Page 15 of Doubly Claimed

Chapter 5

“Ginger, I’m gonna go explore while Sage gets us a drink,” Anise leaned over and said above the throbbing bass of the music coming from the live band.

The Moongate Tiki Lounge really was beautiful, she thought when they first entered. The Hotel Manager had been correct to suggest it.

“Alright, but remember what Sage said. This is our vacation, so if you find someone to chat, just text the codeword to both of us and we will know not to send out a search party!”

“I know.” Ani rolled her eyes and winked at her big sis.

Ginger felt better with her little plan in place after both her sisters abandoned her to explore the wide-open space of the bar. The island was incredible, so far. After spending a couple of hours by the pool, they’d retreated to their suite to change for dinner, but they skipped it in favor of happy hour.

She didn’t mind one bit as she looked over the crowd. Plenty of men and women were mingling, engaged in conversation, dancing, or enjoying various drinks and appetizers. The mood was sort of enticing, exciting really, and Ginger just wanted to enjoy it. She didn’t expect to find true love, but she could enjoy a casual flirtation or two. Biting her lip, she scanned the room. There were no free tables, but she’d caught the eye of one or two passersby.

Holy freaking hotness.

Her heart started thudding inside her chest, nerves danced to the pulsing rhythm. The bracelet on her wrist seemed to beat in time as well. That was strange. She must be hallucinating, she thought, and shook her head to clear it.

A tendril of arousal flitted down her spine as she took in the hulking men who seemed to eye her up and down. Her. Short, chubby Ginger Freeman. A schoolteacher from nowhere New Jersey. If Mr. Gardner could only see her now, and have a peek at her inner thoughts, she would probably be out of a job. But it would be worth it.

She licked her dry lips and swallowed nervously. Her body felt warm all over, and it had nothing to do with the heat of the island. For the past year, Ginger spent most of her time playing with her littles by day and reading racy romance novels by night. Her head was full of images of what she wanted for herself, but she never imagined her wildest dreams would ever come true. And yet…here she was.

The bracelet warmed against her wrist once more, and she looked down to make sure she wasn’t standing too near one of the tall torches lit around the perimeter. Nope. It was all good. The bar, her, everything was perfect. Catching sight of both her sisters mingling, she wondered if Sage would ever be back with her drink and decided she should come away from the wall and do a little exploring of her own.

Before this trip, she’d just about given up on her fantasies of finding one man who’d be interested in her on this mini vacation, never mind the two she’d always longed for. Imagine her shock when she was approached by a pair of seemingly attractive men. Of course, her expectations took a nosedive when they turned out to be a couple of rude jerks. Thankfully, that encounter didn’t last long at all.

“Is there a problem?” the deep voice that interrupted almost had her swooning like some Bronte-esque heroine.

She kept her feet, barely. Though her knees were admittedly weaker once she got a look at them. And she’d thought the other guys were hot. Hell no. The two men who came to her rescue made those other guys look like dogs in comparison.

Reminding herself to close her mouth, she could actually speak when they addressed her. Stunned as she was, Ginger found herself smiling and engaging in conversation. It was like they immediately soothed her hackles that were riled by the other two. What was it about that bracelet, anyway? Maybe the hotel had them entered in some swingers’ club? Oh my. Not that she was involved with anyone at the moment, but the possibilities were tempting. Especially with these two.

What was it about them? Being near them seemed to set off something primal inside her. Not only that, but the darn hotel bracelet was almost burning her with its heat. The closer they got, the more bearable it was, and she found herself almost leaning into them. Yes, that was better. The sizzle slowed, but the throb remained.

Could it be a warning or something? Or maybe it was a hottie alert. She had no idea. And even stranger, she wasn’t even worried about it once she made eye contact. The taller man had grass-green eyes and chestnut-brown hair. Charming and sensitive, she somehow knew that about him. But it was his full, sensuous mouth that drew her. What would it be like to nibble those lips? Of course, the fact that he had the lithe, powerful body of an Olympic athlete did not hurt. His thighs were downright tempting. What could she say? Ginger loved a man with nice thighs. His friend’s legs were also thick and hard, like a rugby player’s. Okay, she might have drooled a little.

Looking at the other man, she saw he was only a touch shorter, but twice as wide, with hulking arms and a bulging chest she itched to touch. He had muscles on his muscles. His amber-colored eyes never left her, except to address the other men who’d left with their metaphorical tails between their legs.

Though he was the quieter of the two, the larger man exuded power. Like he was naturally dominant, his presence commanding. Not like the flashy wannabe show-offs who’d intruded on her solitude.

Ginger welcomed these men. Was more than glad they arrived when they had. Her pulse raced and body trembled as they flanked her on either side. They exuded sex and heat, both of which she was extremely interested in. Her entire body seemed attuned to them. And what was that noise? Like a growl or rumble. Hell, maybe it was an earthquake.

Ginger never had such a strong reaction to one man, let alone two. Her sex moistened, and she squeezed her thighs together to alleviate the sudden neediness that almost overwhelmed her.

Heck. Did they just growl? She shook her head to clear it. Must have been the drums coming from the live band.

Whatever. These were the hottest men she’d ever seen, and they were interested in her of all people. Chubby, brown-eyed, ginger-haired, Ginger. Well, then again, a lot of the women present were sporting fuller figures and all the good-looking men she and her sisters had noted earlier that day didn’t seem to mind in the least.

“Want something to eat?” The one with the crystal-clear, green eyes and the deep chestnut hair nodded and went to get them some food, while the other waved at the staff for a table. Whether he did it to impress her, the fact was she was impressed. He didn’t touch her, but he hovered near, eyeing the waiter once when the younger man moved a touch too close.

Whoa. Was he jealous? The idea was foreign to Ginger. She wasn’t the type of woman to inspire jealousy or possessiveness in men. Arousal tickled her spine as she saw a hint of that and more in his amber gaze. The big man wasn’t mean or overbearing, though. Perhaps he was simply protective?

Yes, that seemed to fit. He nodded once in dismissal at the waiter. As if he was used to being obeyed without question. He had some high-powered job or something. Either way, it was nice to get some special treatment now and again. But wouldn’t she just love to rile him up? Her mischievous side wanted her to do something daring. Maybe shake the server’s hand or give him a hug for being such a doll and carrying out those heavy chairs. But no, that wasn’t Ginger’s style. Besides, it didn’t seem fair to put the guy in the line of fire like that.

“That will be all,” the stranger’s deep baritone resonated through her body as he spoke to the server.

Oh yeah, she thought. This one was much more intense than his friend. Those eyes of his were beautiful. A golden-hued amber color. They seemed to flash brilliantly now and then. But that must have been some trick of the light coming from the candle on the table or the torches around the perimeter of the lounge.

“Did you come to Moongate Island alone?”

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