Quadruple Duty

I reached him and placed a hand gently on his hard, expansive chest. He didn’t flinch.

“Four men at once…” I practically whispered. “Dating them. Fucking them…”

I saw the change in his eyes; his pupils flaring wildly as I said the word. I let the tiniest hint of a smile play at the corner of my mouth. I had him.

“Taking care of four strong, loving boyfriends,” I went on. “Four military boyfriends. And them, taking care of me...”

I leaned in, so that my face was only inches from his. His scent was intoxicating, all man and musk and muscle. I could feel his breath on my lips. I could sense the shift in his body language as the very tips of my breasts brushed up against his chest.

Then I spun on my heel, turned, and kissed Dakota.

If he was surprised, it didn’t show. The tall blonde recovered quickly, pressing his lips to mine, crushing me against him so fast I didn’t even realize his arms had gone around me.

The world stopped. Dakota’s mouth was sweet nectar, his lips full and beautiful and perfect for kissing as I let my hand linger against the side of his baby-smooth face. And trapped in his arms? I could feel his strength. His power! It made me swoon, almost surrendering fully into his embrace… but after only a moment I pulled back and stood before them again.

“That’s how serious I am.”

I stepped to Kyle next, and he stood fast. He was ready for my kiss, and he delivered it back to me. After all, we’d had lots of practice. And it showed.

“Don’t begrudge me my indulgences,” I said, turning back to Ryan. “Renovating this house would be my passion, yes. But if this were to happen? The four of you would always be my first love.”

I couldn’t believe I’d said the word. Of course it meant nothing at this point, but I had to put it out there.

“You’d be my boyfriends. My lovers.” I shrugged. “You’d be everything a girl wants and needs in a relationship, times four.” There was a pause as they stood there, weighing my words. The moment had gravity. We all knew it.

“And of course,” I went on, “I’d be there for you. Each of you. All of you.” I swallowed hard at the thought. “We’d be there for each other… the way you guys already have been for so long. And maybe that’s what might make this whole thing work.”

They were staring at me, each in their own way. I was in the middle of the room again, the sunlight filtering in through the high arched windows, bathing me in light.

“Like I said,” I added hastily, “only if this were to happen…”

For a long time no one said anything. Silence reigned.

“So… is this happening?” Kyle dared ask.

It was a good question… and one I’d agonized over greatly. But you know what? Nothing I’d done so far had worked out at all. My own dating history had landed me here — every relationship I’d ever started had failed miserably. I’d been ‘too much’ for most guys, or they hadn’t been nearly enough for me. Either way, it always ended the same: intimidation on their end, boredom, on mine. And then ultimately, breakup.

“For now, yes,” I said.

Kyle and Dakota’s eyes lit up. My whole body shivered with excitement… and fear.

“But first,” I continued, “we need to go over some things…”

Ten

DAKOTA

I was still reeling from her kiss.

It had been a long time since I’d been kissed like that, or even around someone this beautiful. It was all I could do not to throw this girl over my shoulder and carry her back to my bedroom, if for no other reason than to spend the next few hours kissing her the way she’d just kissed me.

And, I could tell, by the way her body reacted to mine? She wouldn’t object to that in the least.

Instead I just stood there, dumbstruck, watching this sassy but amazing woman tell us how things were going to be. Which was a pretty big turn of events from how things normally went. Especially for Ryan.

“For one,” she said, “I’m going to need a week. Consider it a trial. I’ll be trying you out, and you’ll be trying me.”

“Trying…” Ryan scoffed.