by Ann Denton
I laugh. “Is that my gift? I’ll take it. I think it’s more fun for you than—”
“That’s not your gift,” Alec interjects. He unbuttons his pilot jacket and reaches for the interior pocket. He comes out holding a black, credit-card shaped square of metal. He passes it over to me. On the front, engraved into the metal, are the words “The Lab.”
My eyebrows scrunch as I flip it over. There’s no metallic stripe or little scratch-off silver code like on a gift card. I’ve never heard of this store, but then I’ve never heard of a quarter of the places in the City.
“Thank you?” It comes out as a question, and then I try to smooth over my asshole response with a smile. “I mean, you guys are sweet! I don’t know this place, but I’m sure I’ll have so much fun browsing—”
Danny waves a finger. “There will be no browsing!”
“What?” I search their eyes, even more confused.
Heather and Andrew are biting back full-on laughter.
“What is this place?” I ask, suspicion rising from my gut to swirl around my chest. “I’m not getting another tattoo!” I narrow my eyes at Alec.
He doesn’t flinch. He just grins and pulls aside the neckline of his collar to proudly show off the “K” on his collarbone, a tat he got when he dared me to get the little palm tree that’s on my hip.
I point a finger at him. “This better not be—”
Alec steps forward and grabs my hand. He kisses the tip of my finger, then sucks it into his mouth. He lets it pop back out before he says, “Katie, I don’t repeat dares. I’ve told you that.”
The way he words his statement makes my heart pound faster. Shit. Shit. So this is a dare. The fact that Kenneth comes around and hugs me from behind only ramps my anxiety up further. I feel like a wire in a set of braces that just got tightened. My eyes plead with Danny for relief, but he only looks excited to see me sandwiched between my other two boyfriends.
Kenneth gently pulls my hair behind me and holds it in a ponytail with his hand. He bends to kiss one side of my neck. Alec kisses the other.
“Damn! That’s hot!” Heather’s voice interrupts the moment. I jump and slide away from both of them, holding the card out and pointing it accusingly at everyone.
“I could tit-slap you for ruining that,” Danny grumbles at Heather.
“Only if you’re man enough to follow it up,” Heather taunts.
“Alright, calm down. Heather, I think we need to give them all a minute. I think we kinda jumped the gun, coming in before Katie was ready.” Andrew grabs her by the elbow and leads her away.
To my surprise, she goes, though she whisper-protests the whole way out.
I turn back to my guys and cross my arms. “Well? What’s this present that’s not a present?”
“Stop pretending you aren’t gonna like it, that’s a lie,” Danny says. “You’ve loved every damn dare you’ve ever done. It’s gonna be awesome. And I’ll be right there if you get nervous.”
“If you’re kissing ass hoping you’ll be first, you’ve got another thing coming,” Kenneth tells Danny.
“I should be first. I liked her first.”
“I give her more foreplay,” Kenneth responds.
“That’s not—”
“Enough!” Alec silences their bickering. He comes toward me and takes the card from my hand. He holds it up in front of me. “Katie, this card will let you into the most exclusive sex club in the City.”
My eyes widen in shock and fear, but other parts of me prickle with excitement. My breathing comes more shallow. “And …”
“And …” Alec draws it out by using the edge of the card to trace over my palm and up my arm. He gently runs it over my neck and up to my lips. He pulls the card away and waits until my eyes meet his.
I’m already panting. He already knows my answer. But I need to hear him say it.
“Katie, I dare you to go to this sex club with us.”
My panties are drenched at those words. Every nerve ending is alive and buzzing and begging for Alec to touch me already. But he waits.
“Yes,” I breathe.
Danny whoops, Kenneth claps, and Alec just smiles.
“DID SHE SAY YES?” Heather yells from the living room.
Danny rolls his eyes. “We’re totally ditching her tonight.”
That stops me short. “Wait. Heather’s a member?”
Kenneth cocks his head. “Are you surprised?”
