."

She frowned. "I'm not scared."

He grinned. She was a s.h.i.+tty liar.

Price sank down on the mattress near her feet. "Well, I am."

Deni's eyes widened. "You are?"

"I've never had s.e.x with a virgin," Price confessed.

"So if I'd had s.e.x before, you'd be doing things differently?"

Gunner nodded. "Yeah. A lot different."

Deni didn't reply immediately. "I don't want you to do that. I've been the odd guy out my whole life. I'm tired of it."

Gunner raised her hand and kissed it. "This isn't just about you. I've never partic.i.p.ated in menage s.e.x either."

Price moved closer, crawling up the bed until he'd claimed Deni's other side. "Oh, I've done threesomes."

Deni laughed, the sound catching Gunner off-guard until she said, "Why am I not surprised?"

She squeezed his hand and then reached over to touch Price's face. "Tell you what. Let's forget the virginity thing and the menage thing. Maybe we could just go with the flow. Figure out what feels right for us."

Price grinned. "I can handle that. What do you want to do first?"

"Can I touch you?" Her eyes drifted lower, giving away exactly what she was curious to explore.

Gunner moved until both he and Price were sitting in front of her. He lifted her hand and pressed her fingers against his chest. "I'm yours, Deni. You can do whatever you want."

She rubbed her hand along his pecs and shoulders, then repeated the same motions on Price's chest. She drifted her fingers lower but stopped short as her shyness reappeared. Price took away her choice. He grabbed her hand and wrapped her fingers around his c.o.c.k.

Deni slowly stroked the hard flesh. Gunner wondered how Price was able to remain patient with her light touches. He shook his head. "No, Deni. Like this." He placed his hand on top of hers, the two of them wrapped around Price's erection.

Price narrowed his eyes and then groaned when Gunner showed her exactly how firmly she could rub him.

"f.u.c.k," Price muttered. "That feels..." His voice faded away when Gunner encouraged Deni to grip Price's b.a.l.l.s with her free hand. Then he added extra pressure.

"I'm not hurting him?"

Gunner shook his head. "You ever heard the song with the lyrics about something hurting so good? People are capable of finding pleasure through pain."

Price's gaze captured Deni's. "I'm going to show you exactly how that works."

"When?" Deni's tone betrayed her undeniable interest.

Gunner chuckled and then leaned forward and kissed her as they continued to rub their hands along Price's c.o.c.k.

Price's breathing warned Gunner he was getting too close. Gunner loosened his grip on Deni's hand and then pulled her away from their lover.

Price put his sudden freedom to good use, tugging Deni's waist until she was lying on the mattress. Gunner continued kissing her as he gripped her hair, tightening his fingers in her soft tresses, building the pressure until Deni gasped. "Oh, I see."

Price leaned over her chest and took her nipple into his mouth, sucking on the distended flesh. Deni moaned.

Deni's caresses were timid at first. She rested her hands on Gunner's shoulders, but as the power of the moment grew, she became bolder, braver, wilder. She ran her fingers through his hair, reaching down with the other hand to stroke Price's face.

Gunner tried to understand the part of him that loved having Price in bed with them. He'd never looked at another man with anything even remotely close to desire. And while he didn't feel attracted to Price, he didn't mind their close contact or even Price's accidental brushes against him.

They were partners, working together to bring their spouse pleasure...and maybe help each other out along the way.

Gunner lowered his head and claimed Deni's other nipple. Price nipped at her breast while Gunner increased the suction. Deni lifted her hips and tightened her fingers in his hair until his scalp stung.

Price took them to the next level when he reached lower, rubbing her c.l.i.t. Deni thrust against his fingers, begging for more.

"So wet." He heard Price murmur. He suspected his partner in l.u.s.t was urging him on, as anxious as he was to bury himself inside their pretty little bride.

Gunner released her breast to kneel by her hip. He watched Price's fingers drive Deni's arousal higher, stroking her c.l.i.t harder, faster.

"G.o.d, please," she cried.

Did she know what she was asking for?

Gunner reached out, desperate to feel her wet heat. He circled the entrance to her s.e.x. Deni stilled, her chest rising and falling with her rapid breaths. She was close to coming, he could see it in her flushed face, her heavily lidded eyes. It wouldn't take much.

Gunner glanced at Price, who nodded.

"Do it," Price urged.

Gunner thrust two fingers inside Deni's tight p.u.s.s.y while Price continued caressing her c.l.i.t. Deni stiffened, balling her hands into fists at her sides.