Revolving Door

by Dani Matthews

  Quinn nods. “Exactly.” Her expression turns thoughtful. “Let’s see. I don’t have a boyfriend, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy meeting men here and there,” she says, flashing me a naughty smile. “Oh, and by the way, when I say our house has a revolving door, so do most of the bedrooms. Channing, Colt, and Sebastian are notorious for bringing women home for the night. Gabe, on the other hand, likes to keep women away from his personal space.” She shakes her head. “I can’t even begin to tell you how many women come and go in that house.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” I murmur. I grew up sheltered, so I’ve never been around others that are so open about their sexual escapades. Living at the house is going to be an eye-opening experience for me.

  “Harper’s single, too,” Quinn says as we come upon a set of stoplights. “You’ll really like her, she’s super nice. She also has the ability to talk down a raging bull,” she muses. She glances at me. “I’m referring to my brothers. She’s very logical with her arguments, and she’s so calm. She can talk sense into anyone. Though she can’t hold her liquor worth shit,” she adds with a snicker.

  I’m already absolutely fascinated by this group that I’ll be living with. Quinn seems content to do all the talking, so I just avidly listen.

  “Oh, and Channing and Gabe are twins. I don’t know if I mentioned that yet. They’re both twenty-one, a year older than Harper and I. Colt’s twenty-three.” She taps her manicured fingers on the steering wheel as we wait for the light to turn red. “Gabe is the moody one as you saw last night, but don’t let that put you off. He was just being protective. Channing is more laidback and a total manwhore. But damn, he’s frickin’ intelligent as hell. He’s taking classes at the university, and he tutors on the side.”

  The light changes, and as we cruise forward, the morning breeze plays with our hair.

  “Now, about Colt, he’s naturally unfriendly,” she warns, glancing at me.

  I nod. “He’s like Sebastian?”

  She shakes her head and turns back to the road. “No. Once Sebastian has his coffee in the mornings, his mood lightens. He’s easy to be around and a total flirt. He’ll call you ‘luv’ and probably hit on you whenever he’s in the mood. Don’t take him too seriously, and if you should fall into his bed, it will be nothing more than a one-night stand. Don’t expect anything more.”

  I blink, unprepared for such a bold warning. “I don’t plan on falling into anyone’s bed,” I say firmly.

  Quinn gives me an approving look. “Good, because that’ll keep things simple. There’s been a few friends of mine that have rented rooms and then fallen into one of the guys’ beds. That turns into messy shit,” she mutters.

  “Got it. No sex with housemates. I can handle that.”

  “Back to Colt. Don’t take his silent treatment personally. He’s naturally quiet, and he only talks when he has something to say. He doesn’t do idle chit-chat just to fill the silence. It’s just the way he is,” she says quietly.

  Her tone had shifted, and I glance at her. I can’t read her expression, but I sense a story there.

  We’ve reached the gas station, and Quinn parks the convertible next to my car. She turns her head and looks at me, her eyes hidden behind her sunglasses. “I don’t mean to pressure you, but with Gabe’s suspicions, it might be wise to just be upfront about your past. I know you’d prefer not to talk about it, but it might help him relax around you,” she suggests.

  I nod. “I’ll think it over.”

  Soon, I am following Quinn’s car back to the house. Once we arrive, Quinn helps me carry my belongings up to my room and then suggests I lie down for a bit. My body is aching terribly, and I know I look like I’m probably wilting right before her eyes. I decide a little rest would help lessen the pain, so once I’m alone, I take a nap.

  ***

  When I wake, I yawn and look around the room. The sunlight has shifted, and that tells me that at least a few hours have passed. I sit up and look at the two, designer travel bags that have my clothing and necessities. They are sitting in front of the closet where I’d left them before my nap. I still need to unpack, but I’m not really in the mood.

  My stomach rumbles.

