by Reed, Autumn
He leaned over me, kissing my neck, then my collarbone, his lips feathering along my increasingly sensitive skin. I put my hand on his chest, intending to push him away to give myself and my lust-addled brain some space, but, instead, I heard myself moan.
“What do you want, Emma?” Cole asked, running his fingers beneath my bra straps and along the top edge of the cups. In the back of my mind, I knew there was a reason I should stop him, slow things down, but I was well past the point of thinking straight.
“Tell me,” he demanded, grasping my wrists and holding my hands above my head. “Tell me, and I’ll give it to you.”
I squirmed in his grasp, wanting to touch him.
He tightened his hold on my wrists in response, then skimmed a finger over my lips and down the center of my chest to the top of my jeans. I thrashed in frustration, then choked out, “I want your lips on me.”
“Here?” he asked, placing a kiss at the base of my neck.
“Yes.”
“Here?” He placed another between my breasts.
“Yes,” I whispered on a long exhale.
“Here?” His lips hovered over the skin at the top of my bra.
“Please, Cole.”
He continued teasing me, and when I didn’t think I could take it anymore, his phone beeped.
He groaned in annoyance. “Damn it.”
“Ignore it,” I said, ready to beg if need be.
“I can’t, it’s my alarm. I have to head to the club. I promised Shane I’d be there by ten.”
Shane. Nicholas. I covered my chest with my shirt, feeling instantly guilty at how quickly Cole and I started shedding clothes.
“I wish I could stay.” Cole pulled his shirt on and grabbed his leather jacket. “Do you want to go with me?”
Buttoning my shirt, I shook my head. There was no way I was ready to face Shane or Nicholas after that make-out session, if I could even call it that. “I’ll take a rain check.”
“Sure. You know you’re welcome at Loft25 anytime.”
I walked Cole to the door, still feeling flustered. “To be continued,” he said, placing a brief kiss on my swollen lips.
He barely made it out the door before turning back and kissing me passionately once more. Moments later, he pulled away, breathing heavily. “I don’t want to, but I have to go.”
Speechless, I nodded, my lips still tingling. I needed for him to leave before I let things get even more out of hand. And, with Cole, that always seemed to be a distinct possibility.
Chapter 11
“I was hoping we could go back to my place. What do you think? I have wine.” Nicholas’s expression was an adorable combination of enticing and hopeful.
Considering how well the date was going thus far, my answer was a definite hell, yes, but I didn’t want to give in too easily. “So, even though we just finished dinner, where I had not one but two glasses of very delicious wine, you want me to come over for more wine?”
“Okay, how about this? I have gourmet gelato in the freezer. After I give you a tour, we could have dessert.” His voice lowered on the last word and I shivered. Tiramisu kisses last night with Cole and the promise of dessert with Nicolas? I was one lucky girl. Lucky or crazy.
“Depends. What flavor?”
He leaned over the console of his Range Rover and murmured, “Dark chocolate with cherries.”
My sigh came out more like a purr. “Delicious.”
Without another word, Nicholas put the car in drive and I tried to tamp down my nerves. Although I’d already shared a bed with Shane, it was in my parents’ house, so I wasn’t worried about things progressing too far. Going home with Nicholas was different; there were no safeguards to hold us back. If we were in an exclusive relationship, I would have been fine with seeing where things went. But, I was also dating Nicholas’s best friends. It seemed wrong and oh so right. What the hell was wrong with me?
After a quiet fifteen-minute ride, Nicholas pulled into the driveway of an upscale two-story townhouse. He came around to open my door and took my hand to lead me into the house. As he put the key in the lock, he turned to me. “Are you okay with dogs?”
“You have a dog?” I asked, surprised, although I didn’t know why.
He lifted an eyebrow without answering my question. “Not okay with them, then.”
I shook my head. “No, I mean, yes, I like dogs.”
“Good,” he said, opening the door. The sound of nails clicking on the wood floor was the only warning I had before being ambushed by an excited but friendly-looking black lab. “This is Ace.”
