Two Masters for Samantha by Michele Zurlo

“Do you realize you’re the only one of us who isn’t married?”

The tone of the question relayed amazement more than anything else. Samantha Spencer grinned at the maid-of-honor with whom she shared the changing room mirror. Ginny Breszewski, sister of the bride, had refused the title of matron-of-honor because she said it made her feel like a prison guard or an orphanage director.

“Sophia isn’t married yet,” Sammy said. “Her wedding isn’t until next summer.”

Ginny snorted, a big sound coming from such a petite woman. Ginny was easily half a foot shorter than Sam’s five-ten frame. In the heels she wore, Sam even towered over her brother, the groom, by two inches.

“On the market, then,” Ginny amended.

Having ended an unsatisfying relationship six months earlier, Sam did feel the need to have someone in her life. The major problem she encountered was finding a man who could handle her. The last boyfriend called her “needy.” Nicer exes labeled her “high-maintenance.”

Sammy didn’t think either of those descriptors fit. She was neither needy nor high-maintenance. She just had a lot of energy and a restless spirit. A man who could keep up with her was rare and, so far, elusive.

She blotted her lipstick with a tissue. “I just haven’t met the right person.”

Ginny turned to lean against the edge of the counter under the mirror, perusing Sammy thoughtfully. Before she could say anything, the door opened and the bride came into the private chamber set aside for just the bridal party.

Sabrina had technically been married to Sammy’s brother, Jonas, for a little over a year. Once they hit the skids, it came out that their entire marriage had been an arrangement to help Sabrina get an inheritance. Sammy had seen the pair together too often to believe it was all about money.

Luckily, Sabrina was patient. That was good because Jonas had a stubborn streak that defied reason. Sammy had been unable to talk sense into Jonas, but she wasn’t alone in that regard. Every member of their family had tried to talk sense into him, to no avail. Jonas hadn’t reconciled with his wife until he was ready to do so.

“Ginny, I need you to do the bustle. I have to use the bathroom, and there is no way I can do it with all this material hanging loose back there.”

Sabrina held the train of her dress over her arm and peered expectantly at Ginny.

Samantha looked between the sisters. Both were short, though Ginny was about an inch taller than Sabrina’s five-two height. Both were petite, pretty brunettes with big, brown eyes.

When Sabrina’s hair had been long, the pair sported a striking resemblance. Now that Sabrina had cut her hair shorter and Ginny had grown hers longer, the most distinguishing characteristic was the fact that Sabrina wore an elegant white wedding dress and Ginny was dressed in the same tangerine and pink gowns as the rest of the bridesmaids.

As colors went, it suited each of the women in the bridal party surprisingly well. Sabrina had chosen different styles of dress for each woman, but she had insisted they be made with the same fabric. Sammy didn’t mind matching Sabrina’s favorite rose bush because the dress complemented her athletic build and Nordic coloring quite well.

The satin bodice was strapless and molded to her breasts. The skirt flared from her hips in a way that gave the appearance of curves where she was pretty much flat. It was something she would wear again.

Ginny pushed away from the counter. “I told you to go with a simple dress, but you insisted on traditional. Even when it’s bustled, you have to be careful. You didn’t have to go all-out. It’s not like this is your first wedding.”

“Don’t start,” Sabrina said. “The first one didn’t count. Besides, you’ve been married seven times.”

“To the same woman.” Ginny scooted around Sabrina and took the train from her arm. “I can’t help it if the laws are backwards in more places than not.”

Sammy helped Ginny spread the train. Starting at opposite sides, they folded the voluminous material so that it was off the ground. “And she married the same man twice. It seems you both like weddings.”

Sabrina lifted her head, meeting Sammy’s eyes in the mirror and smiling her thanks. “I wanted something big and memorable. The first one was so quick and no one was there with us. We didn’t even have our picture taken.”

“I think this was a great idea,” Samantha said. Her fingers fumbled with the tiny buttons, but Ginny was having the same issue, so Sammy didn’t feel overly inadequate. “We all wanted to share this day with the two of you.”

The sentiment was true. Over the past year, Sabrina had won her way into the hearts of the entire Spencer family. Samantha loved her sister-in-law.

The door opened again and the rest of the bridal party burst inside. Amanda, Sammy’s big sister, was first. She swept a stray strand of sandy curls from her eyes and smiled at Sam. “Need help?”