  The cereal I’d eaten earlier hadn’t done much to fill my stomach. It’s also a reminder that I need to find a job. I can’t just dig into the refrigerator and eat whatever food is there. I’ll be expected to buy my own things. A trip to a grocery store is imperative, and nerves flutter in my stomach. I hate unfamiliar places, and worse, I hate driving when I’m not certain where I’m going. Thank God for GPS, or I never would have made it out of Philly. I’ll adjust, I tell myself. This is a part of being on my own.

  First and foremost, food must come first. Once that’s been taken care of and I feel that I’ve settled in, I will focus on finding a job. I think I’ll go find Quinn if she still happens to be around. I’d like to ask about the food situation. I’m going to assume everyone buys their own and labels them or something.

  I ease off the bed and limp towards the door. My hip is stiff from sleeping, and I wince. After opening the door, I hobble into the hallway and nearly run into someone. “Sorry!” I exclaim as I look up.

  It’s Gabe.

  No, not Gabe.

  He must be Channing, and my breath hitches.

  His dark hair is slightly longer than Gabe’s, and even though his eyes are the same shade of gray, they seem more perceptive. His features are similar to his twin’s, but there’s just something about him that seems…easy. Or friendly? No, I’d say approachable. Except he’s not looking all that approachable towards me now as his eyes turn suspicious.

  My feet feel cemented to the floor, and I am uncomfortably aware of his height and how his shirt fits his chest. He’s oozing sex appeal. I’d thought that Gabe was attractive, but Channing is just more.

  His dark brow quirks. “Ashton, I’m assuming?”

  “Uh, yeah.” Oh, that was smooth. I feel my cheeks beginning to warm.

  “I’m Channing.”

  He’s still looking at me with those probing eyes, and I feel uncomfortably awkward. I clear my throat and struggle for something to say. “Nice to meet you,” I say politely.

  “You too.”

  “Excuse me,” I manage to say.

  I turn and begin limping towards the stairs. I can feel his eyes burning into my back the entire way, and the second I turn the corner and I’m out of his sight, I feel relieved. I know I fluster easy sometimes, but I’ve managed to hold it together since meeting Quinn. However, Channing brings out that side of me.

  I still recall my first benefit dinner with Hayden. I’d been uncomfortable, and I’d found myself stuttering and struggling to make conversation—any kind of conversation—with those that he’d introduced me to. Hayden had insisted we leave early, and I know that I’d embarrassed him. Knowing that if I dwell on Hayden long enough, it’ll likely lead me to second-guess myself, so I shove the past out of my mind.

  I’m halfway down the stairs when I recall that I’m still wearing Harper’s clothing. Now that I have my own, the polite thing to do would be to switch clothing. I turn on the stairwell and carefully make my way back up. The stiff sensation in my hip is fading, and I walk down the hall and into my room.

  I stand frozen in the doorway, my hand clutching the doorknob.

  Channing is standing at the dresser, his hand in my purse. When he’d heard the door open, he’d looked up, and his gaze meets mine unapologetically. He removes his hand from my purse and faces me. “You’re hiding something. I care about everyone in this house, and I don’t like the idea of a stranger moving in with trouble following on her heels,” he bluntly tells me.

  All that awkwardness from earlier fades as anger builds within my chest. I barely have anything to my name, so witnessing a stranger going through my personal belongings lights a fire inside me. If he weren’t one of my new housemates, I’d say exactly what I’m thinking. Instead, I choose to stay calm. “There’s
nothing from my past that’s going to cause trouble for anyone.”

  His expression remains unconvinced. “If I go by the information that I’ve been able to drag from Quinn and Gabe, you’re definitely running from someone.”

  “My ex-fiancé. Happy now?” I snap. It isn’t something I’d wanted to confess to anyone, but I need Channing to stop digging around into my past—and especially my belongings!

  A hint of a frown forms on his lips. “Did he hurt you?”

  I cross my arms over my chest, feeling defensive. “How offended would you be if I asked about your past relationships five minutes after meeting? Are you an open book?” I shoot back.

  He smirks. “I don’t do relationships, so yeah, you could say I’m an open book.”

  Dang it. This man unsettles me so much. I pull together my patience and try not to go to that flustered place. That place that I’m so prone to going whenever I’m feeling uncomfortable. “I appreciate you all allowing me to rent a room here, but that doesn’t mean I owe you my life story,” I say steadily.

