Falling For Them: A New Adult Reverse Harem Collection

by C. L. Stone

  “No offense, but why did you date that guy for so long?”

  Chuckling, I replied, “He wasn’t always such a jerk. But, honestly . . . I have no idea.”

  “What now?” Shane asked as we made our way back inside the house.

  I shrugged. “Usually, I watch TV with Dad and Chris, but I’m not in the mood.”

  “Is there something you are in the mood for?” he asked suggestively.

  Before I could respond, my mother summoned me to the kitchen. I huffed and motioned for Shane to follow, hoping his presence would discourage her from starting a conversation about Matt.

  “Thank you again for the delicious dinner. It was nice to meet one of Emma’s childhood friends.” I laughed to myself at Shane’s ability to so blatantly disregard Matt’s role while making it sound like he genuinely enjoyed meeting him.

  “You’re welcome, Shane.” My mother resumed loading the dishwasher. “I’d like a minute with Emma, but then she can show you up to her room so you can settle in.” What? My parents had never let me share a room with Matt.

  “Of course. I’ll get my bag from the car.” With her back still turned, Shane shot me a satisfied grin before strolling out of the kitchen.

  Alone with my mother, I braced for the impending confrontation. As much as I was itching to give her a piece of my mind, I reminded myself that it wasn’t worth it. I only had to survive two more days at home.

  Two more days. Two more days, I inwardly chanted.

  “I’m sure you’re not happy with me at the moment, but that’s no excuse to be rude to a guest. When Matthew called, I couldn’t say no. He’s been a huge part of your life, and he still sees you as his future wife.”

  I nearly choked. “We. Broke. Up. And after tonight, I hope he no longer sees me as his anything.”

  She folded and refolded a dish towel, ever the perfectionist. “Shane seems very nice, Emma. And it’s fine to have some fun, but you’re graduating next semester, and you need to focus on your future.”

  “I’ve been focused on it all along. You’re the one who’s stuck in the past,” I said through clenched teeth.

  “In all honesty, can you picture yourself marrying someone like Shane?”

  “I don’t know that I see myself marrying anyone.” I tried to keep my voice down, despite my outrage. “I’m only twenty-one, and I have my whole life ahead of me.” I so wanted to be done with this conversation, especially since Shane could return any second.

  My mother dried her hands before placing them on my shoulders. “I only want the best for you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” She pulled me into a hug, and I reluctantly reciprocated.

  “I know,” I sighed. “It’s just that we have very different visions of what’s best for me.”

  After she released me, I trudged to the foot of the stairs where I found Shane waiting. “Come on.” I gestured for him to follow me up the stairs to my room.

  I switched on the bedside lamp, then slumped down on the edge of the bed. “So, what exactly are you doing here, Shane? Is this part of a new bet to see who could crash Emma’s Christmas? Should I tell my mother to set a place at breakfast for Cole and Nicholas?”

  Shane chuckled. “No, they won’t be joining us. Nicholas had family obligations and Cole is managing the club.”

  The mattress dipped as he sat beside me, taking my hands in his own. “Emma, I’m sorry. We all are. The bet was immature and selfish, and there’s nothing I can say to justify it, but we hope you can forgive us.”

  I remained silent for a moment, contemplating his words. “So you came all the way to Indiana—on Christmas Eve—to apologize?”

  “Yes, and to ask for a second chance. After you confronted us, we finally admitted to each other that what started as a foolish game to seduce you, turned into something more. I speak for Cole, Nicholas, and myself when I say that we want to keep seeing you. If you’re willing, that is.”

  “I see,” I said slowly, but I wasn’t sure I did at all. Did they honestly intend for me to date all three of them? It was one thing to do so when I was curious about their intentions, but going into it eyes-open was a different story.

  “What were the stakes?” My heart pounded.

  “You really want to know?”

  “No, but I need to.”

  He hesitated and then answered, “A Cartier watch.”

  “Seriously? You guys put a $3,000 price tag on sleeping with me? I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted.”