More hands wouldn’t fit to help with the tiny row of buttons spanning the curve of Sabrina’s small bottom. Sammy smiled and shook her head. “We got it.”

Sophia was next. Sammy didn’t remember having met Sophia. It seemed the Italian beauty just showed up one day with Jonas and she’d been around ever since.

Lara followed. Lara was Ginny’s wife. Tall, blonde, and sporting an athletic build similar to Sammy’s, Lara was Sammy’s favorite. The two hit it off instantly. Lara’s easygoing manner and friendly smile were contagious. Like Sammy, Ginny could be considered high-maintenance and needy. Sammy wanted someone like Lara who, with a look or a touch, could quell the anxiousness and restlessness that sometimes overtook her.

As proof of her magic powers, Lara brushed a hand along Ginny’s cheek. Immediately, Ginny’s fumbling fingers calmed and she powered through the buttons even faster.

Ellen was the last to arrive. Technically, Ellen was Jonas’s best friend. Sammy had known Ellen for almost eighteen years. When Jonas had first brought the strong-willed, curvy brunette home his first year of college, Sammy thought she was meeting the woman destined to become her sister-in-law.

Jonas and Ellen both disabused her of that notion. At the tender age of eleven, Sammy learned that friendship was genderless and that sisters did not need to be genetically related.

“I am so glad you didn’t have the reception at your house,” Ellen said to Sabrina as she leaned closer to the mirror and pulled at a stray hair. “You must have over two hundred people out there and the party isn’t supposed to start for another half hour. I would hate to be the one who has to write all those thank-you cards.”

As Sammy and Ginny finished with the buttons, the swish of satin and the smell of beauty products filled the air.

Surrounded by family and friends, Samantha Spencer smiled contentedly. This was a good day.

* * * *

Alexei Morozov hated weddings. He was invited to entirely too many. Morozov Industries had been created thirty years ago by his father. Their holdings were widespread, which meant a huge network of friends and associates all over the world. That meant representation at a huge number of wedding, anniversary, birthday, and “just because” events.

He and Stefano often divided the required appearances between them. Being identical twins came in handy under these circumstances. He pretended to be himself for half the time and Stefano for the other half.

Even their mother had a difficult time telling them apart at first glance. Of course, she knew they were mirror-images of each other. Stefano was right-handed while Alexei was left-handed. The twins learned to remember these details when they impersonated the other around their parents and clients.

However, this occasion required both of them to attend. Sabrina Breszewski had invited him because their parents were old acquaintances. Though he hadn’t seen her in years, he maintained her business interests and investments, so he spoke to her every few months. He hadn’t been surprised to receive an invitation. It was a formality, something she did because it was expected. Alexei would have done the same thing in her shoes. It paid to maintain the old connections. In that spirit, the boys had decided to attend the reception only.

Plus, he wanted to connect with Stephen Galen to discuss some recent areas of interest they shared. His father assured him that Sabrina was still on good terms with the Galens. In fact, she represented their advertising interests.

“Hello, handsome.” Warm, champagne-enriched breath wafted to his nose.

Closing his eyes and suppressing a groan, Alexei turned his head to greet the drunken woman. Being the son of a wealthy man had inoculated him against the lure of a beautiful woman long ago. Even if the woman was unaware of who he was, Alexei was wary. Being six-two with an athletic build that wore a suit extremely well, a thick shock of dark brown hair, and cobalt blue eyes was a combination that attracted women to him since he had been too young to appreciate the fairer sex.

He had yet to find a woman who didn’t want something from him. At thirty, he was definitely one of the world’s most eligible bachelors. He and Stef had been the subject of numerous magazine articles on the topic. When they were younger and didn’t know better, they posed for the pieces, granting interviews to pretty journalists. They didn’t bother with that anymore.

Besides, no woman knew him from Stefano anyway. They’d traded dates before for fun, just to see if the woman professing her love and undying devotion could actually find the subtle differences between them. None had noticed.

“Hello.” He didn’t ask her name. “Nice wedding we’re having.”

A feminine laugh came from behind him, somewhere on the other side of the buffet table. A quick glance brought a frown to his face. The laugh appeared to have been directed at him, yet he could see no evidence of anyone listening in on the woman’s pickup attempt.