  “Fair enough,” he says evenly.

  I look at him expectantly, waiting for him to leave.

  His eyes hold mine a moment longer. Then he ambles towards me, and I try not to tense. As he walks past and out into the hall, his masculine scent drifts over me.

  I turn and watch him, and as soon as I’m able to, I grab the door and carefully close it. The moment I have privacy, I blow out a tense breath. Holy shit. That man is lethal to my hormones.

  I move to the bed and sit down. It’s becoming apparent that my past is going to be an issue here, but staying where I feel safe is too good to pass up. I know these people won’t hurt me, and I already value Quinn’s easy friendship. I’m just going to have to deal with Channing and his curiosity. It’s probably not the end of the world if he finds out who I am anyway, just as long he doesn’t start poking his nose where it doesn’t belong—and by that, I mean in Philly.

  Four

  Channing

  I close the door to my room and stand there, reeling from my confrontation with Ashton. Holy fuck. I hadn’t been expecting to feel such a strong and instant attraction to her. I figured she might be nice to look at, or pretty, but Ashton is more than just a little pretty.

  I’ve always had a thing for brunettes, and Ashton’s hair is a rich dark brown that reaches midback in those layers that women seem to favor. Her eyes are as dark as her hair, but they’re expressive. Very expressive. I’d read uncertainty in them, anger, and self-doubt. She’s like a damned open book—one that I would love to explore.

  And those pink lips…

  Damn it all to hell.

  I stalk over to my desk and pull out the chair, sinking into it. I resent the fuck out of the fact that I’d memorized nearly everything about her in those few minutes that we’d met. Her features are fine and delicate, her nose small with a hint of pertness. As for her body, I’d seen all those curves thanks to the tight tank that hugged her full breasts, and those black pants that cupped that ass.

  I reach up and run my hands through my hair, completely aggravated that once again, I’m wanting to screw a housemate. I enjoy women, always have. After the first housemate that I’d screwed, I should have learned my lesson with how messy that shit had been. But no, I couldn’t resist Olivia, and that had been a complete shitstorm that ended with her moving out, and Quinn ignoring me for weeks. Screwing Olivia hadn’t been the issue, it had been how I’d handled Olivia after the fact that had pissed Quinn off. I can’t help it, when I’m done, I’m done. I don’t try to be a dick, I just…lose complete interest.

  I shove Olivia out of my mind and move my chair closer to the desk, opening my laptop. Before Ashton had caught me digging through her purse, I’d managed to memorize her license. I begin searching for information using her full name, date of birth, and address. It doesn’t take long for articles and photos to pop up.

  Ashton Delegrave is an heiress from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her daddy is a known media mogul, and mommy dearest is the perfect socialite dedicated to charities. I lean forward and study the engagement announcement and photo from last year. The man, Hayden Ross, looks like a total douche, and Ashton looks uptight with a fake smile. Her fiancé is the vice president of his own daddy’s company, another media corporation.

  In print, Ashton is the perfect socialite heiress. I can’t find anything that would paint her in a bad light. There’s more information about her parents than her, and it’s evident that her parents had kept her out of the spotlight growing up. The only other photos that I can find are of her and her high school cheerleading squad. There’s a team photo, and another of the team screaming with excitement when they’d won a competition. She looks happy in those.

  My eyes flicker back to the one of her and Hayden Ross. Nope, not happy there. No one else would probably see it, but that smile is all pretend.

  When I can’t find anything more on her, I close the laptop and lean back in my chair. Ashton Delegrave looks to be the perfect rich girl. So why is she running from her fiancé and family? If she wasn’t happy with Ross, why not just break off the engagement? Why start over somewhere else?

  Five

  Ashton

  It’s the following evening, and Quinn and Harper are insisting on a cookout tonight. Evidently, Sundays are about the only day everyone is home at the same time, and Quinn wants to introduce me to everyone and some of their friends.

