Page 49 of Embracing Desire

“Then what happened?”Jed asked, his hand rubbing soothing circles on her stomach as Ry stroked her collar bone.Their touch made it easier for her to concentrate on her thoughts and chased her fears away.

“I don’t know.My mind kind of went blank.All I could think about was Mike walking back there, seeing me, and asking if he could play with us.”She shivered, and two male arms tightened around her—one on her shoulders, the other on her waist.

“Never.”Jed spit the word out.“We would never share you with anyone else.”

“Jed’s right.We would never hurt you like that.”

“I know.”She let her gaze drop.“Fear isn’t always rational.”

“No, it’s not, Katie.”Ry gripped her chin, tilting her head back until both men could gaze into her eyes.

“What made you call out ‘red’?”Jed asked.

“I was so scared.”

“We get that, sweetheart.But there has to be more.”

Katie bit her lip.What else happened?Her mind has flashed back to her father and Walter and what they did to that woman.She assumed at first it was just Mike’s voice.She thought it was coming closer, then wham, full blown panic.“I don’t know.I just panicked.”She wasn’t ready to talk about this.

“Looks like we’ve hit another hidden trigger,” Ry said.

“Trigger?”

“Let me explain,” Jed said.“The blindfold reminded you of something when you were little.But you didn’t remember it until we blindfolded you.We call that a hidden trigger.”

“And you think that’s what happened?”She looked at Ry.

“That’s all I can think of.”He brushed a kiss against her temple.

“How do we avoid them?”She didn’t want to panic on them again.Once was bad enough, but twice was too much.

“I’m not sure we can,” Jed said.

Katie frowned.“I don’t like you two getting angry with me.”And she didn’t.

“Kitty Kat.”Jed’s breath brushed her cheek.“I was never angry with you.I was upset with the situation and frustrated because you wouldn’t let me help you.I wanted to comfort and hold you.”

“And I denied you that.”Oh damn.She was doing this all wrong.“I knew I was going to mess this up.”

Both men froze at her words.

“Katie,” Ry started.

“Honey, you didn’t mess anything up,” Jed said.

“But I panicked.I ran from you.”She cupped Jed’s cheek, relishing the warmth of his skin against hers.

“It happened.”He shrugged his shoulders.“I’m over it.”

“But,” Ry said, “we need you to try not to panic and, instead, talk to us.”

She nodded.

“And maybe it happened because it was the first time we’d played outside the house,” Jed said.

“Or possibly you were overwhelmed and couldn’t process what was happening,” Ry said.

Katie shook her head.“I was excited for more until I heard Mike’s voice, and then I panicked at the idea of him seeing me like that.”She bit her lower lip.

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