  “Well, more like $8,000, but that’s not what’s important,” Shane finished quickly. I glared at him, even while he continued speaking. “Look, like I said, there's no excuse for what we did. All three of us are used to getting what we want, and we didn't think through the consequences of our actions. I know this doesn't make it any better, but when we made the bet, we assumed that whichever girl we chose would go home with one of us that night and it would be over. We didn't expect to meet someone like you. And, we definitely never expected to all start having feelings for you. It was a whim. It was stupid. But, that's done with, and now we want the chance to show you that we can be the type of guys who deserve you."

  Well, that speech was a considerable improvement from the pathetic apology I received on the infamous Lying Bastards night. And I had to give them credit, Shane especially, for having the balls to show up unannounced for Christmas and ask for a second chance. Yet, I remained hesitant.

  Shane finally broke our silence. “What are you thinking, Emma?”

  “I accept your apology, but I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

  “Why not? If we’re all in agreement, where’s the harm?”

  “Because it’s a disaster waiting to happen. I already let my curiosity override my better judgement once. I’m not sure I should let it happen again.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I may not have known about the bet initially, but I was certainly suspicious that something was going on. I knew the three of you were business partners before you even asked me out. And, although you may find this hard to believe, I don’t usually date more than one guy at a time.”

  “Big deal, Emma. If anything, that proves that you’re neither gullible nor risk averse.”

  I laughed. “I guess, but I feel like I was dishonest.”

  “Okay, maybe a little.” Shane winked. “But did you enjoy being with us? Were you honest about that much?”

  I nodded.

  “Then that’s all that matters.”

  “Shane, how long have you been friends with Cole and Nicholas?”

  “Cole, since high school, and I met Nicholas my freshman year of college at USC.”

  “And how important is their friendship to you?”

  “Very. We may joke around, but they are like family.”

  “Okay, like family. And, you’re in business together. Either of those on its own would be bad enough, but together . . . this could be catastrophic! I don’t want to come between the three of you.”

  “You won’t.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know, but we agreed that we can handle it. Just give us a shot—you know you want to.” He nudged me with his shoulder.

  “Isn’t it a tad hypocritical to expect you to date me exclusively when I’d be dating the three of you simultaneously?”

  “Emma, seriously. We all agreed to this; stop over-thinking it.”

  “Fine.” I sighed dramatically, although I couldn’t fight a smile. “I can tell you’re not going to let up anytime soon.” If they were all encouraging this, who was I to stand in the way?

  “I’m glad you realize that and have now come to your senses. You may call me successful Shane. Sexy is also acceptable.”

  “Nope. I believe you have officially lived up to your stalker Shane nickname.”

  “We can agree to disagree.”

  “For now,” I said, standing from the bed. “This has been quite the eventful day, and I’m ready for
bed. If you want to change and brush your teeth, the bathroom is down the hall.”

  “You’re letting me stay?” He sounded genuinely surprised.

  “Yes, sneaky Shane, you’ve left me with no other option. You’ve met my mother and seen what she’s capable of. I can’t let her think we had a lover’s quarrel on Christmas Eve.”

  “No, we definitely can’t have that,” he said with mock seriousness before sauntering out of the room.

  When Shane returned, I couldn’t help but smile at the change in his appearance. Compared to his usual buttoned-up business attire, the pajamas coupled with his rumpled hair and boyish smile was adorable. I excused myself to the bathroom, thankful I packed decent pajamas.

  I found Shane lingering in front of my bulletin board. “Is this you and Matt?” he asked, pointing to a photo of when we were about ten.

  “Yeah. Much as I hate to admit it, he was a huge part of my life.”

  “But he’s not anymore?”

  “No.” I laughed darkly. “We broke up at the beginning of the summer, and I had no idea he was coming tonight. That was all my mother’s doing.”

  “I’m sure it’s frustrating to have a meddlesome mother, but I’m guessing she just wants what is best for you.”

  “That’s what she told me, almost verbatim, when we were alone in the kitchen.” I ran my hand through my hair. “I just wish she’d respect my decisions and treat me like an adult.”

