Kane asked me to meet them at his room. Stay calm, the voice in my head said, trying to make my heart stop fluttering. Stay real calm. They’re men, just like all other men.
But my nerves wouldn’t stop because they weren’t like other men. They were alpha billionaires, and three of them at that. I’d done three men at a time, and who does that really? This is real life, not a movie, and I couldn’t afford to get caught up in thinking I had a movie-star existence.
So heart pumping fast, I stared at my reflection in the gold walls. The elevator seemed to ascend in slow motion before finally coming to a smooth halt. The doors opened, and I stepped out hesitantly onto cream colored carpet covered with gold scrolls. Man, my leather shoes looked scuffed next to this opulence, like they didn’t belong.
But I did belong.
I was invited here.
Me, Katie Evans, not someone else.
So taking a deep breath, I forced my feet forwards. A quick perusal of the hallway revealed there was only one room on the whole floor, and the nerves came screaming back then, my stomach churning. Holy cow! Who’s able to rent out the entire floor of a hotel? Again, I was over my head, into the deep waters with these guys.
But there was no way but forwards. So step by step, I made my way to the huge marble door. Biting my lip, it took a minute before I found the courage to knock.
Was this the right thing to do?
Should I turn around and go back, before things got even more complicated?
But before I could act on the second thoughts, the door swung open and Kane stood there with a smile. God, the alpha was devastatingly handsome. He looked every bit the billionaire in an expensive suit and perfectly styled hair, flashing those pearly whites.
“Hey! Come inside,” the big man said warmly, moving his massive body so that I could see beyond.
I took one tentative step into the room before coming to a full stop. Because it wasn’t a room at all. This place was a massive suite that had several entryways leading off from the living room. And the living room was utterly magnificent, done with cream-colored low-slung furniture, modern with sky blue accent pillows. Was that a Monet in the hallway? I squinted my eyes, looking at the swirling colors and came to a conclusion. Yes, it was a Monet. The water lilies were unmistakable. Kane was living in a suite that came with artwork worth more than my entire apartment building put together.
“I thought this was your room,” came my voice on a stammer.
But the billionaire wasn’t perturbed at all. Flashing that smile again, he jerked his head.
“Yeah, the hotel only had the one suite, so Tyler, Mason and I had to share,” he growled, rolling his eyes. “Can you believe it? We’re forty year-old guys sharing a place. I haven’t done this since I was in the Cub Scouts.”
A laugh escaped me then, a big breath of oxygen entering my lungs. Cub Scouts? I couldn’t imagine this handsome, dominating man dressed in khaki shorts with a red bandanna, holding up his fingers in the “Scout’s Honor” pledge. It was too hilarious.
But Kane shook his head again, grinning all the while.
“That’s right, I was a Cub Scout,” he said. “Made it all the way to Eagle, as a matter of fact,” he said, voice going serious. “I believe in giving back to the world, and the Boy Scouts helped me hone my philanthropic urges. It makes a big difference you know. Back then, I was happy to give ten dollars to a worthy cause, and now it’s a lot more,” he said with an easy grin.
I nodded, impressed. So these guys were definitely more than corporate raiders, take-no-prisoner business titans. There was a sense of generosity and graciousness that permeated the air, making them human beings with multiple sides. How in the world did I get so lucky?
And at that moment, Tyler and Mason entered the room. But my sense of calm was short-lived. Seeing the three gorgeous alphas together sent my body temperature skyrocketing. Suddenly, the spacious living room was too small and heat pulsed through my frame as three pairs of blue eyes ran over my curvy body.
“Well now that we’re all here, should we head out on the tour?”
My voice sounded silly to my own ears, high-pitched and funny. But still, I’d offered a tour and was gonna deliver.
Mason sank back on a plush couch, one big hand balancing a drink. What was that? Brandy? Bourbon?
He grinned then.
“Where are my manners?” the big man growled. “The lady needs a drink as well.”
And sure enough, Tyler strode to the wet bar then.
“Get you something, honey?” came that smooth, deep voice.