Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“Happy birthday, Gabriella,” Dalton says when he reaches our group. His big hand cradles my elbow as he leans in to give me a chaste kiss on the cheek. It’s just right for the kind of relationship we’re supposed to have, and I’m grateful that he’s listened to my rules for tonight, but my heart presses against my chest wall uncomfortably. My hands itch to touch him, my arms ache to embrace him. When he steps to the side so Blake can greet me, too, the space between us feels cold and sad. When my eyes meet Blake’s, a sizzle of electricity passes between us and I have to lower my lids momentarily to regroup. His kiss on my cheek is equally chaste, but his hand on my waist is not and I shiver from the buzz of nerves that climb my spine and scalp.
Fuck.
I’m a mess. A mess of a human being who doesn’t know what she wants. There’s no way I’m going to be able to stand near them and not react. They’re like magnets, drawing me into their orbit, sending all my senses scrambling.
“So, are you going to introduce me?” Celine asks, her eyes scanning the length of Dalton lasciviously. He’s definitely her type. She likes her men big and brawny. Her current boyfriend, Eddie, is a little like Dalton in appearance although they’re nothing alike in personality.
“This is Dalton, and this is Blake. They’re Kain’s brothers.”
“Kain’s brothers! Hi, I’m Celine.”
They smile at her politely but seem uncomfortable with the flirty way she’s looking at them. There’s a pause that I don’t know how to fill. My tongue is tied and my mouth is dry.
A hand rests on my shoulder from behind. A hand joined to a man who smells just like Kain. When I turn, he smiles down at me, and winks a piercing blue eye. “Hey, birthday girl.”
“Hey yourself.” I turn and give him a kiss on the cheek, hoping I can avoid any flutterier feelings if I just take control and keep things businesslike. I check to see if Celine is watching, but she’s dancing with Ellie.
“Are you having a good time?” Kain asks.
“Yeah,” I say. “Awesome.” I chew my cheek, feeling the hot creep of embarrassment heat my neck.
“Hey, Gab,” Ellie calls. “Come dance with us.”
I join them, grateful to be saved from stilted conversation so I can lose myself with my friends.
When I get close, Ellie grabs my arm and leans in to speak into my ear. “If you’re not fucking those men, I’ll eat my shoe.” Her eyes search mine, but I blink and look away.
“What?” I splutter and pretend to look around for who she’s referring to.
“You know what I’m talking about, Gabriella Cross. Don’t pretend with us. We’re your besties. If you can’t be honest with us about your sexual exploits, who can you be honest with?”
I sigh, knowing that there’s no way I’m going to keep up any kind of denial now Ellie’s got this bone between her teeth. “Okay. I’m banging them, but it’s a secret. You absolutely cannot tell a soul, okay? Promise.”
Celine stares at me like she’s about to choke on her own tongue. Ellie throws her head back and laughs, the pretty gold chain at her throat bouncing with every chuckle. “I knew it,” she says. “I absolutely knew you wouldn’t be able to resist gathering your own harem.”
“Shit.” Celine squeezes my arm as though she’s about to tell me something serious. “Now I’m the only one without a harem.”
I roll my eyes, still trying to dance and maintain the appearance that I’m having a great time. “I don’t have a harem. I just have three fuck buddies who need to remain a secret. It’s never going to become anything serious.”
“What do you mean?” Ellie asks. “Why the hell not? Are they bad in bed?”
“Hell no!” I gasp; the very idea that Kain, Dalton, and Blake can be seen as anything less than sex gods is too outrageous.
“So, what then?” She pats her curly hair and adjusts her black mini dress. Even after having a baby, she still has a gorgeous figure. She’s probably got her body back from all the amazing sex she’s been having.
“They’re my brother’s best friends,” I say, expecting my statement to draw a line underneath the conversation, but it doesn’t.
“So what? That must be one of the top ten ways girls meet their significant others. I mean, what the hell’s the point of having a stinky older brother if he’s not going to hook you up with his hot friends?” Celine shrugs her shoulders and then glances behind me to where the Nowak brothers are chatting to Ellie’s men. They’re all in the middle of the dance floor but they don’t seem to care.
“Do you think Eddie will be up for adding a couple more dudes to your relationship?” I joke with Celine.