  “At least you know she cares. You could have a mom that only participates in your life when it’s convenient or beneficial.” His tone was bitter.

  “I’m sorry, Shane. You said your dad raised you, but I didn’t realize . . .”

  “It’s fine. Money has a way of revealing a person’s true colors.”

  We were silent for a few seconds before I moved to the bed and pulled back the covers. Shane hesitated, then climbed in beside me. Once we were both lying on our backs, I couldn’t help but glance over at him.

  “Shane?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks for taking my side at dinner and later stepping in with Matt. It was nice to feel like someone had my back.”

  “What are fake boyfriends for?” he teased. “Are you still pissed that I crashed your Christmas?” He shifted onto his side facing me.

  “No, I’m finding your presence quite useful.” I rolled toward him, tucking my hands beneath my head.

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Shane ran his fingers through my hair, then trailed his hand over my shoulder. All the while, his blue-gray eyes stared into my own. “You are so beautiful, Emma. And I’m still dying to kiss you.”

  Shane didn’t wait for a response, and the moment his lips touched mine, it was like a fuse had been lit. There was nothing slow or sweet about his kiss; it was demanding and insistent. He wrapped an arm around my hip, pulling me closer until our bodies pressed together. I felt consumed by him as his tongue drove into my mouth.

  Digging my fingers into his hair, I couldn’t get enough of him. Our kissing became even more feverish, and he rolled so I was sitting on top of him, straddling his body. When the bed beneath us squeaked, I panicked. Oh shit, we’re at my parents’ house.

  I bolted upright, placing my palms on his chest, my hair hanging around my face. Shane looked as dazed as I felt and attempted to pull me back to his lips. Eyes locked, nose to nose, I was tempted to let him.

  “Shane,” I whispered between ragged breaths, “what are we doing?”

  “I believe you were getting acquainted with seductive Shane.” He shot me a cheeky smile, and I attempted to move away, but he held my hips firmly in place.

  “As much as I like seductive Shane, should we be doing this?”

  “I certainly can’t think of a compelling reason not to.”

  “I can think of two—Nicholas and Cole.”

  “Emma, when we agreed that we would all date you, we accepted everything that entails.”

  My heart raced with excitement, but I refused to let his words give me a free pass to be reckless. I was still getting used to the idea of dating all of them for real.

  “Okay, but I need to take things a little slower, especially since my parents are down the hall.” I gave him a somewhat restrained kiss before carefully maneuvering a safe distance away.

  Shane groaned, but his eyes glinted with amusement. “You’re killing me here, enticing Emma.”

  “Would you rather sleep on the floor?”

  He muttered an unintelligible curse, then hauled me up against his chest. Reaching over me, he turned off the bedside lamp and tucked the covers securely around me. “Sweet dreams, beautiful.”

  10

  My stomach lurched as the wheels of the plane touched down with a jolt. It wasn’t the landing that had me on edge, it was the nervous-excitement coursing through me at the thought of seeing Cole. Since Shane returned home yesterday, Cole insisted on picking me up from the airport, and I couldn’t refuse. Apparently that was a common theme for me when it came to Shane, Cole, and Nicholas.

  When I caught sight of Cole approaching in baggage claim, a huge smile on his face, I felt all the worry and fear fade away. He confidently strode toward me, his jeans slung low on his hips and his dark leather jacket only adding to his allure. Without warning, he wrapped me up in a big hug, lifting my feet off the ground. Instinctively, I buried my face in his neck, his scruff prickling my cheek.

  He released me, his smile fading into an expression more hopeful than anything. “Can you forgive me? I’ve felt sick ever since you left the bar.”

  Tears threatened as I was reminded of how hopeless our situation felt that night. Was I doing the right thing by giving them another chance? Looking into Cole’s remorse-filled eyes, I wanted to believe that I was.

  Not trusting words, I nodded.

  His posture instantly relaxed, and within seconds, playful Cole reappeared. “How was Christmas in the frozen tundra known as Indiana?”