I scratched him behind the ears and laughed when his tongue lolled to the side in pleasure. “It’s nice to meet you, Ace.”
“Be careful. He may never leave your side.”
“I’m okay with that. He’s a sweetheart.”
Nicholas’s mouth lifted at the edges. “Am I going to have to hide the dog to keep your attention on me?”
“Maybe,” I teased. In all honesty, he didn’t have a thing to worry about. Whenever I was near Nicholas, my gaze was permanently affixed to him. His fitted sweater hinted at the amazing physique hiding underneath, but his face would always be his best feature.
“Okay, that’s it.” He started pulling gently on Ace’s collar. “To the laundry room you go.”
“Oh no, don’t do that! Your dog shouldn’t have to suffer because he’s cuter than you,” I said, laughing.
He let Ace go and walked back to me, pinching my side. “Think you’re funny, do you? And, technically, he’s not my dog.”
“What? Whose dog is he?”
“Cole’s.” He placed his hand on the small of my back. “Come on, time for your tour.”
I planted my feet. “Wait a second. Are you dog sitting, or . . .?”
“No one mentioned that we live together?” he asked innocently.
“And Shane?”
He nodded.
Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, I looked around wildly. “Are they here?” I whispered, although it was pointless since they would have heard us already.
“No, they’re at a movie and won’t be back for a while.”
Not ready to face all of them in the same room, I exhaled in relief. Why hadn’t it occurred to me that they might live together? They’d been roommates in college, after all.
Nicholas massaged my shoulders, his touch light and comforting. “I know this is still weird for you, but try to relax. Even if Shane and Cole come home early, they won’t be surprised or upset to find you here.”
“Is this not weird for you?” I didn’t understand how he could be so blasé. Even though Shane and Cole already assured me they were all on board with this crazy plan, I needed confirmation from Nicholas as well.
“I’m trying not to overthink it. We agreed to let you take the lead, and all I care about right now is spending time with you.” He brushed a thumb along my jawline, then pressed his warm lips against mine. “Forget about the rest for now.”
“Okay.” As much as the situation freaked me out, especially now that I realized they all lived together, I didn’t want to spend our date thinking about anyone other than Nicholas. It was the only way to be fair to him . . . and me.
“Should we talk about what happened? The bet?” he asked hesitantly.
Deciding to be as straightforward as possible, I asked, “Will it happen again?”
“Absolutely not,” he replied without a hint of uncertainty.
“Then, we don’t need to talk about it.”
“Okay.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry.”
He showed me around the townhouse, and I was impressed. Although the living room contained a huge television and oversized furniture, it didn’t resemble a typical bachelor pad. It was stylish, clean, and comfortable.
“Your place reminds me of Loft25. I’m guessing that’s thanks to you?”
Nicholas sat on the couch and tugged me down next to him while Ace curled up on the
rug. “Maybe. Is that a compliment?”
“Very much so.”
“Then, yes and thank you.”
I twisted my head, checking out the door off the dining area. “You don’t have an awesome patio hiding out there, do you?”
“Sadly, no. Our backyard is just big enough for Ace to run around. I’m saving my best patio ideas for my future house.”
“Do you plan on staying in Vegas?”
Nicholas shifted our positions so that I could lean against the arm of the couch and my legs were draped over his lap. “Not really.” He absently ran a hand up and down my denim-clad leg. “We moved here after college since it’s the place for nightclubs, but it’s never been my scene.”
“Will you go back to California, then?”
“Maybe, although I don’t plan on ever returning to Pasadena.” His tone was laced with the slightest tinge of bitterness, but it was enough for me to know something was off.
“Did things not go well with your family over Christmas? You haven’t mentioned it.”
His hand stopped moving on my leg and he shook his head. “I’d rather not talk about that right now. What about you? Any idea where you’re headed after graduation?”