  This isn’t the kind of thing I want to do since it involves socializing, but there’s no polite way to decline. So here I am in the kitchen, hiding from the cookout. I’d said that I’d be down in a few when Quinn had come up to check on me earlier, but I’m finding it difficult to join the social gathering. I can smile and look pretty, but anything more than that brings nothing but embarrassment.

  “There you are!”

  I spin around as my hand goes to my heart.

  Quinn stands in the kitchen doorway, staring at me with an expression of confusion. Her blue hair is pulled up into a topknot, and she’s wearing a white bikini that shows off her tanned skin. I’m learning that she has a lot of energy packed inside that petite body. “Are you hiding?” she asks bluntly.

  “Uh…”

  She grins. “I get it.”

  “You do?”

  “Yep.” She walks over, amused. “This was short notice, so it’s just the guys and their friends. Complete testosterone overload. I don’t blame you for being wary, but I swear they’ll be on their best behavior.” She grimaces. “Or at least they’ll try.” Another pause. “I hope.”

  She thinks I’m intimidated by men. Okay, I can handle that over admitting the truth. I glance at her bikini that shows off her small breasts and killer bod. Everything about her is small, but she’s got curves in all the right places. I, on the other hand, feel kind of big and awkward compared to her. I’ve got at least four or five inches on her. I also have a bigger bust and wider hips, but I think my body is okay. Actually, it was the one thing Hayden had never complained about.

  Tonight though, I am hesitant. Back home, I’d always known what to wear because my family was so reserved. But here…everyone is so casual. I’m dressed in creamy, lace summer shorts and a spaghetti strap, burgundy tank. I’d skipped accessories knowing the cookout was casual, and I’d opted to leave my hair down.

  I’m ridiculously overdressed compared to Quinn, and I wave a hand at my outfit. “Should I go change?” Not that I have plans to walk around in a bikini or anything, but maybe I could find something simpler to wear.

  “Are you kidding? I love those shorts. You look gorgeous and refreshing. C’mon,” she says, motioning me out of the kitchen.

  I try to pull together my nerves, and I follow her down the hall and to the very back of the house where the patio door is located. There’s a narrow walkway that’s hidden from view by some shrubbery, and as we turn the corner, we step out onto the patio. It’s large with an inground pear-shaped pool on the other side. Lounge
chairs are scattered around along with a few round tables that have umbrellas cranked out overhead for shade. There’s a large grill, and Sebastian looks to be in charge. When he spies me, he motions for me to come over. I haven’t seen him since he’d looked grumpy yesterday morning, and I brace myself as Quinn and I approach.

  “Quinn, can you go grab some beer while you’re over there?” a man calls out to her from across the patio. She promptly turns and heads for the large cooler we’d passed when we’d entered the patio.

  I’m on my own.

  Sebastian flips a couple of burgers, but his aquamarine gaze is focused on me as I walk towards him. He’s wearing swimming trunks that show off his toned body, and his hair is damp and spiked from the pool. His eyes slide over my body, and I see appreciation flare in his gaze. That appreciation, oddly enough, puts me at ease.

  “Hey luv, you eat meat?” he asks, slipping an arm around me as soon as I’m close enough. I’m brought up against his side, and his skin is warm. He smells of beer, chlorine, and sunscreen.

  “Uh, yeah.”

  He grins down at me, flashing straight white teeth. “You look like a vegetarian.”

  My eyebrows lift. “I didn’t know vegetarians have a certain look.”

  “You look like the kind of woman that takes very good care of her body and is selective of what she puts in it,” he says with a naughty gleam in his eye.

  His innuendo has my eyes widening. Did he just…?

  He chuckles, releasing me as he sets aside the prongs while closing the top of the grill. “Wieners or burgers?” he asks. “What’s your preference?” His eyes turn back to me, waiting intently for my response.

  I have a feeling that no matter which option I choose, he’s going to have a sexual innuendo ready to toss back at me. “Surprise me,” I tell him.

  Quinn appears at my side, and she tugs on my arm. “Quit monopolizing all her time,” she teases Sebastian before leading me away.