The woman hadn’t caught his joke, lame as it was. He wasn’t used to having to try hard. People usually laughed at his dry jokes because it was expected, not because they found his comments witty.

The blonde cocked her head to one side, flashing a coy smile. “Would you like to dance with me?”

Alexei studied the woman. She was beautiful and she knew it. Blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and a flawless complexion combined perfectly. The neckline of her dress plunged almost to her belly button. Her breasts were perfectly rounded in a way that screamed falseness. This was a woman who was never turned down.

Alexei’s false smile was brief. “No.”

She sidled closer, sliding her hand across his ass and pressing her hip into his thigh. “How about we skip the preliminaries and head up to your room?” Her hand stopped at a stiffness in the region of his front pocket. A teasing frown marred her brow briefly. “What’s this?”

The question was leading, but Alexei didn’t bite. “My room key.”

She fished for it, but he stopped her with a firm hand on her wrist.

“Not tonight.”

The pout she used was no doubt effective with most men. Alexei hated women who pouted. He liked honest begging and screaming, but not pouting.

“There you are.”

A hand slipped through his arm to rest on his bicep. Alexei looked over to find another blonde he didn’t know. There was something different about this one. Her long hair cascaded down her back, curling in gentle waves. Cornflower blue eyes twinkled with mirth and coral pink lips curved with the same amusement.

Her skin was tanned. The muscles in her arms were long and clearly defined, identifying her as an active, athletic woman. Her high heels brought her to within inches of his height, but she would be tall without them.

The tangerine satin dress labeled her a bridesmaid. For the first time, he regretted having missed the wedding. The light in her eyes was sympathetic, not predatory. A genuine smile, the first of the night, lifted his mouth and his spirits.

* * * *

Samantha felt sorry for the man. Having been pawed by more than a few drunken men in her time, she knew the value of a good save. With a light tug on his arm, she gestured toward the dance floor.

“I saved this dance for you.”

His eyes, the darkest blue she’d ever seen, roamed her face and figure. The hard, bored look he wore slipped away, replaced by a brilliant smile that melted her knees a little.

Swallowing the sudden urge to press her lips to his, Samantha leaned forward to peer around the man at the drunken woman who had to be related to Sabrina because Sammy recognized all the people Jonas had invited. She smiled apologetically. “Excuse us. He’s been waiting all night for me to get a break from my bridesmaid’s duties.”

This time, when she pulled at his arm, he followed her to the dance floor.

The hotel Jonas and Sabrina had chosen for the reception featured a cavernous ballroom with a beautiful wood floor. A five-piece orchestra strummed a classical number that was perfect for one of the dances Sabrina had forced the entire bridal party to learn. They’d already danced the waltz.

In the middle of the crowd, she turned to her mystery man and smiled again. “I can lead if it won’t damage your self-esteem.”

He planted his right hand on her waist and gripped her right hand in his left. This was backwards from the way she learned in dance class. She rested her free hand on his shoulder. He felt firm and solid in a sexy, dependable kind of way.

“I know how to dance.”

With that, he swept her around the floor. Samantha had taken dance classes until she entered college. As an accomplished dancer, she appreciated his grace and skill. As a woman, she liked the confident way he held her.

“You’re pretty good,” she said. “I’m Samantha.”

“Alexei,” he supplied. “You’re a friend of Sabrina’s?”

Sammy laughed. “Did the dress with the same colors as the invitations and décor give me away? Or was it the fact I walked down the aisle ahead of her?”

His hand moved, repositioning higher on her waist. Somehow, it was a more possessive hold. His gaze flickered from her eyes to her lips and back again. “I didn’t attend the wedding. I just arrived from Miami.”

“How do you know Sabrina?”

Alexei’s brows lifted. “You assume I’m a friend of the bride?”

“Being the groom’s sister gives me an intimate knowledge of who he invited.”

His smile relaxed. “Sabrina and I sort of grew up together. Our parents were friends.”

“Ahh,” she said. “I know how that goes.” The parents probably forced their children to play together even though they had no common interests and their personalities didn’t quite mesh. They were friendly with one another, but not friends.

“I haven’t seen her around,” he said. His grip changed again, moving to her back and pulling her closer. “This is a nice diversion.”

“Saving your ass from a random intoxicated woman?” Sam laughed. “You’re welcome.”