I wanted to ask him more but decided to let it go. Clearly, he wasn’t in the mood to discuss his family. “I have absolutely no idea. Although I enjoy the challenge of working for the school paper, I’ve never had a strong desire to be a journalist. I’m half-afraid I’ll end up working full time at Williams-Sonoma after college, or worse, have to move home,” I said glumly.
Nicholas chuckled. “I highly doubt it will come to that.” He picked up my hand and kissed each finger one-by-one, his green eyes fixated on mine. “Can’t have these pretty fingers getting paper cuts.”
I sucked in a shallow breath, way too fired up by that one rather chaste move. How would I resist him when he turned it on full force?
“Will you stay with me tonight?” I started to open my mouth, but he stopped me from voicing any objections. “No pressure to do anything. We can just cuddle, if you want,” he said with a knowing smirk.
The word “cuddle” coming out of those sensuous lips made me laugh and put me at ease. “Okay, cuddling . . . mostly.”
“That’s it.” He pushed my legs off his lap and shot off the couch. “Time for bed.”
Holding in a laugh, I crossed my arms over my chest. “What about my gelato?”
“Fine. Gelato in bed.”
“That could get messy.”
“I sure hope so.”
After finishing dessert, which I convinced Nicholas should be eaten in the kitchen, he led me to his bedroom. I’d gotten a quick look at it on our earlier tour, but now that I was spending the night, all I could see was his king-size bed.
Nicholas went to the dresser and pulled out a faded USC sweatshirt. “Will this work?”
I held it up to me and nodded, grateful to see that it was long enough to cover my ass, though barely. At least I’d worn cute boyshorts instead of a thong.
“The bathroom is through there,” he said, indicating the door to his attached bathroom.
Feeling unusually bold, I gave him a naughty grin. “Thanks, but I’m good.”
Ever-so-slowly, I took off my top and held eye contact while I unzipped my jeans and slid them down my legs. Nicholas took a step toward me, but I shook my head. “Nuh uh.” I turned my back to him and removed my bra before slipping his sweatshirt over my nearly-naked body. It was soft and smelled faintly like his cologne. Perfect.
When I spun back around, Nicholas pounced, picking me up and tossing me on his bed. “You shouldn’t have done that. I was going to be a gentleman, but not anymore.”
Without giving me a chance to react, he dragged his sweater over his head and tugged off his jeans. Left in nothing but a pair of snug black boxer briefs, I could only stare. Impossibly, his torso was as incredible as his face, and that was really saying something.
Nicholas crawled up my body until he hovered inches above me, effectively pinning me beneath him. His head dipped as if he intended to kiss me, but his mouth met my neck instead. He took his time rubbing his lips and tongue along my jaw, not quite sucking or biting but almost. I squirmed under him, desperate to kiss him, touch him, anything.
“Nic.” His name sounded like a whimper, but I didn’t care. I needed more.
He finally relented, shifting to lie beside me, and assaulted my mouth in a scorching kiss. I let my hands wander freely over his stomach and chest, my fingers following the lines of every crease and dip. He hiked my leg over his hip and pulled me closer, making it impossible to ignore his hard length pressed against me.
Wrapped around each other, his hands explored my back, skirting over my bare skin. His touch felt amazing, and I couldn’t resist grinding my body against his. Too soon, he broke our kiss and rolled me onto my back. I watched as he drifted lower until he was poised over my stomach. His striking green eyes sought mine for confirmation, and I nodded.
Nicholas lifted my hands above my head, then brushed his fingers down my arm and side. He slowly inched the fabric of the sweatshirt up, kissing a trail along my stomach and sides, goosebumps prickling my skin in the wake of his lips. My breathing shallowed when he reached the underside of my breasts, and I was lost in the moment . . . until Ace let out a loud bark.
I jumped, nearly exposing myself completely, and Nicholas groaned, flopping onto his back. Seconds later, a door opened on the other side of the house, and Ace scrambled to greet whomever had arrived. I heard Cole address Ace and then bid goodnight to Shane.
