“Your door was open and I thought…” She bites her lip. “It seems silly now. I shouldn’t have come in here.”
“It’s fine. As you said, the door was open.” I remove my jacket and hang it up. “Honestly, walking in and seeing you on my bed is the best part of my day so far.”
“What happened?” she asks, as she sits back on the bed.
“I had dinner with my agent. He’s worried about my upcoming movie and says it better be a hit, or we’re in trouble.”
“What? You’re a huge movie star! Sexiest man of the year and all that.”
“I was. But after the Lana thing my career has been suffering.”
“That’s ridiculous! She’s the one who looks bad, not you.”
I sit beside Allie with a heavy sigh. “When Lana left me I did some stupid shit. Got wasted a lot. Trashed a hotel room. Slept with anything that moved. It wasn’t pretty. The bad publicity is catching up to me now, I guess.”
She rests a hand on my knee. “Your reaction to Lana’s betrayal is totally understandable. And you’re not doing any of that stuff anymore.”
“True, but the press love to spin whatever they can to make me seem like a total wreck.” I dig out the trashy tabloid my agent gave me at dinner and hand it to her. “Look at this shit.”
Allie stares at the cover, which has a really unflattering picture of me in a baseball cap and sunglasses, my beard extra ragged that day, as I walk down the street with my head down. The headline reads, Luke Hart’s Drug Addiction – How He’s Coping After Lana’s Moved On To A New Man.
“But that’s not even true!” Allie says. “You’re not on drugs. This is a complete lie.”
“Welcome to life in Hollywood.”
She tosses the tabloid aside. “No one reads this trash anyway. Everyone knows it’s all totally fake.”
“Someone reads it or they wouldn’t keep selling it.”
She sighs. “I wish I could do something to help.”
I take her hand and bring it to my lips, kissing her palm. “You being here and listening to me is already helping.”
“Good.” She moves that hand to my jaw, running it across the rough stubble there, as she studies my face. I close my eyes and savor her touch. It’s been ages since anyone caressed me like this. Yes, I fucked a lot of women after Lana, but those were quick and dirty encounters. This touch is intimate, almost loving.
I lean into it and then feel her other hand slide into my hair. God, it’s good. Her soft touch. Her warm fingers stroking my face and head. Then her lips brush against mine and I can’t keep in a soft groan.
She freezes at the sound and I open my eyes. She looks concerned, like she’s not sure she should be doing this.
“Don’t stop,” I say.
Her fingers slide down to the back of my neck and she pulls my mouth to hers. At first we kiss slowly, brushing and nipping at each other’s lips. Asking for permission to go further. We’ve both been hurt before and we both need to ease into this together. But there’s no one I want to do this with more than Allie.
I start to take the kiss deeper, but instead she breaks off and gazes up at me. “Is this okay?” she asks.
“More than okay.” I run my thumb along her sexy lips. “Allie, you’re the only woman I’ve felt anything for since Lana.”
Her eyes widen and I take that moment to draw her mouth back to mine. This time we’re not tentative or hesitant or slow. This time I kiss her with all the passion I’m feeling and don’t hold anything back. She melts in my arms and I wrap myself around her, holding her tight as I kiss her. Damn, I missed this. Just holding someone. Kissing them. Loving them.
Her soft lips trail down my jaw, along my stubble, to my neck. I groan and tilt my head back as she covers my skin with light kisses. At the same time, her fingers move to the front of my shirt and begin slowly undoing the buttons. Each bit of skin she reveals is covered with her mouth, and I get hard with the thought of her continuing even lower.
I’m not sure either of us is ready for that, though god knows I want it. I take her hands, stilling her movements as she opens the final button on my shirt, and drag her back up to my mouth. As I kiss her deeply, her hands splay across my chest, cool against my hot skin. I picture them wrapped around my dick and get even harder.
