“What? How do you even know where she lives?”
I chuckle. “Elementary, my dear Watson.”
“Oh, please, don’t pull that Sherlock Holmes shit with me. Just answer my question.” I can just see Xander rolling his eyes at the phone.
“Remember I insisted on hiring a taxi to take Delilah home? It was just a question of logging into my corporate account to track down the last registered drop-off address. A few taps and voilà, I know exactly where to locate our favorite Southern Belle.”
Xander roars on the other side. “When you want something—or someone—get out of your way or else. You’re willing to steamroll anything that might be in the way.”
“You give me too much credit, mate.” He’s right. I’ll bust through any brick wall on my way to the object of my desire.
“I have a feeling I’ll be as dazzled as Delilah will.”
“You have no idea. All right, I still have a lot on my plate to do. I should run.”
“Wait,” Xander shouts. “You’re really not going to give me more to go by?”
“Nope.”
“Fucker.”
“I love you too, my brother. I’ll have a taxi waiting in front of the house by six-thirty.” I could have taken my CLS Benz or I could have asked Xander to drive his Audi coupé, but the taxi allows us the luxury of sitting back and enjoy Delilah instead of having one of us focusing on the traffic. “See you soon.”
“Whatever,” Xander grumbles.
* * *
Since Xander arrived earlier than planned, I was able to show him the result of my efforts. Of course I did have a little help from a few key people—our personal chef Charles Kent, his pastry chef and business partner Violet Callaway and our housekeeper Teresa Silva. Everything for tonight is set for ultimate seduction. To say he’s impressed with what I was able to pull off in a little less than four hours is an understatement. Once I gave him the tour, we hopped into the back of the taxi and headed to Delilah’s place.
According to the GPS app on my phone, we’re only a few blocks away and I can barely contain my excitement. When I turn my head to my left Xander is looking at me with what I suspect the same goofy smile. “I’m sure she’ll be shocked,” he says.
“She will be.” I nod. “I doubt she’ll be able to refuse our invitation.”
“You’ve thought of everything,” Xander says, tapping the box between us.
We made a quick stop at the English Bluebells, one of London’s premier florists. Of all of their breathtaking creations, the Pandora’s Box is my favorite. It’s in my opinion the only arrangement capable of properly paying homage to Delilah’s incredible beauty and sharp wit. It’s a bouquet bursting with colorful, seasonal blooms. The originality stems in the fact that Grace Kendall, the creator, bunches together a few small bouquets in six small glass jars, which she places within a handmade wooden rustic crate. I have no doubt Delilah has never seen anything quite like this. Flowers can turn into a mundane and insignificant gift, but this shop really knows how to inject a splash of creativity. It’s impossible not to be completely in awe of them.
“I hope I did.”
“In my experience few women can resist flowers and sweets,” Xander offers.
“I know. It works like a charm for me.” I wink.
We both laugh.
Along with the flowers, we also bought Delilah scrumptious French pastries from La Petite Bouche. Since I don’t know her taste yet, I decide to go with a sure winner—chocolate. We got her a generous selection that will keep her happy for days to come. We’re talking about chocolate éclairs, coffee and chocolate profiterole balls, chocolate and hazelnut macarons and tiny squares of chocolate mud cake. For good measure, Xander suggested we add a few dacquois—his favorites. They are a delicate combination of crisp and chewy hazelnut and almond meringue fused together with light whipped cream. “Heaven on earth,” he calls them. We might have gone a bit overboard, but Delilah is worth it. You’d be wrong to think we only stopped at that. Those are the gifts Delilah gets for her home. There’s a lot more waiting for her at our place.
The taxi makes a right and drives past a row of stalls run by young designers, an eclectic mix of art galleries, a slew of designer furniture and clothing shops and a series of funky cafes. Like any self-respecting neighborhood in the city, you’ll find traditional pubs at practically every corner. I’m not surprised Delilah ended up here. The Hoxton and Shoreditch area definitely fits her personality. After a few kilometers, the driver turns left. It doesn’t take long for him to start slowing down and eventually we come to a complete stop in front of a black door crowned by a white archway. I look up and it’s a typical two-story London brick building.