Lying next to Nicholas, I ached to pick up where he left off, but my conscience pricked at me. Letting myself have sex with any of them while I was still dating all three felt wrong. How long can I keep this up? I’d been back from Indiana a couple of days, and I was already struggling with temptation.
“I like it when you call me Nic.” He took my hand in his, most likely sensing that the moment had passed.
I thought back, unsure of when I’d even used his nickname. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. It means you’re feeling comfortable with me.”
I shifted positions so that we were face to face. “And the striptease didn’t give that away?”
His expression turned overly pained. “Tease is right.”
“Oh, you’re one to talk.” I glared playfully. “Don’t worry, next time, I’ll change in the bathroom.”
“Not on your life.” Nicholas pulled my body against his and stroked the back of my upper thigh. “All stripping is encouraged, tease or not.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Please do.”
He moved his hand from my thigh to under the sweatshirt and began rubbing circles on my lower back. It was more soothing than anything, and I eventually started getting drowsy.
“Nic?” I whispered.
“Yes?”
“I really like your bed.”
“Good. Hopefully you’ll be seeing a lot more of it.”
* * *
Waking to unfamiliar scents and sounds, it took me a few seconds to remember I was in Nicholas’s bed. And what a spectacular bed it was. I burrowed deeper under the covers and tried to guess how much his mattress cost. Way out of my price range, that was for certain.
I heard the shower in his bathroom shut off, and a minute later he emerged wearing only a pair of black frame glasses and a towel. Hot damn.
“Do not look at me like that, or we’re going to have a problem.”
My eyes followed a droplet of water down the planes of his chest to the top of his towel, which was resting a little too low to be considered decent. “You call that a problem?”
“When your other boyfriends are in the kitchen making you breakfast, I do.”
I jerked to a sitting position. “What?”
“Shane . . . Cole. Did you forget about them already? If you did, I’m totally okay with that.”
“Shit!” I jumped up and stretched N
icholas’s sweatshirt down as far as it would go. “They know I’m here?”
Nicholas cautiously approached me and spoke softly, like he was trying to calm a wild beast. “It’s fine, Emma. Take a few minutes to freshen up and then meet us in the kitchen. I laid out a new toothbrush on the counter. Okay?”
I took a few deep breaths and nodded. I so wasn’t ready for this, but I needed to woman up. After collecting my clothes from the floor, I scurried to the bathroom and washed my face, brushed my teeth, and finger-combed my hair. Thankfully, my jeans looked okay, but studying my wrinkled top, I wondered which would be worse—walking out there in Nicholas’s sweatshirt or in clothing that had obviously been tossed on the floor. The sweatshirt wins.
The muted sounds of male laughter made my stomach clench with dread. Why did I think I could handle dating three men—best friends and business partners, and apparently roommates, no less? It was uncomfortable at times when I was alone with each of them, but facing them all together? Triple shit.
I straightened my shoulders and strode down the hall, putting as much confidence in my step as possible. When I reached the kitchen, I couldn’t help but smile. Although Nicholas was freshly showered and wearing jeans and a button-down, both Cole and Shane had that just-rolled-out-of-bed look that was pretty darn irresistible. And, to make things even better—or worse, depending on my ever-changing mindset—Shane was shirtless. He was slimmer than Nicholas but every bit as ripped and seriously hot.
“There she is!” Cole called with his usual exuberance as he stirred something on the stove. “I was starting to think we’d have to drag you out of bed.”
Shane poured coffee into a mug. “You may want to tone it down. Emma’s not a morning person. Sugar and cream?” he asked me.
“Yes and yes.” Ace ran to me, and I bent down to pet him, laughing as he lapped up the attention.
When Shane walked around the kitchen island, I almost swallowed my tongue. His sweatpants were riding low enough to provide a perfect view of his hipbones and those delicious muscles in between. My eyes were glued to him as if we were the only two people in the room, and before I knew what was happening, he was kissing me. The kiss didn’t last long, but it was intense enough to wake me the heck up.