by Anya Nowlan
The driver had explained that some of the Shovelers had homes in the area, but those must have been even deeper in the woods than their house.
Great. All alone with my increasing insanity, and the only two men in the world that can reduce me to a puddle with just a look. Staying professional has never been easier, she thought wryly.
Both Dominic and Dante ran outside as soon as the car came to a stop, shouldering each other out of the way in their race to get to the trunk.
“I’ll get your bags,” Dominic called out.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get your bags,” Dante echoed.
Rolling her eyes and sighing, Chloe prayed for patience. Even the driver gave her a sympathetic glance, the drive over being enough to tell even him that these two were a handful.
Taking a deep breath before getting out, Chloe grabbed her purse and marched over to Dominic and Dante, still arguing about who got to carry her luggage.
“I have hands, you know,” she remarked, waving them aside and pulling out her suitcase herself. “You two should worry about yourselves,” she said, dragging the suitcase after her as she headed towards the house, leaving them staring after her.
Pulling out the key she’d gotten from Janice, she unlocked the front door and stepped inside the spacious, two-story building. It looked set up to receive guests, with everything spotless and no dust anywhere.
The first floor was mostly taken up by a large, airy living room and a kitchen with a breakfast counter. The style was rustic, but light, with a hand-carved coffee table in the center of the living room and the color scheme consisting of soft, muted colors.
Fully stocked, she thought approvingly, peeking inside the stainless steel fridge as she went around the place.
Eyeing the stairs, she heard the car drive away and the brothers follow her inside.
“Come on, at least let us carry it upstairs,” Dante said, already reaching for her suitcase.
It seemed like they were far less interested in their accommodations than she was.
“Fine,” she mumbled, climbing the steps ahead of them.
There were three bedrooms on the second floor, all about the same size and decorated in the same vein as the downstairs. Chloe picked the one closest to the stairs, just so she didn’t have to spend any more time around the brothers.
“Thanks,” she said, grabbing the suitcase from Dante. “See you later,” she added, pulling the suitcase into the bedroom and closing the door after her quickly.
She could hear Dominic and Dante stand outside her room for a moment before moving along to claim their own bedrooms, speaking in hushed tones. Feeling her body grow weak all of the sudden, she sank head-first into the bed, groaning into her pillow.
How the hell am I supposed to get through these two weeks? With their bedrooms just down the hall?
Feeling slightly desperate and definitely overwhelmed, she got out her phone and moved around the room, looking for reception. The only way she ended up getting more than one bar was standing on a chair near the window.
How comfortable, she sighed, dialing Amy’s number.
“Have you made out with them already?” her friend blurted out after only two rings, not even waiting for Chloe to say anything.
“Stop it, this is serious,” Chloe hissed into the receiver, keeping her voice low. “They almost felt me up on the way over, and I think a rogue swarm of butterflies has made my stomach their new home. Amy, this is terrible!”
“Okay, now…”
“And there’s a welcome party scheduled for tonight, and there’s going to be alcohol, and I’m going to have to go with them, and I can’t deal with being in the car with them again,” she rattled off, becoming almost unintelligible as panic set in.
“Chloe. Listen to me,” Amy said firmly. “This is not as bad as you’re making it out to be in your head. Stop getting ahead of yourself. Breathe, take it one step at a time. Freaking out is not going to solve any of your problems.”
Tugging at the braid falling over her shoulder, Chloe forced herself to take deep breaths.
“You’re right, you’re right. I’m a professional, I’m in charge, I’m in control,” she chanted to herself, even starting to believe it.
“Okay, that’s better. Now put on that red lace bra and panty set I hid in your suitcase along with the matching silk blouse that makes your boobs look amazing, and get to work,” Amy giggled before hanging up.
“Not funny,” Chloe muttered to herself, staring angrily at her phone.
The way the brothers were vying for her attention was almost cute, if it wasn’t also so distracting. She didn’t want to be the toy they quarreled over, and she definitely didn’t trust their characters enough to even consider a relationship with either of them. The memory of her dad lounging on the couch with his beer while her mother did everything and anything for him was still fresh in her mind. A relationship was supposed to be a partnership, not a way for one person to take advantage of the other. And if anyone was a prime example of selfishness and arrogance, it was the Kenner twins.
Chloe was almost happy her dad had bailed when he did. It allowed her mom to start over, and carve out a life that didn’t revolve around someone else. She was so proud of her mother, and happy to see her doing so well now.
There’s no way I’m going to forget what I learned from her mistakes, no matter how hot or persistent Dominic and Dante are, she resolved.
Besides, she worked with them! Nothing could happen by definition. At least that’s what she silently prayed for.
Fourteen
Chloe
Tugging at the dress-shirt she’d buttoned up to her throat, Chloe let her gaze sweep around Austin’s Texas, the local watering hole. It was filled with shifters, each wider and taller than the next. The Shifter Grove Shovelers were busy making the rounds, getting to know the players vying for a spot on their team.