Alexei leaned closer. She felt his breath warm against her neck. It sent tingles through the sensitive flesh not covered by her strapless gown. He hadn’t even touched her and she was unable to stop a tremor.

“I’d like to thank you properly, with a kiss you won’t forget.”

Her laugh came out a little huskier this time. This man was a serious flirt. “You don’t seem like the kind of man who asks for a kiss.”

He pulled back. The corners of his mouth quirked with amusement. “No?”

“No,” she echoed. “You seem like the kind of man who takes what he wants.”

His smile grew. “Are you the kind of woman who appreciates a man who takes what he wants?”

Sam shrugged. “I can’t say I’ve really met any. I think it would depend on the man and the manner in which he did the taking.”

“Well said.” He nodded appreciatively. “I am the kind of man who takes what he wants. However, I am not the kind of man who mauls a woman, especially one who has done me a favor, in front of her family and friends. I mean to show you appreciation, not disrespect.”

“You prefer to do your mauling in private?” The question was out before she thought about how it would sound. Embarrassed heat traveled up her neck and down to her breasts.

“You’re a very becoming blusher.”

She thought he might laugh or completely ignore her discomfiture. Yet there was no amusement in his voice and no hint he enjoyed her discomfort. It was an honest compliment. She wasn’t sure it was appropriate to thank him. Unaccustomed to not having the upper hand, Sam bit her lip and nodded.

Strong fingers gripped her chin. “None of that, Samantha. You’re very beautiful, more so when you blush. There is no shame in that.”

The heat receded as she realized exactly what kind of man she was dealing with. “You’re a Dom, aren’t you?”

The grin on his lush lips made his eye sparkle. “Beautiful, thoughtful, and intelligent. I think you just might be the perfect woman.”

“Yeah, well, my brother is a Dom, as is another bridesmaid and the best woman. It’s not exactly a foreign concept to me.”

Alexei’s head tilted and his eyes searched the ceiling as he thought. “Best woman?”

“Ellen,” Samantha said. “My brother’s best friend is a woman, so he had a best woman instead of a best man. He was the man of honor at her wedding.”

Jonas was seven years older than Samantha. He had done his level best to hide things from her, but Sam had figured out most of what he was up to by the time she was sixteen. At first, it had shocked her.

Ellen, who also owned the club where Jonas had worked as a Dom, had taken Samantha aside to explain the details of what Jonas refused to discuss. Still, she hadn’t thought about the concept in detail until she was in her early twenties and a boyfriend had wanted to experiment with the Dom/sub sexual dynamic.

It hadn’t been what she expected. To begin with, he stopped any time she asked and apologized profusely whenever she indicated something was uncomfortable, even when it wasn’t. It had been a deflating experience.

Alexei’s attention had returned to her, if it ever wavered in the first place. “What about you, Samantha? What are you?”

She shrugged. “I’m just me.”

His smile was appreciative, but she didn’t know if he appreciated her looks, her openness, her honesty, or something else. He pulled her closer, yet not close enough to touch.

Samantha wished he would close the space. Without consulting her brain, her body leaned into his. The layers of his tuxedo made the move less satisfying than she expected. Though she could feel the solidness of his chest against hers, that skin-to-skin contact was missing. She knew before she asked him to dance that he was built. From the way his jacket hung on his shoulders, that fact could not be missed by the most inebriated woman at the reception, and Samantha had not yet indulged.

Alexei’s hand played up and down her spine. The light touch penetrated the satin of her gown and shivers swam in waves across her skin. She wanted more. His lips were so close. She estimated his height at a couple inches over six feet. Being a tall woman meant she could brush her lips against his with just the tilt of her head.

The hand holding hers for the dance shifted, pressing her palm to his shoulder. His thumb brushed over her waiting lips, and he peered deep into her eyes, capturing her with his look. “I think you’re a sub who hasn’t yet met the right Dom.”

The moment was gone, the tension broken by his confident assertion. Samantha restored the inches between them. She laughed. “That’s a come-on I haven’t heard in quite that form.”

Alexei frowned, probably at the unexpected cooling of her response. “In what form?”

“It’s usually phrased to say I haven’t met the right man yet. The assumption is that the man delivering the line is the right one. At least, it is on his part.”

“I’m in town for a week,” he said. “Is there any way you might consent to having dinner with me?”

The song ended, and the band leader announced a break.

