Primal Instincts_ Volume 2(43)
Author: Nicole Edwards

 

“Shock and awe,” Creed said in that gruff baritone.

 

I met his gaze and nodded my acquiescence. “My mom has been married to my dads for almost twenty-seven years.”

 

Silence settled over the table as I glanced at each of them, waiting.

 

Nick spoke up first, his eyes narrowed on me. “Plural dads? As in what? Two? Five? Nine?”

 

I giggled. “Two. My mom, Cadence, is married to my dads, Roman and Ryder.” When no one questioned it, I added a few more details. “They’re identical twins. They met her in college. Love at first sight, they claim.”

 

It wasn’t my imagination that the four of them shared a look. I couldn’t tell whether it was disbelief—which was usually the response I got—or something else. Maybe envy. I usually only got that kind of reaction from my female friends because, according to them, what woman wouldn’t want to be married to two hot, studly men? That was about the time the conversation started to get icky because seriously. They were my parents.

 

“Not shock and awe,” Garrison countered.

 

“Well, I already told you,” I said, waving him off.

 

“That’s not why. I’ve got identical twin cousins who’re married to one woman. They’ve got twin daughters. Hell, I got another cousin married to a man and a woman, and they’ve got five kids. That one owns a kinky fetish resort. Another who recently got engaged to a man and a woman.”

 

“Well,” I said with a huff. “Story topper, much?”

 

Nick lifted his beer to get my attention. “You promised shock and awe, and since that doesn’t qualify, try again.”

 

I couldn’t explain why they made me feel bold, but they did. I glanced at Creed. He was watching me intently, his storm-gray eyes roaming over my face.

 

He jerked his chin in my direction. “Go on. Shock us.”

 

It was a dare I couldn’t resist, so I shored up my nerve, glanced between them in turn, and admitted the one thing I’d never told anyone besides my two best friends. “I’m a member of an online kink community, and I post my dirtiest sexual fantasies on my profile.”

 

If you wanted to know what shock looked like, there were four men staring at me, their jaws unhinged as they processed what I had just told them.

 

One second ticked by, then two. A few more, and then Nick pulled out his phone. “What’s it called?”

 

I laughed, feeling my face heat. “Nope. That’s not the deal.”

 

“Awe, come on now. How do we know you’re telling the truth?”

 

“Why would I lie?”

 

There was no way I was telling them the name of the site, much less my profile name. Not now. Hell, maybe not ever. Certainly not until I deleted the last two weeks’ worth of entries since they would instantly know who the sexy CEO, the UFC fighter, and the smoking hot cowboy were that I’d been writing about.

 

“It’s y’all’s turn now,” I said.

 

Hawk spoke up, nodding toward Garrison. “He rode bulls when he was younger. Nearly lost a testicle.”

 

“Oh, horseshit,” Garrison grumbled. “Yes to the bullridin’. No to the second part. The family jewels have always been intact.”

 

If they were aiming to make me blush, they would have to try harder than that. My dads were certainly not saints, and they liked to tell stories to their friends. I grew up hearing far worse than that.

 

I was about to ask Nick to spill, but his cell phone rang. He glanced at the phone, then excused himself to answer it.

 

I looked at Hawk but noticed the way he was looking past me at Creed. His expression was ... off, although I couldn’t explain why. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they were having a silent conversation. A mask fell into place when he looked back and saw me watching him.

 

“Well,” he said around a fake yawn. “I think we’ve interrupted enough of your night already. I’m gonna head to the house.” He got to his feet and stared past me at Creed. “I’ll catch up with you tomorrow at the gym.”

 

“I’ll be there,” he said gruffly.

 

“I agree,” Garrison grumbled, standing tall. “That’s about all I can handle for one night.” His gaze slid to me. “I hope we can do this again soon.”

 

“Me, too,” I told him, although I wasn’t only talking about dinner.

 

He held my stare for a few heartbeats, and I wished he would say something, although this wasn’t the right time or place. I wanted to know why he’d left the way he had and why he’d avoided me since then.

 

“I’ll see you back at the house,” Creed commented, effectively breaking the moment.

 

Garrison glanced his way and nodded.

 

And as Hawk, Nick, and Garrison left, I realized I didn’t mind that they were making a hasty exit because, although I was the one to invite them, I was looking forward to some alone time with Creed. If I were lucky, we’d pick up where we left off when he had commanded me to remove my panties and bra.

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

Creed

 

 

“What should we do now?” Journey asked when we were walking to my car.

 

With my hand on the small of her back, I guided her along the sidewalk, taking my time.

 

“It’s probably appropriate to end the first date early,” I told her, even though I wasn’t ready to part ways with her yet.

 

“So this is our first date?”

 

“Unless you consider our five-minute coffee break a date.”

 

A smile pulled at her mouth. “Which would make this the second.”

 

“And that would mean our options are endless.”

 

“True,” she acknowledged.

 

Of course, if you factored in our brief phone encounters or the shitstorm that ultimately erupted thanks to me, perhaps it felt more like a lifetime of dates rather than just the beginning.

 

“I haven’t been on a first date in … as long as I can remember,” I admitted, surprising myself by how much I revealed. What I didn’t tell Journey was that I didn’t date vanilla women as a rule, although I had a few female friends who would indulge me from time to time. It kept the tabloids from making assumptions or digging for dirt that was better left uncovered.