Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Who we let in… Makayla, that’s who. She’s anything but a stranger, and she’s more than into it. She is incredibly responsive. Does this bother you?” Kellan asks, crossing his arms.
“Yes, a little,” I admit.
“You’ve never had a problem with our lifestyle before. What about Sheila? She was new to the idea of three guys, and you were the one who convinced her it would be fun,” Kellan reminds me. “Granted, she wholeheartedly agreed, but you can’t claim that you’re uncomfortable now.”
“That was different,” I say.
“How was it different?” Alex asks, giving me a puzzled frown.
“For one thing, we didn’t have somewhere to be in an hour when we hooked up with her,” I quip.
Kellan lets out a heavy sigh. To be fair, I feel the same. Part of me would’ve gladly joined the fun, but my engine isn’t revving as hot as my brothers’; my head is still in control.
“And we didn’t know Sheila since we were in high school ourselves,” I continue. “Are you really going to make me say it?”
Kellan cocks his head to the side. “Say what?”
“Makayla is special, okay,” I snap. “I haven’t seen her in a lifetime, and the first glimpse I get, she’s standing between you two, naked under that towel and about to go past the point of no return. The three of you let yourselves get carried away. She deserves better, and you know it.”
“She was genuinely enjoying herself,” Kellan says.
Alex gives him a doubtful look. “We should woo her,” he says. “Oscar’s right—we need to let the blood settle first. I wouldn’t have regretted a single moment, and neither would Kay, but now that we’ve cooled off a bit, I see his point.”
I glance around for something to focus on while my thoughts bolt every which way. The balcony door hangs open, letting the warmth escape. I close it, grateful for the few seconds it buys me to think.
Outside, several half-full glasses ring the tub. A bottle of champagne is on the table and there are two unused towels hanging over the back of one of the lounge chairs.
“Maybe we skipped a few steps,” Kellan admits. “In my defense, Makayla didn’t help much with that, either. The girl is hungry for us. As hungry as we are for her.”
“We owe it to Bryan, too,” I say. “I will not deny the chemistry here.”
“You felt it, huh?” Alex says, scoffing as he gives me a half smile.
I nod slowly. “It’s delicate. Whether this lasts one night, only this trip, or something deeper—something beyond what I’m sure will be mind-blowing sex—we need to handle Makayla carefully.”
“Good luck swaying her back into the fold,” Kellan says, shooting me a look. “Your approach was a tad abrasive, to say the least.”
“I’ll make amends.” I pause and level him with a hard look. “Are you going to lunch like that?”
“You’re unusually cranky. Did somebody forget to get in a power walk this morning?”
I follow him out to collect the glasses and bottles from the balcony. The hot tub is still bubbling, and for a moment I wish I were in it.
I pause over the kitchen sink, bottles in hand, then pour the remaining champagne into a clean glass and down it in one hearty gulp.
“Feeling better?” Alex asks, holding back a chuckle.
“My apologies,” I say. “But I’m not sorry that I stopped this.”
“We should apologize, too,” Alex says, and Kellan begrudgingly agrees with a nod. “We share everything. It wasn’t our intention to keep Makayla from you.”
“In fact, she did ask about you,” Kellan adds.
My eyes widen. “She did?”
“Yes, she did,” he says.
“I know what this is about,” Alex says, cutting in. “I can still read you like an open book, Oscar.”
I raise a skeptical eyebrow. “Go on.”
“Well, you’ve already pointed out that you want us to take our time wooing her, and I agree. But it runs deeper for you. You want to know what Makayla’s like all grown up. You want to know how we managed to convince her to go all the way with us so soon. You’re wondering if she didn’t feel something for you way back when, and if so, why she’d be so eager to get it on with Kellan and me.”
“I don’t,” I insist. “None of those things are relevant. I’m just glad I stopped the three of you from making a big mistake.”
“The only mistake was not bringing you in sooner,” Kellan concedes.
“It still wouldn’t have happened like this,” I argue.
I head back into the lounge, not caring whether they follow. He’s hit a sore spot and he knows it. I never saw Makayla as a likely romantic partner, but I was always very aware of her whenever she was around. I’m not sure if Alex and Kellan felt the same way, but I definitely don’t want her to do anything she might regret with either one of them. She’s not like the other girls, and that’s what scares me.