Alexei didn’t release her. His silent, steady stare reminded her that he had asked a question.

Samantha found him attractive, but she couldn’t ignore the warning bells tinkling in her head. It wasn’t a large alarm, but she had learned to trust her instincts. There was something he wasn’t telling her. A glance at his left hand showed no wedding band and no lighter skin or indent to indicate he had removed it. Still, not all married men wore a ring in the first place. If Sam ever married, she resolved that her husband would wear a ring, or he would not have a wife.

The bells were minor, and Samantha was drawn to him. She tried for her most brazen smile. “Let’s see how that kiss goes first.”

Before Alexei could respond, an arm draped around her shoulder. Sam recognized Drew before the turn of her head could confirm her suspicions.

Drew Snow wasn’t someone she knew well. He was a friend of Sabrina’s, and Samantha had interacted with him in that capacity. He was also engaged to Sophia, who was friends with Jonas and Ellen.

“Sammy, I see you’ve met Lex.”

Samantha frowned at Drew. He was a very handsome man with a highly magnetic personality. His professionally streaked blond hair brought out the warmth in his ice-blue eyes. He was a successful chef, with his own show on the Food Network, and a he had won countless awards in various food art categories.

With her high heels on, she was a couple inches taller than him. Of course he and Alexei knew each other. Drew had known Sabrina since they were teenagers. It stood to reason he would know someone else who had also known her for that long.

Alexei released her. She briefly mourned the loss of his touch. A grin brightened his face. “Drew Snow. Why am I not surprised to see you here? Still sniffing around Ginny’s skirts?”

The two men shook hands and hugged in that macho, masculine way men have of showing public affection to one another. Drew managed to do this without removing his arm from Samantha’s shoulders. She wondered what message he was trying to send and why. Did it have to do with that instinctive warning in her head?

Ginny was a lesbian. Samantha drew her brows together in a frown. When they finished with their greeting, Sam turned to Drew. “Ginny?”

He shrugged. “I had a crush on her in high school.” To Alexei, Drew said, “Gin and I are business partners. She’s been happily married for seven years, and I’m getting married to the woman of my dreams next summer.”

Alexei’s eyes fell to Samantha and the arm Drew kept on her. His lips pressed together, and his face hardened. “I see.”

Irritated by his insinuation and by Alexei’s reaction, Sam shrugged out of Drew’s possessive hold. “Drew, where is Sophia and why has she let you out without a leash?”

Alexei’s features relaxed. “Sophia?”

“My gorgeous fiancée.” Drew’s grin was a little on the grim side. “Samantha is family to me, Lex. Tread lightly.”

“I assure you,” Alexei said with a gravity Sam didn’t understand, “my intentions are honorable.”

Drew’s demeanor transformed. The seriousness disappeared and the lighthearted, jovial personality Samantha was used to seeing returned. “Great. Where is that brother of yours? Sitting this one out?”

Alexei shrugged. “He’ll probably come down later. You know how he hates these events. If we weren’t meeting with Galen Enterprises this week, we probably would have just sent our regrets and delivered our congratulations the next time we were in town.”

His eyes flickered over Samantha as if to reassure her that he had no regrets about coming, but he said nothing.

Catching the look, Drew raised a brow at Samantha. He opened his mouth to say something, but Alexei cut him off.

“Sabrina, you look positively radiant.” Alexei moved between Drew and Samantha to reach the bride. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek. “It’s been far too long since we’ve seen you.”

Sammy hadn’t noticed Sabrina and Jonas approaching them. She had been too focused on Alexei.

Sabrina did look radiant, but that was nothing new. She had been glowing for months, ever since Jonas came to his senses and reconciled with her.

The white dress she wore was handmade. Satin and lace molded to her small curves. It was elegant and simplistic, simply stunning. Samantha knew Sabrina had paid an exorbitant amount to have it finished in less than two months.

Alexei offered his left hand for Jonas to shake. “Alexei Morozov. I’m an old family friend of the Breszewskis.”

Samantha thought it was odd for Alexei to introduce himself instead of waiting for Sabrina to do the honors. His behavior wasn’t rude, but it was definitely assertive. Jonas accepted Alexei’s handshake and said polite words of greeting.

“Did you come alone, Lex, or did you bring Stef with you?” Sabrina’s smile indicated she knew the answer.