I run my fingers along her voluptuous thighs and hips. My previous lovers were all so skinny I worried I might snap them in two like a twig. I like that Allie has some meat on her bones and I’m dying to have her naked and wrapped around me.
And her breasts. Fuck, they’re so hot. Large and perfectly shaped. I take them in my hands, feeling the nice weight of them while rubbing her hard nipples through the fabric of her dress. She moans and arches her back, and I increase the pressure.
I’m about to remove her dress and explore her body even more, when my door bangs open, startling us both.
“Hey, I—” my brother starts. His voice cuts off when he sees me with Allie, our hands all over each other.
Allie jumps to her feet, her face bright red. “Matt! I was just, um...” She glances between the two of us, biting her lip. “Oh god. I have to go.”
Her face red, she dashes out of the room like the place is on fire, leaving me alone with my brother. That total cockblocker.
“Sorry, I didn’t know she was with you,” Matt says, looking at everything except me.
“It’s okay.” I begin buttoning my shirt again. The situation is awkward as hell, but what can we say? We all agreed to this. We all want her. And none of us is going to back down.
“What are we going to do about this mess?” Matt asks, gazing in the direction Allie ran. I know what he means. Soon one of us is going to have sex with her. Then what? We all take turns with her?
I shake my head. “No clue. But we better come up with a solution fast.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
ALLIE
The music pulses around me as I raise my shot glass. “Bottoms up!”
Brooke arches an eyebrow as I down the tequila. It burns all the way down, but I shake it off. We’ve been in this club for the last hour and I still haven’t forgotten the awkwardness from earlier today. Remembering Matt’s startled face as he walked in on me with Luke gives me so much anxiety I can barely sit still. I was embarrassed, worried he was upset, but worst of all, incredibly turned on by the idea of Matt joining us. And maybe Shane too.
I have no idea how to get out of this mess I’m in. Alcohol is the only solution.
“What’s going on with you?” Brooke asks. “I haven’t seen you drink like this since spring break in our senior year.”
My stomach turns at the memory. “Oh god, when I was so drunk I had sex with that guy in the pineapple costume.” Not my finest moment.
“Yep. And then you had a killer hangover the next day.” She slides my empty shot glass away from me. “Better stop now or you’ll have another one.”
I slump against the bar counter, chin in hand. “Fine.”
“Why don’t you tell me what the problem is?”
“I did something stupid...” I hesitate, picking at a groove on the wooden counter.
Brooke taps her nails against her glass. Tonight they’re a sexy dark red, for passion. Or maybe danger. “Spit it out then.”
“I kissed all three guys.”
She sits up straighter on her bar stool. “You did what now?”
“It’s Shane’s fault! He kissed me first.”
Her jaw drops open. “My brother kissed you?”
“I know, I couldn’t believe it either. I thought he hated me.” I shake my head. “Then Matt and Luke walked in on us and kind of...demanded they get equal treatment.”
She holds up a hand. “Wait a second. They forced you to kiss them?”
“No! It wasn’t like that. They gave me the option to kiss them to make it even between all of us. So I did.”
Brooke’s mouth is grim. “And now you have feelings for all of them and don’t know how you’ll choos
e one.”
“Yes! How’d you know?”
“Because this is exactly what I knew would happen if you moved in with them. Although I didn’t expect you to go after all three of them.” She raises her beer in salute. “Nice work there.”
“I really need another drink.” I wave down the bartender, then order a martini. Brooke doesn’t stop me this time. She must realize what deep shit I’m in. “I know I can’t have a relationship with all three guys, but I really like each of them. If I choose one, it’ll cause problems with the others, who I still have to live with for another few weeks. How am I going to get out of this?”
She rests a hand on my arm. “Walk away now. Come live with me until you find your own place. Put all three guys out of your mind and consider it a post-breakup rebound fluke. Temporary insanity. It doesn’t have to be anything more.”
My chest tightens at the thought. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to choose none of them either.” I rest my head on my folded arms, hiding my face. “God, I’m a mess.”