“Well, no. I guess. But I thought she picked Andrew.”
Kenneth grins. “I’ve heard they like to get their freak on together onstage.”
I roll my eyes. “Only Heather.” My mind grinds to a halt and reverses, tires spinning as I realize the important part of that sentence. “There’s a stage?”
Alec slips an arm around my shoulders and leads me out of the bedroom to the living room, where Heather and Andrew are waiting. “Don’t worry. We aren’t daring you to go on stage. Yet.”
I put a hand to my eyes and shake my head. “Please don’t ever—”
“She’s coming!” Heather squeals, managing to jump up and down even though she’s wearing four-inch stilettos.
“Not yet,” Danny grins. Kenneth high fives him.
“Shut up, all of you,” I roll my eyes as my guys grab their coats off the coat rack. Alec helps me shrug into mine. But I can’t hold back a grin. My guys are looking giddy. Playful. Randy. That means a shit-ton of orgasms for me.
We head out into the hall and Heather presses the button for the elevator. “You’re gonna love it, Katie. It’s so bizzaro. There are people who dress up like Brazilian Carnival dancers with feathers and bring you drinks, a stage for drag queens, sex show theaters like plays, and—”
I put my hand to my mouth, a little overwhelmed. Intimidated would be an understatement. Kenneth pulls me into him and kisses my forehead. “Don’t worry, Ruffles. We’ll ease you into it.”
I roll my eyes and say, “I just can’t believe this is my life. My actual life.”
“I know, right?” Heather says as the elevator dings and the doors open. “Sometimes you get a happier ending than anything you ever could have planned.”
Every single eye swivels to look at her with confusion.
“What? I’m deep.” She glares at us and huffs as she stomps into the elevator and leans back against the little bar on the back. “Fine. My writer came up with it. But isn’t it brilliant? And like, totally true.”
I laugh. Heather’s hired herself a ghostwriter to pen her autobiography. Which, of course she did, she’s Heather.
Danny ushers me into the elevator, which is the first step on our next naughty adventure.
I laugh but say, “It is true though, H-bomb. I never thought I’d have a harem—”
My guys grin.
“And I never thought I’d only want one guy again, but …” Heather puts a hand to her chest, and then exchanges a sweet smile with Andrew. “Sometimes fate’s a clever bitch.”
True that.
Afterword
Thank you so much for reading! You are amazing, and you are the reason I can keep dreaming up beautiful worlds. If you liked this book, please leave an Amazon review and tell your friends!
Your reviews and recommendations keep me pumped up as I write the next books. So, thanks!
Acknowledgments
A huge thanks to Rob, Raven, Ivy, Coralee, Kaydence, Rachel & Thais.
Another HUGE shout-out to all my readers out there. You guys keep me moving and writing! When I see you all chatting about the books in my Facebook group, it totally energizes and encourages me.
More Books
My other reverse harem series is the Tangled Crown series. It’s a medieval fantasy with a bully romance feel in the first book.
Tangled Crowns Series
Knightfall - Book 1 - Available Here
MidKnight - Book 2 - Available Here
If you liked the sense of humor in this story, you might want to check out my Paranormal Co
zy mysteries. They are silly and snarky and full of laughs with a slow burn romance.
The Lyon Fox Mysteries
Magical Murder
Enchanted Execution
Supernatural Sleep
Hexed Hit
If you’re in the mood for more intrigue, check out my Post-apocalyptic Thriller series.
Timebend
Melt
Burn
Connect and Get Sneak Peeks
If you like to read exclusive snippets from different characters, make predictions with other readers, see my inspiration for books, or just come hang and be yourself, I have a Facebook reader group.
Feel free to join Ann Denton’s Reader Group.
About Me
I have two of the world’s cutest children, a crazy dog, and an amazing husband that I drive somewhat insane as I stop in the middle of the hallway, halfway through putting laundry away, picturing a scene.