Alexei’s response was the same one he used with Drew. “He’s here somewhere.”

“You didn’t both have to come,” Sabrina said. “I understand if it was tough for both of you to get away.”

Something wasn’t being said. Sabrina’s statement hinted at more than she actually articulated. Samantha could tell from the way Jonas’s brows wrinkled and smoothed that he was also in the dark. A glance at Drew showed that he knew what Sabrina wasn’t saying.

Alexei laughed. “We’re both here. I promise. I left Stef up in the room to finish a phone call. I’ll make sure you see us both together.”

Sabrina blushed, something she did quite often. Sam was sure Sabrina didn’t know exactly how often her cheeks turned pink.

“There it is,” Alexei said. His teasing tone made the blush spread. “I’ve missed how easy it is to do that.”

Jonas’s arm slid around Sabrina’s waist, pulling her closer. He pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered something in her ear. From the way the blush deepened, Samantha knew it was something sexual.

Sammy rolled her eyes. “All right, you two, save it for later. You have a room full of guests.”

“So, Sabrina, are you going to change your name?” The amusement in Alexei’s eyes suggested he knew the answer.

While Sabrina had kept her name for the first year of her marriage, Samantha knew she had recently changed it.

“Yes,” Jonas said, meeting Alexei’s eyes with a self-satisfied grin. “She’s a Spencer now. Her name reflects that.”

It was a domineering thing to say and the tone Jonas used matched exactly. Sabrina’s smile was indulgent. Samantha knew for a fact that Sabrina changed it because she had no real ties to the Breszewski name. It had been the name of her sister’s father, not of her own. If she had felt connected to the name, she would have kept it. Jonas knew this.

The look Alexei threw to Samantha alluded to their earlier conversation. Words weren’t necessary. Samantha shrugged. She didn’t really care about the complex dynamic of Jonas and Sabrina’s relationship. Alexei’s silent comment simplified it too much. Jonas might be a dominant personality, but Sabrina was far from meek and submissive.

Samantha was in a position to know that Jonas gave Sabrina everything she wanted. It seemed nothing made him happier than making sure she was happy.

If that was a Dom/sub relationship, then Samantha was all for it.

“Sammy!”

Startled from her thoughts, Samantha turned to find Aunt Heather behind her, arms spread wide for a hug. Obediently, Sam returned the hug. She wasn’t sure exactly how she was related to this woman. The only thing she knew for certain was that her mother loved Aunt Heather and her father tolerated the woman for that reason.

Samantha didn’t really know the lady. They had visited Heather’s home several times when she was little, but it had been years since even a thought of the woman had crossed Sam’s mind.

One thing led to another. By the time Sam extracted herself from this newest wave of relatives, close and long-lost, Alexei had disappeared.

The disappointment was stronger than it should have been. She had only shared one dance with him.

Still, the day had been long and Samantha was tired. She was very good at remembering names and faces. For that reason, far more of her distant relatives sought her out for conversation than she wished would have done it. There were also a good number of people from Sabrina’s side who wanted to meet her because she was important enough to be in the wedding, and she had fended off more than a fair number of come-ons.

Spying a service entrance, she snagged a glass of wine from a passing tray and headed for it. Just a few minutes, she promised herself. Once Sabrina and Jonas left the reception, she would be free to head up to her room and sleep in that luxurious bed. If there was one thing Sabrina did well, it was to spend money on a quality affair.

The black-tie wedding was elegant. The food was incredible. The wine wasn’t from a box. The orchestra was talented. The rooms in the hotel above were lavish, almost sinfully so.

The summer air had cooled from earlier that day, and some of the humidity was gone. August often brought hot weather, but Sam didn’t mind that. She hated the oppressive humidity, and she was thankful it had vanished for this brief respite.

Sweet scents floated on the gentle wind, a combination of kitchen odors and the flower bed that surrounded the small area. Samantha closed her eyes and breathed it in.

A noise behind her startled Sam from her reverie. Whirling, she found Alexei. He closed the door and smiled at her, those full lips promising something.

“Nice night,” he said. “I saw you duck out here and I couldn’t resist following. I hope you don’t mind.”

He owed her a kiss she wouldn’t forget. The look in his deep blue eyes said he meant to settle his debt now. He crossed the small space, closing the distance with two steps. Samantha smiled up at him. His hands came to rest gently on her waist. His thumb brushed the lower bones of her rib cage, just like he had done earlier when they danced.