Having done her homework this time, she recognized Cannon Wright, the team captain, deep in conversation with another set of twins, Tyler and Trent. From her research, she knew that there was somewhat of a rivalry between Tyler and Trent Solomon and Dominic and Dante, which struck her as somewhat hilarious.
That is the most alliterated rivalry I’ve ever heard of. And what’s with shifters and twins, are they genetically predisposed or something?
That was a question for another time, though. Right now, she had to make sure everything went smoothly, and that Dominic and Dante stayed out of trouble. Keeping her distance while also keeping them in eyeshot was a balancing act, and she craned her neck to see them lounging at the bar.
Wearing matching navy button-ups and looking like a twin set of Greek Gods, they were sipping their beers, along with Jax and Memphis, who were the team’s enforcer and defender, respectively.
From the way they were all laughing, they seemed to be hitting it off well enough.
Squeezing through the mountains of muscle in her way, she grabbed a seat near the back wall and flagged down a passing waitress, ordering a glass of red wine. The bar looked even smaller than it was, filled to the brim with a bunch of imposing-looking men.
There were some locals thrown in, and from the looks of it, they were all friendly with the Shovelers, even coming over to shake the men’s hands. All in all, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, but she knew that might change once the actual training started.
The guys who had flown in were in competition with each other, after all. Who didn’t want a spot on the team that just won the playoffs?
It was Chloe’s job to make sure her clients were the ones actually chosen to fill the slots. So after letting the twins mingle on their own for a while and finishing her glass of wine, she made sure the slacks she was wearing didn’t look wrinkled and made her way over to the bar, where her new clients had just introduced themselves to the team captain.
Cannon Wright, Chloe reminded herself, recalling the research she had done on the Shovelers. If the twins impress him, we’re as good as go
lden.
Dante’s and Dominic’s eyes snapped to her as soon as she got there, twin sets of baby blues managing to make her feel indecent even when she was demurely covered from head to toe.
“Hello, Mr. Wright,” she said, stretching out her hand. “I’m Chloe Marks, representing Dominic and Dante. Not that they need much help from me, their track record on the ice already speaks for itself,” she continued smoothly, slipping into her role as an agent with ease.
“Nice to meet you. You can call me Cannon, by the way,” the dark-haired giant replied, dwarfing her hand in his. “You clients are pretty impressive, I’ll give you that. But then there’s the stuff off the ice…”
“The tabloids have to make money somehow,” she laughed, throwing the twins a look that she hoped conveyed her sentiment of ‘shut up and let me do the talking’. “I remember seeing you on a list of eligible bachelors while you were already engaged to your lovely wife, Kimberley.”
“That’s true,” Cannon admitted, nodding to himself thoughtfully. “Anyway, I look forward to seeing you on the ice,” he said, clapping both Dominic and Dante on their shoulders before making his way towards the Solomon twins.
The faraway look Cannon got in his eyes when Chloe had mentioned his wife was sweet, though, and it stayed with Chloe. She’d caught Dante and Dominic looking at her like that a few times.
Dominic’s and Dante’s eyes followed her to the Solomon twins, their faces scrunching up.
“I hate those guys,” Dominic spat out before taking another swig of their beer, Dante grunting in agreement.
“Isn’t that a little harsh?” Chloe questioned, taken aback by the animosity.
She knew they were rivals, sure, but she thought that kind of thing stayed on the ice. There was no shortage of athletes who were straight-up enemies on the court or field, but best buddies after the game was over.
“Pair of silver-spooned jackasses,” Dominic scoffed. “They called us ‘the inferior twins’ in an interview once, can you believe that?” he continued, turning to her.
“Those assholes?” she replied hesitantly, going along with it.
“Damn right,” Dante agreed.
She was basically obligated to be on her clients’ side, after all. And from what she’d gathered from her research on the other guys, the Solomon brothers did seem somewhat haughty and arrogant.
Not that these guys are much better, she thought, smiling to herself.
But she was already starting to feel a little protective of her new clients, if she were being completely honest. They might be jerks, but they were her jerks now, after all.
“I liked what you said to Cannon. If you could spin everything about us like that, that would be great,” Dante remarked, raising his glass to her.
“Yeah, and if you could find something that showed those Solomon douches in a bad light, even better,” Dominic grinned, leaning on the bar and scanning the crowd. “Can we get you a drink?” he added, noticing she didn’t have anything in front of her.
“That’s alright, I’m still on the clock,” she replied, amazed that they were being somewhat professional for once.
They were talking to her like their agent, someone who could help them nail a contract with the Shovelers, and that was exactly what she was here to do. To her surprise, that left a little twinge in her chest. Even though she had no intention of being anything more than an agent to them, she couldn’t help but feel used in a way.
Now I’m being ridiculous. They’re supposed to use me for their advantage. Why else would I even be here?
The feeling passed as soon as it had come, and in the end she felt more relieved than anything. Maybe this meant they were going to be taking her more seriously, and stop with the less than savory comments.
That would definitely help me keep my distance and make this trip somewhat more bearable, she thought.
“We are getting this contract,” Dante said to his brother, determination in his voice.