She rubs my back. “Well, there’s one other option.”
“What’s that?” I ask, looking up with hopeful eyes.
“Convince the guys to all have a relationship with you.”
My face scrunches up. “Is that a thing?”
“Sure. Polyamory.”
“Like an open relationship? But I don’t want them to sleep with anyone else. Oh my god, I’m so selfish.”
“You are the least selfish person I know. It’s nice to see you doing something for yourself for once.”
I take a large gulp of my martini, which is not as good as the one Matt makes me, but it’ll have to do. “The guys would never go for that. And how would I explain our relationship to other people?”
She shrugs. “It’s none of their business anyway.”
“You wouldn’t judge me for having a relationship with all three guys?”
“Of course not. As far as I’m concerned, as long as people are happy and not hurting anyone they can do what they want. If you want a harem of men, go for it. The idea sounds disgusting to me, but if that’s what tickles your fancy, do it.”
I let out a sad laugh. “I suppose.”
“Now a harem of women, on the other hand, that I could be down for. Remember when I was dating Tracy, Carmen, and Sheila all at once? They each knew about it.” She flashes a smug smile. “That was my own little harem there.”
“What happened in the end?”
“Um. Well.” She takes a sip of her drink, not meeting my eyes. “It fell apart because each one wanted all of my time and attention. Originally they were okay with sharing me but then they got jealous and possessive and it turned ugly. In the end, we all broke up.” She sighs. “Probably for the best. I can’t even make time for one girlfriend at the moment. Work is seriously trying to kill me.”
“I’m sorry.” I perk up. “Hey, did you know Shane’s co-star, the one who plays Jenna, is gay too?”
“Oh yeah? She’s pretty hot.”
“We should totally set you up!”
Brooke rolls her eyes. “Thanks but no thanks. Just because we’re both gay doesn’t mean we’ll hit it off.”
“Fine,” I say. “But if you happen to come over and she’s there too, well, what’s the harm in that?”
“You’re impossible. I don’t set you up with every single straight guy I know.”
“That’s because you hate all of them other than your brother.”
“Okay, you have a point there.” She tilts her head as she stares at me. “So what are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know.” I chug the last of my drink. “For tonight, drown myself in alcohol.”
“Not your best plan, but not your worst either.”
“I just want to forget all of my relationship drama over the last month and drink and dance and have a good time.”
She gestures for the bartender to fill up our drinks again. “We can definitely do all of that.”
I grin and grab my martini, then head to the dance floor with her. Lights flash, music thumps, and I drink and dance and drink and dance. For the next few hours I lose myself in the steady pulse of the club and the people around me until I can barely stand up straight, and I’m leaning against Brooke while she pulls out her phone.
“Shane, I need you to come get me and Allie,” she says, as I grip her arm tightly.
“No, don’t call him!” I say, although my words are slurred. “Anyone but him.”
“Too late. He’s on his way.”
“Why?” I ask, my head already pounding, the cool air only making it worse. Hang on. When did we go outside?
“Because he’s the only one I trust.”
I groan and rest my head back against the brick wall. Shane is the last person I want to see right now. The whole point of coming here was to forget about him and the other guys. But thanks to my best friend, this night is about to get a whole lot worse.
Chapter Twenty-Three
SHANE
I drop everything and rush to the club the second Brooke calls me. She and I have always had a policy that if we needed the other to pick us up or rescue us from any situation, we’d do it—no questions asked.
Still, as my sister and her best friend climb into the backseat of my Tesla, both of them stumbling and muttering and reeking of alcohol, I have a lot of questions.
“You okay?” I ask, looking in the rearview mirror at them. I’m allowed at least that one.
Brooke nods. “Yeah. Just go.”