Something wasn’t right.

Sam’s smile stalled. Uncertain as to the problem, she stepped backwards and out of his grip. Something was off about Alexei. She looked at him closely. Same face, same eyes, same hands. The clothes were the same, though all the men at the wedding were dressed in black tuxedoes, and the hair was the same.

“Sammy?”

There it was. Alexei hadn’t once shortened her name, though most people did. Twins. They were twins. Now the way Alexei introduced himself to Jonas before Sabrina could do so made sense. She hadn’t used his name in her greeting. Sabrina hadn’t known which brother he was, but Drew had. Drew warned Alexei about something. Sabrina had assured him it was all right if only one brother attended the wedding.

Samantha frowned. They must have a history of switching places. With such identical faces, it wouldn’t have been easily detectable.

“You’re not Alexei.”

His brows rose high. “Why would you say that?”

She noticed he didn’t deny it. “Because you’re not.”

“I know,” he said. The surprise faded, replaced by an honest, open appreciation. “But what makes you think I’m not?”

Samantha shook her head. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. “You’re just not. I don’t know how to explain it. Who are you, and how do you know me?”

It was a valid question. He didn’t just know her name, he seemed to know her. Before he answered, she realized that Alexei must have told his brother about her.

He offered his hand. His right hand. Alexei had offered his left to Jonas to shake. “Stefano Morozov, at your service.”

The door behind Sam opened and closed again. This service entrance was far more popular than it should have been. Sam glanced over her shoulder to find Alexei inches away from her back. His hands came to rest on her hips.

He wasn’t looking at her. He stared over her shoulder at his brother.

Stefano’s smile didn’t fade. “She knew I wasn’t you. She wouldn’t kiss me.”

Trepidation made the few sips of wine Samantha had managed to drink churn in her stomach. She didn’t want to cause a fight, especially not between brothers. Glancing back at Alexei, she tried to turn to face him, but he held her in place with the pressure of his hands on her hips.

His smile matched Stefano’s in brilliance and intensity. “I promised her a kiss she wouldn’t forget.”

There is was again, that subtext Samantha couldn’t read.

“Alexei, I…”

Alexei silenced her with a finger to her lips. One hand held her, keeping her from turning. “There’s no need to get upset. We’re very pleased you could tell us apart.”

Samantha’s frown never had a chance to manifest. The finger on her mouth moved, and he gripped her cheek and chin. His lips descended.

She expected him to brush against her lightly, but this wasn’t a cautious foray. His strong lips molded to hers. His tongue pressed against her lips as the hand on her cheek massaged the muscle of her jaw, insisting that she open to him.

Electric sensations flowed through her body. Sam wanted to turn, to press herself against him, and to feel his arms enveloping her body. The hands on her hips and at her waist prevented movement. Alexei’s tongue swept into her mouth, tangling with Sam’s and wrangling it into submission.

A soft moan sounded deep in her throat. He took that, too.

With one hand, she gripped a thick thatch of that deliciously black hair. She threaded the fingers of the other through the ones possessively holding her hip. Melting into him, she relaxed what was left of her guard.

As if sensing her complete surrender, the hands on her body moved, turning her at last. She leaned forward, wanting to feel him against her, but the hands pulled her back until a solid chest supported her that way.

Samantha stiffened. She had forgotten they weren’t alone.

“Relax, Sammy.” Soft words breathed against her neck. Lips brushed against the sensitive skin there, fulfilling another promise. “Lex is going to give you that kiss now.”

“But I…Why are you still here?” The bliss of Alexei’s kiss faded as her lack of comprehension grew. There had been too many hands on her body for them to have belonged only to Alexei.

Stefano’s chest rumbled against her back, the low-toned laugh barely registering in the audible spectrum. “Lex and I share everything—our faces, our careers, our women. You won’t regret it, Sammy. Lean against me. Let me hold you while Lex gives you that kiss.”

Her brows drew together. “Hold me?”

This time, Stefano’s mouth closed over hers. His kiss was different from Alexei’s, softer and reverent, though no less demanding. Samantha responded to him on a primal level, opening to him without thought or internal struggle. It was the first time in her life she’d ever done anything as wanton as kissing two men in succession.