“It seems we’ve arrived,” Xander points out.
“Let’s just hope she’s home,” I say, grabbing my phone.
“If not?” Xander asks.
“We’ll go pick her up wherever she is. I’m not going back to my place without her,” I say with certainty. He nods.
I dial her number, put the call on speakerphone and wait. After the second ring, I’m convinced it’s going to go to voicemail when she picks up.
“Ethan?” It almost sounds like she’s out of breath.
“It is, love.” It’s a good thing we programmed our numbers in her phone. “Are you okay? You’re breathing heavy?”
“Yes. I’m fine. Thanks for asking. I just got home and I was lugging four heavy bags of groceries. I love London, but in America you’ll be hard-pressed to find apartment buildings without elevators,” she laments. “I still haven’t got a clue how my roommate managed to get all this furniture in her place.”
“You’re too funny. I hope the climb won’t be as arduous for me.” I drop a hint. I wait patiently to see if she picks up on it.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m sitting here with Xander in front of your building.”
“Are you kidding me?” she shouts. Is she happy or upset? I can’t tell.
“No, love. I’m not.”
“I can attest to that, Delilah,” Xander says.
“Xander?”
“How many other Xanders do you know?” my best friend mocks.
“Which side of the building do you live on?” I ask.
“I’m facing Coronation Street. The other side faces Hoxton Square,” she says.
“Brilliant. If you don’t believe us, run to the window and see for yourself,” I suggest. “We’re at the back of a parked black taxi. You can’t miss us.”
The phone goes silent on the other side, forcing Xander and I to lean in to try to make out the shuffling in the background. We hear footsteps running against what I suspect is hardwood floor and then we hear a long gasp. “Oh, my God, you guys are actually outside my building.”
“We are,” Xander and I answer in unison.
“Can we come up?” I ask.
“Gosh.” She hesitates. “My place is a mess. I wasn’t expecting company. My roommate Jackie and I haven’t had a chance to clean up the place yet. That was the plan for tonight right after I put all the food away.”
“I can assure you we’re not here to inspect your flat, sweetheart. We’re here to see you,” Xander says.
“Okay then, but consider yourselves warned. I love Jackie to pieces, but she struggles with the concept of hanging her clothes and putting them away instead of leaving them lying all over the place.” She laughs.
“Noted, love. Which floor are you on?”
“I’m on the second floor.”
“And what’s your flat number?”
“Apartment 2F. It’s the one down the hall on the left-hand side.”
“We’ll be right up,” I say.
“See you soon,” she cheers.
I turn my phone off. A great sense of satisfaction washes over me. I turn to my best friend and smile wide. “I’d say she’s very excited to see us.”
“I’d second that. The element of surprise is definitely playing in our favor.�
�� Xander curls up his lips. He’s as pleased as I am.
“Let’s go get our girl,” I declare.
“I’m right behind you, mate.”
We get out of the car. Xander grabs the flowers, which allows me to go grab the bag of pastries sitting on the parcel shelf at the rear of the car. We make our way to the front door and ring Delilah’s flat. She lets us in immediately. We climb the two flights of stairs leading to her place in no time. When we get to her flat, Xander knocks a few times. The door opens and Delilah peers out as if she’s still not sure this is really happening.
“Wow. This is so surreal.” She beams before opening the door wide to let us in.
“Hey, love.” I lean in to kiss her softly on both cheeks, careful not to squash the box I’m holding. She gets on her tiptoes and slides an arm behind my neck. It’s just a greeting, but the contact is enough for my balls to tighten and for my cock to bulge to the point where my jeans feel incredibly uncomfortable. There’s something about this woman, and I don’t have a bloody clue what it is, but my body responds to her like a trained circus animal. She’s already making it very hard for me to be a good boy tonight.