“Hell, yeah, we are. No one can stop the Kenners when they want something,” Dominic agreed, bumping fists with Dante. “Shots for everybody!” he added more loudly, before Chloe could stop him.
I am really going to be earning my paycheck on this one, she groaned internally, plastering on a smile.
Fifteen
Dante
Dante woke up to the sound of the front door opening and closing downstairs, his ears perking up as he sat up in bed. It was probably Dominic leaving for his morning run, which surprised him.
It wasn’t because his brother would be hungover from last night’s party – Chloe had discreetly put the kibosh on Dom’s attempts to get everyone drunk on shots after the second round. More so it was the fact that Dominic wouldn’t leave him alone with Chloe, knowing Dante was as interested in her as he was.
If he’s underestimating me as competition, the better for me, Dante grinned to himself, making his way to his bathroom.
After brushing his teeth and getting dressed, he quietly snuck downstairs, stopping to listen at Chloe’s door for a moment. There was soft rustling coming from inside her room, so she was most likely just waking up. Dominic’s room was silent, and there were no signs he was anywhere else in the house.
With an entirely uncharacteristically goofy smile on his face, Dante ascended the stairs and made his way to the kitchen, his bare feet shuffling on the hardwood floors. Having a moment alone with Chloe was just what he needed. He was tired of fighting for her attention and choosing his words around people, and acting professional.
And she didn’t have to hold back, either. It was obvious her career was important to her, and getting involved with clients could easily give her a reputation no agent wanted. But now there was no one around, and they could finally leave all pretenses behind.
Add in the fact that Dante’s shoulder was still giving him a hell of a time, and he was more than ready for a little distraction.
Clearly Chloe had reservations about having any kind of non-professional relationship with either him or Dominic, but Dante had a strong feeling it was more about staying in control and having a preconception about what the twins were like than not being attracted to them.
He was less than enthusiastic about how she seemed to be equally drawn to both him and Dominic, but he would just have to deal with that.
While it was entirely common for twin shifters to form triads, finding a joint mate, Dante had never seen that as an option for him and Dominic. He felt they were far too different, even if they did share the same twin connection that helped many of their contemporaries in athletics get to a pro level of performance. Hell, it had definitely come in handy for them, they were a team through and through on the ice.
It simply had never really translated to off the ice.
It’s not going to stop me from getting to know her more, and making sure she gets to know me. She’s going to make her own decisions, all I can do is give her the tools to make them, Dante thought.
Putting on some coffee, he listened intently to the sounds coming from upstairs. It seemed to take forever, but finally Chloe’s door creaked open and soft steps came down the stairs. Barefoot as well, she padded into the kitchen, dressed in loose shorts and a tank top. Rubbing her eyes, it took her a second to notice Dante at the breakfast counter, as still as he was.
“Jesus,” she exclaimed, jumping a little. “I need to put a bell on you. I didn’t even hear you pass my room or come downstairs.”
With her hair in a messy ponytail and her cheeks still flushed with sleep, she looked both adorable and delicious. Dante’s eyes trailed down her long legs before he managed to look away and focus on rummaging around in the cabinets instead. Pulling out two cups, he set them on the counter, gesturing for Chloe to sit down on one of the stools.
“Isn’t it more exciting this way? You never knowing where I might appear next?” he asked, grabbing the coffee pot and filling their cups.
“Thank you,” she smiled, wrapping her hands around the mug.
“And I don’t think ‘exciting’ is exactly the word I’d use,” she added, quirking a brow at him. “Unsettling, maybe.”
“I’d never aim to make you uncomfortable,” he replied, pursing his lips. “But I’m not going to pretend I’m not still interested in you. I can try my best to act professional in public, considering I doubt we’ll find many elevators in Shifter Grove, but I’m not going to lie and say I’m not insanely attracted to everything about you.”
Looking straight into her green eyes, it was clear he had caught her slightly off guard. She stared back for a moment before focusing on the cup in front of her, tapping her nails on the sides of it.
“You don’t even know that much about me,” she said quietly.
“I’d like to. We are going to be stuck in this house together, and outside of it as well. Can we at least act like friends? I’m not trying to push you into anything, but I want you to feel comfortable around me.”
Sipping her coffee, she seemed to mull that over. Meanwhile, Dante was having trouble focusing on anything but her lush lips on the rim of her cup or the way her tank top hugged her curves.
“Let me be completely frank with you,” she said after a moment. “You and your brother confuse me. I can’t deny there is a physical attraction, but your reputation more than speaks for itself. I’m not sure that I trust you, but if we can be honest with each other going forward, I think being friends would be useful for all of us. But there have to be boundaries.”
Slightly amazed by her candor, Dante nodded.
“That’s more than reasonable,” he replied, smiling at her.
“And then there’s that,” she sighed, pointing at him. “You keep looking at me like a hungry wolf looks at a lamb.”
“Now that’s something I can’t help. You can’t police my thoughts, and in my head, I can never see you as just a friend, Chloe. There are images up here,” he said, tapping a finger against his temple, “that would make you blush scarlet.”