The hem of her dress lifted. Alexei’s hands slid up her legs and his fingers found the edges of her hose and underwear. The silk of both items skated to her ankles. He attacked the straps on her shoes next.

Stefano held her attention and controlled where she could see, but not what she felt. Wetness flooded between her legs as she realized the type of kiss Alexei meant to give. Sam imagined the heat of his mouth on her pussy and another moan escaped.

The gentle breeze she admired only moments ago, though it seemed like another lifetime, danced up her calves and around her thighs. Part of Sam wanted to protest, to cry out that it wasn’t right to let a man remove her underclothes while another held her in his arms. That part was lost to the waves of pleasure Stefano generated with his lips and those sure, strong hands holding her in place.

Alexei’s hands were no less strong, but they were on the move, following the breeze up her legs to the place where she now dripped.

She felt his lips press against her mound. His hands pushed her legs apart, forcing Samantha to lean her weight against Stefano or lose her balance. Stefano locked one arm around her waist.

Stefano’s kiss broke off suddenly. His breaths came rapidly, fanning against her face and flexing the muscles that pressed against her back. “You want this, don’t you, Sammy? You want Lex to lick your pussy while I hold you, while I keep you from falling.”

Did she want it? She was going to die if she didn’t get it.

Her nod was brief, but it was all the permission the brothers seemed to need. Stefano pressed her head against his shoulder and his lips against her forehead at the same moment Alexei’s thumbs parted the lips of her labia and his hot tongue invaded the folds of her pussy.

He licked her the same way he kissed. His tongue wrestled for dominance against no real opposition. His lips were strong, closing around her clit to suck and nip. Fingers rubbed against the slick skin around her vaginal opening, but he did not penetrate her, not with his fingers and not with his tongue.

It was a kiss only, a taste of what he offered, of what they both offered. Samantha understood this.

Alexei sucked her faster and harder. His fingers settled into a rhythmic path that made Sam pump her pussy into his mouth, demanding more.

Stefano’s grip tightened on her hips, holding them still. “None of that, sweetheart.”

In the back of her mind, it registered that they were both dominant. Samantha understood how this worked. They would give her what they wanted to give her as long as she behaved according to their rules. If she wanted the same things as them, then there wasn’t a problem.

She wondered if they would discipline her for misbehaving.

Those thoughts were brief and gone before Samantha could judge them, act or react. She whimpered, arching against Stefano. She needed a kiss, a caress, something more. She wanted to raise her head, to beg for another kiss, but she knew he wouldn’t give it to her.

Stefano’s free hand slid into the bodice of her dress. He gripped her breast, kneading it until her nipple hardened. He pinched the peak he created.

Sammy moaned. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips.

“Like that, sweetheart?”

She nodded, and he tugged harder. Between her legs, Alexei increased the tempo of his rhythm. The sensations combined. Heat flooded her veins. She felt her climax approaching.

“I’m going to come,” she said, gasping and arching anew.

The friction Alexei generated between his fingers and mouth and her pussy lessened.

“Not yet,” Stefano said. “You don’t get to decide that, sweetheart.”

Samantha wanted to come. She needed to come. Damn men and their predilections. “Please?”

His laugh rumbled against her once again. “You don’t have to beg this time, Sammy. You did something good. This is your reward.”

She whimpered and buried her face in his neck. The subtle, spicy scent of his aftershave invaded her senses. “Then why won’t you let me come?”

The hand that had teased her nipple caressed the hair away from her temple. “It’s not time, Sammy. I’ll tell you when it’s time. You must trust me to do that.”

For some reason, she did trust him to tell her when to come. She trusted that they wouldn’t tease her and withhold orgasm. She wasn’t naïve enough to think they were above doing that to make her do what they wanted, but she believed them when they said this was a reward.

She nodded and relaxed, giving herself over to the Morozov brothers and trusting that they would deliver on their promise.

It must have been the surrender for which they had waited. Immediately, Alexei’s pace picked up. She didn’t know how he knew, hiding under her full-length skirt like he was, but he did. His lips locked around her clit and those magic fingers rubbed faster.

Samantha moaned and thrashed her head, using all her willpower to hold off the pressing urge to come.

At last, Stefano’s low voice whispered a command. “Come for us, Sammy.”

She did. Stefano’s mouth closed over hers, muffling the scream whose volume she couldn’t control.