She takes a step back and smiles wide. “Don’t be a stranger. Come on in.” She waves. I walk past her and right into the living room.
I turn around just in time to see Xander take advantage of the situation. “It’s so good to see you again, sweetheart.” He’s more forceful in his approach than I am. Instead of a simple greeting, he crushes his lips against the curvy redhead’s mouth, drawing a few heady moans from her. So much for taking things slowly. “I miss tasting you like this,” he mutters before nibbling her jaw and down her neck. For the love of God. When my best friend finally pulls away, it’s clear Delilah is under his spell. “You’re all flushed,” Xander points out casually. “Did I do that to you?”
“Lord, you two have barely gotten here and you’re already raising the temperature in the room,” she says, fanning herself.
“It’s nearly impossible for me to control myself when I’m near you,” Xander explains.
“Down, boy. Let’s take it one step at a time,” I warn. “Remember?”
We all laugh.
“Where are my manners?” She shakes her head. “See what you guys do to me?” If you only knew what we really wanted to do to you. “Xander, don’t stand halfway in the hallway like that. Come on in.”
Xander walks in, sporting a huge triumphant grin. Delilah closes the door behind him, leans against it and exhales while shifting her eyes from mine to Xander’s. She’s taking us in. Suddenly, the serene look that was there is gone replaced by a sense of panic. She takes a step forward and stands in front of us with her hands on her hips. “Wait a minute. How did you guys know how to find me?”
Xander taps me on my shoulder. “Ethan has a few tricks up his sleeves. He’s a cocky little bugger.”
“I accept the title with grace.” I smile at my best friend before returning my attention to Delilah. “If you insist on knowing, I’ll tell you all about it when all three of us get in the taxi.”
Her eyebrows draw in. “Wh-what? Where are we going?”
“Xander and I are here because we hope you’ll have dinner with us tonight at our place. It’s low key, nothing fancy—just three friends enjoying a relaxing evening together.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Once again, Xander and I answer in unison.
“I know you’re still thinking about everything we talked about a few days ago and we’re not trying to pressure you—well, maybe a little,” I say. She rolls her eyes. “In any case, a girl needs to eat, right?” I wink. “Just in case it isn’t abundantly clear, we’re offering to feed you.”
Her jaw drops and her eyes widen. “You guys drove all the way out here to ask me out for dinner? I mean, you could’ve called or texted?” She’s dumbfounded. “This is over the top. And just to be abundantly clear…” She borrows my words. Cheeky little Southern vixen. “I’m incredibly flattered.”
“Of course we could have used modern technology, but how boring and predictable is that? Not to mention, how else were we going to be able to give you the flowers and the pastries we got for you?” I raise the box I’m holding to eye level. Xander does the same and unzips the protective pouch, revealing the stunning bouquet.
She gasps before covering her mouth with both hands. “Gosh. Those are for me? I’m so overwhelmed to see you at my place that I didn’t even clue in.”
“Well, I don’t see any other ravishingly beautiful women standing in the room, do you, Ethan?”
I shake my head. “No, Xander, I don’t.”
Suddenly her beaming face turns somber.
“What is it, sweetheart?” Xander asks. He looks as concerned as I do.
“I feel so guilty.” Her shoulders slump and she lowers her eyes.
“Why?” I ask.
Shyly, she lifts her gaze up to mine. “I never got back to you. I just needed some time…”
“It’s okay, love. We understand,” I offer to console her.
“I don’t know if this is a coincidence or what, but I had planned on getting back to you tonight… and here you are.” She opens her arms in a grand gesture.
“Personally, I think it’s God sending us a message, love. This is the second time in a matter of days that He’s used his serendipitous magic on us. Just like Saturday, it’s the three of us.” I wink again.
“Ethan is right. All that matters is right here, right now,” Xander says.
“Thanks for saying that,” Delilah says. “I feel much better.” Good.