  “Dramatic.” How much had Shane told him? And should I avoid talking about the other guys when I was with one of them?

  “How was Christmas at Loft25?” I asked, quickly changing the subject.

  “Fun and surprisingly busy.”

  “That’s great. You didn’t mind working, then?”

  “Nah. Being at the club rarely feels like work,” Cole said as he lifted my bag into the back of his black 4Runner. I was surprised he didn’t drive something flashier, but the more I thought about it, the SUV seemed fitting. Even though he easily assumed the role of a playboy, I sensed there was a more down-to-earth side to him.

  “Where’s your chauffeur?” I teased, thinking back to our outrageous date that ended with a helicopter ride.

  “I gave him the night off,” he said in a nonchalant tone, opening the passenger door. “What are your plans for the evening?”

  “I’m all yours. Are you hungry?”

  “I like the sound of that.” Cole’s grin was mischievous.

  I punched his shoulder playfully. “I meant for dinner.”

  “So did I,” he answered with too much innocence.

  After we dropped off my luggage at my apartment, we walked to one of my favorite local haunts, a family-owned Italian restaurant. When faced with a long wait, we decided to order our food to go and eat it back at my place.

  “Did your family come to visit for the holidays?” I asked, setting the table while Cole removed delicious-smelling food from takeout containers. This felt so domestic, so normal. It was like we were any other couple sitting down to dinner, except for the minor detail that I was also dating his two best friends.

  “No, we uh, don’t keep in touch anymore.”

  “I’m sorry.” As much as my mother drove me insane, I couldn’t imagine completely cutting her out of my life.

  He twirled spaghetti on his spoon, staring absently at the table before speaking again. “My family always struggled financially. Needless to say, when Strike became successful, everyone was ecstatic. At first, I was more th
an happy to share my good fortune, but over time, my family’s requests turned into demands.

  “Nic and Shane told me for months that I needed to cut my family off, or at least adjust their expectations. So, when my brother called out of the blue expecting me to give him $10,000, I decided enough was enough. Unfortunately, my mom took his side and stopped talking to me after I wouldn’t reconsider.”

  “$10,000?” I nearly choked. “Wow, you’re so unreasonable,” I said sarcastically, but I was genuinely saddened for him. “Seriously, though, that’s terrible.”

  “At least I still have Nic and Shane.” He smiled. “And I know they’re not after my money; they have plenty of their own.”

  “What about me? I could totally be a gold digger.”

  “Somehow I doubt that. In fact, I think that’s a big part of why the three of us are drawn to you.”

  “And that doesn’t sound like a problem to you?”

  He shrugged. “At the moment, you’re all mine.”

  How can they be okay with this? I debated pushing the issue when I felt Cole’s hand on mine.

  “Emma, we’ll be fine. Our friendship has survived tougher tests.”

  “If you say so,” I answered, my voice laced with skepticism.

  “Shane has always had my back and I know he always will. Same for Nicholas.”

  “You and Shane have been friends since high school, right?”

  “Yeah. Freshman year, I was invited to attend a fancy prep school on scholarship. Basically, they wanted me to bump up their test scores and were willing to give me free tuition in return. I was a scrawny nobody that no one wanted to be friends with.”

  I laughed, trying to imagine that.

  “One day, some of the lacrosse jerks ganged up on me, the usual stupid high school shit. Shane jumped into the fray, and, together, we got a few good hits in before the principal broke up the fight. We ended up in detention, but we became best friends, so it turned out okay.”

  “Let me guess . . . by senior year, you guys were running the school.”

  “Pretty much.”

  I rolled my eyes. “And Nicholas?”

  Cole chuckled. “Ahhh, Nicholas. He was an uptight prick when we first met him. Not that I blamed him. His family was running every aspect of his life, and that mother of his is a piece of work. She makes mine look sweet. Anyway, things finally changed when Shane and I goaded him into a bet, knowing he was super competitive and couldn’t refuse.”