of an eye he had morphed into Nathan's father. Max Fielding had advanced towards her completely unabashed in his nakedness, whereas Estelle hadn't known where to look.
"Couldn't sleep?"
She'd shaken her head and continued to stare resolutely at the decking under her bare feet, causing Max to chuckle. He'd moved away briefly, and there had been a rustle of clothing; and when she'd dared look across, she'd thankfully seen jeans clad legs. She'd breathed a rather audible sigh of relief, and Max had flashed a toothy grin at her when she'd raised her eyes to his face.
"I forget how squeamish humans get about nakedness. Forgive me."
"It's not that I'm squeamish, it's just…" She'd shrugged her shoulders and smiled up at Max. "You're his dad. It's just a bit weird."
"Not any weirder than my son's more unusual past times. I'm assuming you don't find those weird." He'd smiled at her hasty shake of her head, and she'd known her cheeks had been hot enough to be used for lanterns. "I'd hoped he may have tempered his involvement after it all went pear shaped with Erica, but it seems not. Jordan tells me he's still as much in the lifestyle as he ever was."
"Jordan?" she'd asked.
"Forgive an old man. I cannot bring myself to call him Ink. He will always be Jordan to me. And I wish Nathan and he would bury the hatchet. It's not natural for twins to stay apart as much as my sons have. But then if you share a woman that's what happens. In the end Erica proved herself to be worthy of neither one of my sons,but by then the damage was done."
She'd gasped at that revelation. No wonder Nathan clammed up every time she'd asked about his ex-wife. And she'd only gone and slept with Ink, too.
Max had studied her thoughtfully, and Estelle had tried her hardest not to squirm under his steady regard. When he'd finally spoken again, she'd wanted the ground to swallow her up.
"You have a very expressive face, my dear. When I mentioned Jordan's name your face dropped, and your heart rate increased.
Please tell me Nathan is not sharing you."
"I most certainly am not, father. And I do not appreciate you interrogating my mate."
Hearing Nathan's deep rumble behind her before his arms round her waist had drawn her into his body in a protective embrace had been the sweetest sound ever.
"I'm glad to hear it, but don’t raise your voice to me, young cub. Not on my land. Not when your mate is a human you have yet to claim and young enough to be your daughter."
The arms holding her had tightened, and you could have cut the tension between father and son with a knife. Estelle had stamped her foot in frustration and growled her annoyance causing both men's tigers to growl in response. She rolled her eyes even now. She was sick and tired of hearing how young she was. She was twenty five for pity's sake, not some easily impressed school girl, and Nathan might be in his forties, but that didn't matter to her one iota.
When she'd said as much to Nathan's father, he'd simply smiled, patted her hand and left them alone. Nathan had claimed her mouth in a passionate kiss, completely scrambling her brains.
Unfortunately that was all he'd done, and she was sick and tired of
“getting to know” him. What she needed was a “good old seeing to”, and she couldn't think of a better way to get his iron control to slip, and to sort out the issues he had with his twin, than to go to the club.
By the time they'd left his parents’ place, Max had thawed towards her, and whilst she had not been able to hear the muttered words of goodbye uttered between father and son, Mrs. Fielding's tear-stained smile and the look both men had directed towards her had spoken volumes. Nathan had been quiet on the drive home, and she'd been content to sit and study his profile. The laughter lines around his eyes and the slight graying around his temples were the only indication of his age, and she'd sighed to herself, causing his tiger to rumble and Nathan to throw her a questioning
"Couldn't sleep?"
She'd shaken her head and continued to stare resolutely at the decking under her bare feet, causing Max to chuckle. He'd moved away briefly, and there had been a rustle of clothing; and when she'd dared look across, she'd thankfully seen jeans clad legs. She'd breathed a rather audible sigh of relief, and Max had flashed a toothy grin at her when she'd raised her eyes to his face.
"I forget how squeamish humans get about nakedness. Forgive me."
"It's not that I'm squeamish, it's just…" She'd shrugged her shoulders and smiled up at Max. "You're his dad. It's just a bit weird."
"Not any weirder than my son's more unusual past times. I'm assuming you don't find those weird." He'd smiled at her hasty shake of her head, and she'd known her cheeks had been hot enough to be used for lanterns. "I'd hoped he may have tempered his involvement after it all went pear shaped with Erica, but it seems not. Jordan tells me he's still as much in the lifestyle as he ever was."
"Jordan?" she'd asked.
"Forgive an old man. I cannot bring myself to call him Ink. He will always be Jordan to me. And I wish Nathan and he would bury the hatchet. It's not natural for twins to stay apart as much as my sons have. But then if you share a woman that's what happens. In the end Erica proved herself to be worthy of neither one of my sons,but by then the damage was done."
She'd gasped at that revelation. No wonder Nathan clammed up every time she'd asked about his ex-wife. And she'd only gone and slept with Ink, too.
Max had studied her thoughtfully, and Estelle had tried her hardest not to squirm under his steady regard. When he'd finally spoken again, she'd wanted the ground to swallow her up.
"You have a very expressive face, my dear. When I mentioned Jordan's name your face dropped, and your heart rate increased.
Please tell me Nathan is not sharing you."
"I most certainly am not, father. And I do not appreciate you interrogating my mate."
Hearing Nathan's deep rumble behind her before his arms round her waist had drawn her into his body in a protective embrace had been the sweetest sound ever.
"I'm glad to hear it, but don’t raise your voice to me, young cub. Not on my land. Not when your mate is a human you have yet to claim and young enough to be your daughter."
The arms holding her had tightened, and you could have cut the tension between father and son with a knife. Estelle had stamped her foot in frustration and growled her annoyance causing both men's tigers to growl in response. She rolled her eyes even now. She was sick and tired of hearing how young she was. She was twenty five for pity's sake, not some easily impressed school girl, and Nathan might be in his forties, but that didn't matter to her one iota.
When she'd said as much to Nathan's father, he'd simply smiled, patted her hand and left them alone. Nathan had claimed her mouth in a passionate kiss, completely scrambling her brains.
Unfortunately that was all he'd done, and she was sick and tired of
“getting to know” him. What she needed was a “good old seeing to”, and she couldn't think of a better way to get his iron control to slip, and to sort out the issues he had with his twin, than to go to the club.
By the time they'd left his parents’ place, Max had thawed towards her, and whilst she had not been able to hear the muttered words of goodbye uttered between father and son, Mrs. Fielding's tear-stained smile and the look both men had directed towards her had spoken volumes. Nathan had been quiet on the drive home, and she'd been content to sit and study his profile. The laughter lines around his eyes and the slight graying around his temples were the only indication of his age, and she'd sighed to herself, causing his tiger to rumble and Nathan to throw her a questioning
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