“You know what?” I ask. She shakes her head. “Of course, I can only speak for myself, but I suspect Xander is in the same boat.”
She furrows her brows. “What do you mean?”
“These gifts weigh a ton, love.” I let out a long exhale as if I’m exhausted after a strenuous workout.
“You don’t say.” She laughs.
“Uh-huh.” I nod. Xander picks up quickly. Right on cue, we extend our hands, offering the gifts we brought for her.
“Oh, my God,” she marvels. “I don’t know what to say.” She takes a few steps forward and grabs the flowers first. “Those are spectacular.” She brings them up to her nose and inhales the delicate fragrance. “These smell divine. Thank you so much.” She drops the bouquet on a coffee table nearby and walks back towards me. “And what are you hiding in that big box, Sir?”
Sir? Yes, you guessed it. My mind went straight to the gutter with that question.
I clear my throat. “I hope you like desserts.” She nods. “In that case, you’ve been served, my lady.” I grin, opening the lid.
Delilah nearly jumps up and down with excitement when she takes in the outrageous display of sweet chocolate treats. “Mother of God, those are going to be the end of me.” She reaches out to grab one of the pastries and I immediately slam the lid shut. “Ha!” she lets out. I caught her off guard. She lifts her blue eyes up to me, confused.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” I shake my head. “No sweets before dinner, young lady.” I do my best to keep a stoic face, but her expression of surprise makes it impossible.
When Delilah notices I’m joking, she loses it. I love her unrestrained laugh. Soon, Xander and I join in. It seems like we laugh for a good minute before we’re able to regain our composure.
“You like chocolate, I hope?” Xander asks.
“I don’t think there’s a woman in the world who doesn’t.” She pauses before adding, “Thank you for everything.” Her eyes bounce from Xander’s to mine. The warmth and gratitude I read fills me with pride.
“I’m glad you like them,” Xander says.
“Same here, love,” I quip. “But let’s be clear here, this is nothing. Wait until we really start spoiling you.” Xander chuckles.
“Wow. You guys surely know how to pamper a girl. No one has ever gone out of their way to do anything close to this for me before. I’m so incredibly touched.
” Her cheeks turn into that soft shade of pink that does things to me.
“So do you accept our invitation?” I ask.
“I’d have to be out of my mind not to.” She laughs.
“I like what I hear, love. I’m excited about tonight.” Very.
“Ethan took the words right out of my mouth.”
Once again her expression suddenly changes. She frowns while contorting her lips to the side. She’s definitely thinking hard. “Can I ask for a favor?”
“Sure. Anything,” Xander answers first.
“I’m still wearing my work clothes.” She pulls at her black blouse. “Can I have ten minutes to change into something more suitable for dinner with two gorgeous men?”
“You look perfect the way you are, love,” I quip.
“I don’t know how you could look better,” Xander adds.
“I know this is going to sound silly, but it’s a Southern thing. If I don’t dress for the occasion, I’m pretty sure that my great-grandmothers will be turning in their graves.” She grins from ear to ear. “I promise I won’t be long.” I doubt there’s anything we’d refuse her.
“We’ll have a seat right here on the sofa while you make yourself even more beautiful than you already are,” I declare.
She blushes furiously at my compliment.
“You can’t make yourselves comfortable yet. Where I’m from you’re supposed to give company the grand tour when they first visit. Come on, you two, follow me.” She waves her finger at us.
CHAPTER 23
Delilah
I made the decision I’d get in touch with Xander and Ethan after my chat with Maggie last night. I felt confident in setting aside the trepidation of engaging in a very unconventional relationship. I’m really not sure I’m using the right word to describe what they’re proposing, since they never really talked about long-term. I’m certain we’re talking about a few nights, but how else am I supposed to label this? The second I was willing to be honest about my feelings, I was okay admitting to myself that I’d be a damned fool to pass up the opportunity to come completely undone at the hands of two men determined to bring me an insane amount of pleasure. Once is simply not enough.
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