Once they’re buckled in, I stare forward at the road as I drive us back to my place. Now that I’ve seen how drunk both Brooke and Allie are, I’m really glad Brooke called me instead of getting a taxi or an Uber. With the state they’re in, a driver could have easily taken advantage of them. Am I overprotective of my little sister? Definitely. And I’m fine with that.
What’s more surprising is the fierce protectiveness I feel toward Allie as well. I told myself before it was just a kiss in the heat of the moment, that we had sexual chemistry and nothing else, but I was lying to myself. What I feel for her is more than lust…although there’s a lot of that too.
The girls are unusually silent in the car, and when we get home I find that they’re both passed out, leaning against each other. I bring Brooke in first and deposit her in the extra guest room, then head back out to get Allie. I lift her into my arms and she wakes up enough to snuggle against my chest as I carry her into the house and down the stairs to her room.
Allie wraps her arms around my neck as I help her onto the bed. “Shane,” she whispers, as her fingers slide into my hair. “I want you. So bad.”
Her mouth is clumsy as it finds mine and she tastes of alcohol, but I still can’t resist her kiss. After a few seconds I pull away. I’m not taking advantage of a girl so drunk she won’t remember any of this tomorrow.
“Don’t go,” she says, tugging on my shirt.
“Lie down,” I say, as I extricate myself from her grip. “You need to rest. I’ll get you some water.”
When I turn to go, Matt and Luke hover in the doorway to her room, looking concerned. They must have heard us come in.
“Is she okay?” Luke asks.
Matt wrinkles his nose. “Wow, she smells like she went swimming in tequila.”
“That’s probably not far off,” I say.
“Luke, Matt,” Allie says, her eyes popping open.
They move to either side of the bed and gaze down at her. Luke strokes her face, while Matt takes her hand.
“Yes, Allie?” Luke asks.
“I’m sorry.” Her face crumples up like she’s going to cry.
“Why are you sorry?” Matt asks.
“Because I got us into this big mess.”
Luke tucks a piece of red hair behind her ear. “Everything is going to be fine.”
“No it’s not.” She sniffs. “I want all of you, but I can’t have all of
you. I have to choose. But I don’t want to choose.”
“Is that what this is about?” I ask, crossing my arms.
Luke nods slowly. “Matt walked in when Allie and I were kissing. She got upset and must have ran off to get drunk with Brooke.”
“Thought I could forget.” She squeezes her eyes closed. “Didn’t work. Still want all of you.”
I sigh and move to the end of the bed to take off her heels. “Don’t worry about that tonight. Just get some rest.”
Luke and Matt help ease her under the covers. She’s still wearing her dress, but it would be weird to remove it when she’s like this. None of us have that kind of relationship with her…yet.
“Can’t. Don’t want to lose any of you. Don’t want to hurt any of you.” She sighs. “Don’t want to be alone.”
“You’re not alone,” Matt says. “We’re here with you.”
“Brooke said I should talk to you guys,” she mumbles, as she pulls the covers up to her chin. “About sharing.”
“Sharing?” I ask, arching an eyebrow.
“Poly…” Her voice fades out. “Poly…something.”
“Polyamory?” Luke asks.
“Yes!” She giggles. “My own personal harem of sexy actors.”
“Technically that would be polyandry,” I say, which makes Matt roll his eyes.
She giggles even more. “Yep. That’s what I want. All three of you at once.”
“Okay, now she’s just babbling.” Matt chuckles, then takes her hand and kisses it. “Go to sleep, Allie. In the morning I’ll fix you up my favorite hangover cure.”
“Yes, Matt.” She closes her eyes again.
Luke kisses her on the forehead next, and then the three of us turn off the light and leave her in her room, closing the door behind us. Then we head upstairs to grab some beers.
“Well, shit,” Luke says, as he pops open his beer. “What are we going to do?”
I shake my head. “We need to stop this thing with her right now. All of us. Enforce the roommate contract for real this time.”
“Can you really do that?” Matt asks.
Hollywood Roommates Page 9
